VSCC: Silverstone spring start

ERA again as Ricketts collects Lindsay Trophy

Duncan Ricketts scored yet another ERA triumph in the Patrick Lindsay Memorial Trophy at the VSCC’s Spring Start meeting at Silverstone in April. Ricketts steered R3A to victory, but a hard-charging Charles Dean, whose Bugatti T51 led initially, was only 1.5sec behind at the flag. Handicap winner Barrie Williams, in R12B, was fourth overall behind Matt Grist’s magnificent Alfa Romeo P3.

Andrew Smith (T43) headed a Cooper rout of the Amschel Rothschild Trophy, fending off the T45 of Bill Kirkpatrick. Other major races went to the Bentley Pacey-Hassan of Julian Mazjub (Itala & Lanchester Trophy) and Julian Bronson’s Riley Blue Streak (Fox & Nicholl Trophy).

Bronson jumped straight from the Riley to his brutish Lister-Chevrolet to fight the Cooper Monacos of Ted Williams and John Harper in the 1950s sportscar race. A mighty struggle between the Bristolians was resolved in favour of Williams as Harper watched from close quarters.

A hugely popular handicap victory fell to the remarkable Tom Delaney in his 93rd year. In the Lea-Francis he raced pre-war, Delaney held off Colin Bugler’s Lagonda in style.