Topic: Solved NIC#32 - AMOC sprint at Snetterton Oct 1951

[Allan L]

I'll suggest the following who were involved in the early Snetterton days and were AMOC members so far as I know:
StJohn Horsfall, Oliver Sear, Fred Riches, Ben Wyatt and Dudley Coram

[nicanary]

Anyone famous in the lineup?

One of the names is the same as a driver who competed in the British GP at least once. I do not know the others.

[nicanary]

I'll suggest the following who were involved in the early Snetterton days and were AMOC members so far as I know:
StJohn Horsfall, Oliver Sear, Fred Riches, Ben Wyatt and Dudley Coram

As the saying goes - none of the above....

[Allan L]

I'll suggest the following who were involved in the early Snetterton days and were AMOC members so far as I know:
StJohn Horsfall, Oliver Sear, Fred Riches, Ben Wyatt and Dudley Coram

As the saying goes - none of the above....

Hey-ho!
I really thought Dudley Coram would have been one of 'em as he was a well-known A-M owner for years as well as having a Snetterton corner named after him.

[nicanary]

Sorry to disappoint you Allan.

BTW I've been thinking - the cars are shown lined up for the start, but these sprints were for 2 FLYING laps. I checked an old circuit map, and I reckon the photo shows the cars getting ready to be flagged off on a flying run to the start/finish line which is another 100 yards further up the track. They are placed where the exit from the old paddock would have been.

The hangar is shown on programme maps up to 1961, but not on one from 1962 - so it must have been pulled down that winter.

[D-type]

Sorry to disappoint you Allan.

BTW I've been thinking - the cars are shown lined up for the start, but these sprints were for 2 FLYING laps. I checked an old circuit map, and I reckon the photo shows the cars getting ready to be flagged off on a flying run to the start/finish line which is another 100 yards further up the track. They are placed where the exit from the old paddock would have been.

The hangar is shown on programme maps up to 1961, but not on one from 1962 - so it must have been pulled down that winter.

Knowing the stre4ngth of that east wind, maybe it blew down?   

[nicanary]

Sorry to disappoint you Allan.

BTW I've been thinking - the cars are shown lined up for the start, but these sprints were for 2 FLYING laps. I checked an old circuit map, and I reckon the photo shows the cars getting ready to be flagged off on a flying run to the start/finish line which is another 100 yards further up the track. They are placed where the exit from the old paddock would have been.

The hangar is shown on programme maps up to 1961, but not on one from 1962 - so it must have been pulled down that winter.

Knowing the stre4ngth of that east wind, maybe it blew down?   

Too true. God, that place could be cold. I was there for the European Saloon Car Championship 500kms in 1966, and we had everything that day. I think it snowed at one point.

Someone in the racing business once said "there are only two trees between Snetterton and Siberia, and one of those has blown down".

[nicanary]

As I have said before, this is a puzzle that is almost impossible to solve. The information required is on a privately-owned photo which I have access to, but which is not publically available.

I feel that there is no point in leaving the puzzle on the Pros site. There is a way to solve it, but it would be a process which many Autopuzzlers would not wish to follow, and I think it is best to transfer the puzzle to the dreaded Black Hole.

[pnegyesi]

do you think the Aston Martin Heritage Trust knows the solution?

[Allan L]

I keep returning to this one which I feel I should be able to do more of.
Motor Sport reported the event "over an interesting new course" but only listed the class winners of which the only Aston Martin was the DB2 of Mort Morris-Goodall. Ken Wharton (2 litre ERA) made FTD by a second from Dennis Poore's 3.8 Alfa Romeo.
I think I know that Dudley Coram was CotC so perhaps that's him acting as Starter.
A few more A-M drivers of that era were Derrick Edwards, Tony Riseley, "Bill" Elwell-Smith. John Freeman was racing the Spa car when I knew him a few years later, but I can't see it in that line-up.

[nicanary]

do you think the Aston Martin Heritage Trust knows the solution?

Yes! I actually obtained the information from an individual who is an amateur Snetterton historian, and he pointed out to me that the photograph is subject to copyright. The answer to my puzzle can be obtained from either of these sources.

To simplify matters, I will award the point to anyone who can name the driver in the line-up who went on to take part in a Grand Prix and who was responsible for the puzzle image, which is a family photo. The name has not been mentioned yet, I'm afraid. Sorry Allan.

[gte4289]

To simplify matters, I will award the point to anyone who can name the driver in the line-up who went on to take part in a Grand Prix and who was responsible for the puzzle image, which is a family photo. The name has not been mentioned yet, I'm afraid. Sorry Allan.

Drivers, left to right: Noar, Pulman, Leslie Marr, Sims, A.B. 'Bow' Stewart, and Derrick Edwards. The Ulster driven by Stewart (chassis A5/537/U, registration CML 719) belonged to Bow and his brother Peter. The Stewarts were responsible for the puzzle image (see below).

[nicanary]

I'll be honest. I'd forgotten all about this puzzle. I've actually disposed of my notes, but you have obviously tracked down the source of the puzzle.The information could have been obtained from the Aston Martin Heritage Trust although I got it from Andrew Kitson who lives near the track and has a large archive relating to it.

All I can say is very well done. I offered 2 points for naming the drivers and since this is a BH puzzle we can double that. 4 points to you.

BTW the L.Marr is Leslie Marr who drove for Connaught in 1954/55 at the British GP.

[gte4289]

All I can say is very well done. I offered 2 points for naming the drivers and since this is a BH puzzle we can double that. 4 points to you.

Thanks for the points!

[Allan L]

BTW the L.Marr is Leslie Marr who drove for Connaught in 1954/55 at the British GP.

and Derrick Edwards was Leslie Marr's mechanic so worked on his Connaughts

[nicanary]

BTW the L.Marr is Leslie Marr who drove for Connaught in 1954/55 at the British GP.

and Derrick Edwards was Leslie Marr's mechanic so worked on his Connaughts

Didn't know that. Thanks Allan L . I know Edwards was an Aston marque specialist for many years.