Venables-Llewelyn sneaks VSCC 'spring start' win

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Ludovic Lindsay’s gallant quest to win the Christies memorial race to his father, the Hon Patrick Lindsay, was denied yet again at the VSCC’s 65th season opening meeting at Silverstone on April 24.

Lindsay competing in ERA R5B ‘Remus’, which his father owned and raced so famously before him, was ahead when the carburettor float chamber broke, “a first on an ERA. I’ve been second in this race about six times, so perhaps I’m just not destined to win it,” said Ludo, applauding as his mother, Lady Amabel, presented the memorial trophy to Sir John Venables-Llewelyn.

Venables-Llewelyn had been able to shoot Rodney Felton’s Alfa Romeo P3 past Lindsay’s ERA on the long straight, only to lose out again at the Brooklands-Luffield complex in what was a classic pre-war dogfight. A repeat of his 1997 victory was, however, fortuitous.

BRM P25-mounted John Harper won the Honourable Amschel Rothschild race, while Morgan pilot Stuart Harper claimed the GP Itala Trophy, in the hybrids’ wake. Julian Bronson completed a quintet of Fox & Nicholl successes in his Riley Blue Streak, and Nick Linney drove his Lister-Jaguar superbly to claim 1950s’ Sportscars honours.