• Mallory Park was celebrating its 50th birthday and there were various festivities including a display of all sorts of classic cars. The 'orrible weather and resulting sea of mud put something of a damper on the party atmosphere, but we did enjoy watching a parade of cars from all eras led by circuit owner Chris Meek's 612 Scaglietti. It looked quite good in red, less huge than in some of the metallic colours.

• The Swift 308 was in the wars again. Having burst a fuel pipe at Brands, the venerable warhorse popped a head gasket at Mallory. After he was forcibly retired, Swifty produced a welcomed bottle of Pinot Grigio most of which was promptly sunk by NP-B and the website Editor, both of whom had (unpaid) chauffeurs in attendance. These two know-alls then mused on the wisdom or otherwise of 13:1 compression Michelotto pistons in 308s.

• Some of the Mondial boys had a bit of a paddock tiff. John Shirley thought that Marco Pullen was using non-eligible tyres on the back of his car, so Marco pointed out that Shirley's car, originally on those nasty 390 metric wheels, was not correct in using replacement 17" wheels. It all got sorted but John found himself moved from Group 2 to Group 3 as a result of this mod.

• The Club's hospitality at Mallory was in a weird building that was a cross between a conservatory on stilts and an aircraft carrier tower. There was a very nice buffet lunch but "one or two" sarnies were left over. If any member would like any, please send an SAE to Swifty Catering, Dun Racin', Steam Park, Yorks.

• Occasional website contributor Tony Cotton was invited to partake of the buffet by the Ed. and, being a polite chap, took just a modest portionette. The Ed. was quickly pounced on by Derek Seymour and relieved of yet another £10. Having seen him eat, if Tony had known it wasn't going to be a free lunch it is unlikely that Swifty would have had a leftover problem.

• There were two real classics out at Mallory, a pair of lovely 275 GTBs, the red car of Steve Tandy (s/n 8699) and a Giallo car of Ross Warburton (s/n 8067). Tandy's car was ever so quick and was driven with real intent, and the yellow one was most interesting as detailed by NP-B in his race report.

• Speaking of oldies, Mike Spicer's was another 328 to suffer, with bits running when they shouldn't be and others not running when they should and he had to have a push-start for race 1. We wondered whether all these problems could possibly have anything to do with the combination of 20 year old Italian electrics and a filthy wet day.

• In addition to the above problems, Mike was struggling along on bald wets. This was a touch ironic as he sells and fits tyres for a living! Cobbler's children and unshod is of course the cliché that came to mind.

• Gary Culver put his second place in Race 1 down to traffic on this tight circuit and the odd river and lake on the track. We reckon the real reason was that Yvonne was absent poorly and that race strategy at Scuderia Culver had gone out the window. However, the Dave Preston prepared car featured some lovely attention to detail, such as sexy sliding side windows and lightweight door trims.

• Gary has bought the ex-Martin Brundle Tyrrell-Cosworth DFY 012/3 for Thoroughbred Grand Prix racing and hopes to make his debut at Donington in September. The purchase of this great car was thought to have been financed by the sale of Chinese calculators.

• John Shirley describes himself as a crofter and drove his Mondial down from Scotland and back! In race 1 his engine cover was flapping, as has happened before. Sundry experts though this might be down to a weak catch, but Joe Spicer (aged 8) advised them it was probably for extra cooling.

• Talk about great racers being able to precisely repeat each lap. Ray Hanson went off at Brands, wiping the n/s mirror off his Testarossa against the Armco. In second qualifying at Mallory, he did exactly the same thing again. Fortunately there was no other damage.

• Ex-PMFC "O" class racer Mike Haigh has graduated to a red tipo '40' racer, but this is an 'A' not an 'F'. His wet qualifying time in this Farina-designed B.M.C. bombshell would have put him half way up the formula classic grid. Mike was racing in the Top Hat Oldies But Goldies Jack Sears Trophy race and won, taking the lead on the penultimate lap of a 45 minute race. Well done, Mike!
  

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Chris Meek's 612 Scaggi led the parade

Swify's old warhorse was at the first PMFC round on '86, but popped its head gasket at the 20th anniversary

John Shirley investigates the nature of the problem

V. nice buffet but one or two sarnies were left over

275 of Steve Tandy...

..and that of Ross Warburton

Spicer about to look for a branch à la Basil Fawlty

A push start got the recalcitrant 328 going, NP-B (l) in supervisory mode

Gary's new toy

Apparently Chinese calculators paid for it...

Shirley's flapping engine cover - Joe says it's for cooling

Most wanted - another Testarossa mirror

An English Summer's day...

pics by Simon Cooke & CMdigicams