Ardent pre-war racer Dougal Cawley has won two of the Vintage Sports-Car Club’s key championships, including the Motor Sport Brooklands Trophy for the best aggregate performance by an amateur driver in Brooklands-style races.
Cawley, well-known for his antics in his chain-gang Frazer-Nash GN, won seven of the 15 VSCC races he entered this year.
Riley racer David Pryke and Bugatti hero Stephen Shoosmith were runners up for the award, which was won in period by some of the sport’s luminaries, including Mike Hawthorn, George Abecassis and Innes Ireland.
The VSCC stalwart was delighted at the news. “I have had a storming year,” said Cawley. “I completely lunched Piglet’s engine at the end of last year and with a little help from friends have got it flying.”
As proof of his enthusiasm, the Doncaster-based tyre specialist also scooped a VSCC contest that he sponsors: the Longstone Championship recognises members who drive their cars to competitive events – something Cawley is fiercely proud of.
“There is nothing better than driving your racing car to a VSCC meeting, competing in three races and then driving what’s left of the car home again,” added Cawley, who poured scorn on fellow club members who avoid driving their cars. “Trailers are for bed wetters.”
This year, Cawley drove ‘Piglet’, his Ford-engine GN, to three race meetings, which put him eight points ahead of fellow GN racer Justin Maeers – known for driving his 6-litre Cirrus-engined ‘Parker’ special to the many venues that the Club visits throughout the season. VSCC Director, Tim Kneller, was placed third, thanks to the trips he made in his Riley 12/4 to many events from his home in Kent.
The Motor Sport Brooklands Award will be presented at Race Retro in February and the Longstone Championship prize – which includes Longstone vouchers for each runner-up – will be handed over at the VSCC’s annual general meeting in March.
Graeme Hurst