After the non-championship warm up at Mallory, sixteen cars appeared at Snetterton for the John Cooper Memorial Trophy, organised by the Classic Sports Car Club. Once again we enjoyed a lovely sunny day and ideal conditions for racing.

In practice John Turner claiming pole followed by Neil Hodges, both in Coopers and both, unusually at this fast fast circuit, running JAP engines. Nigel Ashman was well to the fore again in his "new" Kieft followed by David Lecoq in the Petty. The walking  wounded after the session consisted of James Holland and Roy Hunt with magneto problems. Martin Sheppard changed his Norton engine ready for the race. All would make the start except Mike Fowler who didn't much like the look of the shiny metal coming from the bottom of his Norton, sad given that he'd qualified a very respectable fifth, and Kerry Horan, who had a mysterious fuel problem. Duncan Rabagliati managed to break the chain on his Comet just prior to qualifying but superhuman effort by Simon Frost and Allan Wallace saw him on track at at the end of the session and qualified in 11th.

Assembly prior to practice, Paul Hewes does some last minute fettling.

Come the race, John Turner's Mk IX was a little slow off the line allowing Neil's Mk VIII into the lead for Riches. John was not going to give up that easily and was quickly onto Neil's tail. Sadly, Nigel Ashman's Kieft retired early along the Revett straight, Dave Lecoq was also slow off the line but made up time to join the lead battle. On the third lap, John braked exceptionally late at the Russell chicane to sneak through into the lead but Neil continued to press and they were side by side several times over the next few laps. Dave stayed firmly in touch and, as the two leaders slowed each other, he twice "had a look" at the end of the Revett straight only to find the door firmly closed. Sadly on the penultimate lap, John's JAP engine cried enough with a suspected holed piston and he slowed through Coram allowing Neil to confirm a lead he would hold to the flag with the Petty only 0.6 seconds behind.

Third went to Roy Hunt in his Martin with an exceptional performance after starting from the back of the grid, although he admitted to a rather solitary race. Fourth went to Richard Utley in the JBS Norton pursued throughout by James Holland in his Cooper Mk VIII, another excellent performance for a JAP engined car. They would finish with less than a second between them. Not far behind, a pair of Norton engined Coopers of Mark Palmer and Nigel Challis finished with only .169 between them! Things must be going well if three duels can all be settled by margins of a second or less!

Further back, Duncan Rabagliati managed to catch Paul Hewes' Cooper but wasn't able to get past on a permanent basis so Paul took 10th place. Mike Bell's Cooper Mk X stopped for no obvious reason on lap 2. John Jones' wonderful Cousy was last due to a plug lead which came off and a crack in the steering so he took the flag from the pit lane to gain his fifth signature. After a long day, John went to Cadwell Park on the Sunday and claimed a class win!

After a hard days racing we were invited back to Paul Hewes' house, outside Bury St Edmunds, for champagne and a rather excellent shepherd's pie. Our special thanks to Jenny Hewes for feeding and watering us all.

Classified Finishers

James Holland in his Mk VIII (photo Eric Yeomans).

John Turner and Dave Lecoq during practice. (Photo Eric Yeomans)

The pack stream though the chicane, Gordon Russell (Mackson), James Holland (Cooper Mk VIII), Nigel Challis (Cooper Mk VIII) and Martin Sheppard (Cooper Mk XII).

Afters at Paul Hewes', the host still in his race suit!