1963 Lotus 23B

This car took part in the 2¼ hour long 'Historic Motor Racing News Gentlemen Drivers' race at the VSCC's meeting at Donington Park in May 2001.

It's the 1963 Lotus 23B that was driven in the race by Fred Boothby and Barry Foster. The Lotus 23 was introduced in 1962 to compete in the smaller classes of sports car  racing and was used with engines with capacities ranging from from 750cc up to 1600cc. The programme of the event shows this car as having a 1,098cc engine, presumably the Ford Kent derived 4-cylinder inline Cosworth MkIV unit. It proved to be an extremely successful car and about 130 examples of the Lotus 23, 23B and 23C were produced between 1962 and 1963.

MGs at Oulton Park

Oulton Park hosted the VSCC's  Hawthorn Memorial Trophies race meeting on 18th July 2015 with the usual mixture of vintage sports cars, and here are photographs of some of the selection of MGs that took part in the races.

Race 4 was Part 1 of the Bill Phillips Trophy Race for Standard & Modified Pre-War Sports Cars, and I watched this race at Druids Corner.

Fred Boothby in his 1933 MG J2 being passed by Nicolas Rossi's 1930 Alfa Romeo 8C 1750 GS

Mark Dolton in his 1935 MG PB being passed by David Lamb's 1929 Riley Brooklands

Miss Anne Boursot in H H McNinch's 1935 MG PA

Fred Boothby again in his 1933 MG J2

Andrew Morland in his 1933 MG L1

Mrs Sarah Foster in J Foster's 1939 MG TB

Race 9 was the Hawthorn Memorial & Spanish Trophies Race for Pre-1961 Racing Cars, and I watched this race from Lodge Corner.

Thomas Hardman in the 1935 MG Bellevue Special

Race 3, a Short Handicap Race for Pre-War Cars was red-flagged after an accident at Druids Corner and re-run after race 9, and again I was at Lodge Corner.

Harry Painter's 1934 MG PA

Mike Painter's 1935 MG Kayne Special