P Richardson wrote:
> Hi Gang
>
> Our brand new Oval track opened this Saturday at Rockingham (what a wonderful
> experience to have a racing circuit only a 20 minute drive from home). Nigel
> Mansell did a few demonstration laps and established a 163' 59 mph lap. He
> says the oval circuit is fantastic and predicts that lap times of over 180
> mph will be achieved when the CHAMP car world series comes to Rockingham in
> September.
>
> The COYS vintage events on Sunday were superb (besides the oval there are a
> choice of 4 other circuits within the complex). There was a complete field of
> vintage Grand prix and sports cars, including David Piper's 275 LM Ferrari
> (he's been racing that same car since 1964). The car which always takes my eye
> at these events (besides the ERA's of course) is the 1929 Napier Bentley. This
> car has a 24 litre 'W' 12 Napier Lion engine. This is the aircraft engine as
> used in our winning Sneider Trophy planes of that era. The cylinder
> configuration consists of a vertical row of four with two more rows of four
> forming a V on either side. The cylinder axis to the crank pins are all the
> same on this engine as the con rods on the V banks are joined to the master
> rods on the vertical bank (articulated). When the engine was started near the
> media centre (or the car was driven by it) all the TV's changed channel!! The
> engine develops just short of 600BHP at 2500RPM max torque is 1250 ft lbs.
>
> I can't go to the circuit today, it's aunty Edie's 100th birthday party so
> I've got to rush arround checking up on things - including making sure the
> birthday card from her Majesty the Queen is safe ( I think my sister in law
> has slept with it).
>
> Best wishes
>
> Paul
I love to hear about this stuff, Paul. England has such a rich history of
wonderful and whacky cars. Also enjoy the fact that her Majesty has sent a
birthday card.
I hope with the Rockingham race track, you get the excellent and entertaining TV
coverage of the oval races that we get in the U.S. It's almost better to watch
on
TV than in real life. Yesterday there was a 600 mile NASCAR race in which the
finishing order was not apparent until the closing laps. Every TV in the house
was
on, including the telly in the loo.
--
uncle jack and New Blue
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