I took this photograph at McLeans Corner during the 5 lap Scratch Race for Formula 3 (500cc) Racing Cars at the Vintage Sports Car Club's SeeRed meeting at Donington Park in May 2011.
Leading is John Turner in his 1955 Cooper Mk IX, followed by Frederick Harper who was competing in the Invited Class in a 1950 Cooper Mk IV with a 1,100cc engine. After the Second World War motor
racing in the UK was slow to re-start, partly because of petrol rationing and
the cost of running a suitable car. Home-built ‘specials’ powered by 500cc
motorcycle were created to provide a reasonably cheap way means of getting
involved in the sport. John Cooper and Eric Brandon, with the assistance of
John’s father Charles, decided in 1946 to build two cars, and in 1947 in the
second post-war race meeting to be held Eric Brandon won the first race to
feature 500cc cars. In 1950 this 500cc class of racing was adopted by the FIA
as a new Formula 3, and John and Charles Cooper went on to build a series of
these 500cc cars, eventually graduating to Formula 2, then Formula 1
culminating in Jack Brabham winning the World Drivers’ Championship in 1959 and
1960 in the 2½ litre Cooper Climax. There's a 500 Owners Association
for enthusiasts and owners of these cars.
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