New Year Driving Tests

A traditional season-opener for many of our members (save those hardy souls who braved the cold for our overnight Measham Rally earlier this month), Brooklands, the home of British motor sport and aviation is the ideal arena for our competitors to brush away the winter cobwebs with tests set on ‘Test Hill’ and the famous banking.

For those new to the discipline, Driving Tests require entrants to manoeuvre their cars around bollards, into ‘parking spaces’ and stop astride lines all against the clock, with only a complex diagram to guide them; penalties are accrued for hitting bollards, wrong tests and poor braking whilst each car is awarded a bonus dependant on certain factors such as age, wheelbase length, tyres and brakes. They are a true test of a driver’s skill, intelligence and familiarity of his machine where the quickest and most accurate will come out on top.    

As with all VSCC events, Sunday’s competition boasts an eclectic mix of Pre-war cars: Tim Gunn’s ¼ litre 1919 Grafton Cyclecar is the day’s oldest entry; it may not win any speed awards but will certainly provide some entertainment. Amongst the shared entries, young Baker brothers, James and Andy, go head-to-head in their Grandfather’s Austin 7 Ulster whilst father and son, Geoffrey and Andrew Radford bring the exquisite MG Tigress out to play for the first time in three years. And hot off overall victory in the Measham Rally (14-15 January), James Potter takes on father John in their Alvis 12/50.  Competition will be rife throughout the field; look out for the appropriately three-way battle of the Morgan 3-Wheelers as first-time competitor Andrew Messent takes on Graham Joseph and regular racer Gary Caroline.

Preceded by the traditional Brooklands film show, this is a wonderful way to blow away those post-Christmas blues, and get back into the swing of seriously good fun club motorsport. This event is a great social occasion for competitors, spectators and marshals alike, so why not come along and join us at this historic venue.

Brooklands Film Night, Saturday 28 January
 
Tickets, including 2-course dinner, are available from Ann Watson, Brooklands Museum, Brooklands Road, Weybridge, KT13 0QN (phone 01932 857381 Ext 243) at a cost of £21.00 per head (£15.00 for under 16s), SAE and notification of vegetarian or other special requirements requested; please book early to avoid disappointment and to avoid holiday postage delays.
 
Films to be shown will cover the usual broad spectrum of Brooklands and other subjects.
 
The Bar will be open from 6.00pm, with dinner at 7.00pm, followed by films, with close at approx 10.30pm, bar service available throughout;The Motoring Village of the Museum will remain open from its normal closing time of 4.00pm until 6.00pm for those attending the Film Night.