Any Ginetta from any era (subject, for safety reasons, to a maximum power output and engine capacity) will be welcome to race and an appropriate class structure will be devised to make sure that everyone gets the good, close racing you want. There will also be a class for modified cars which do not conform to any previous Ginetta Championship regulations. The Golden Ginettas series will be strictly for fun and the aim is to keep all unnecessary costs to an absolute minimum so that we attract as many entrants as possible and keep the racing exciting. Any avoidable contact on track will not be acceptable!

At this stage, it is important that we are able to provide BARC with a good idea of how many people might be interested in racing with us next year. If we cannot demonstrate sufficient support then we will not be able to reserve the race slots at their meetings and Golden Ginettas will just not happen! We are not asking for a commitment from you, right now, that you will enter the Golden Ginettas series next season – just an indication that you may be interested and that there is a good chance that you will enter. If we can demonstrate the interest from you, we can get the support of BARC and we will race!

6th September '06  So ... Spadge tells us he was at Goodwood last weekend ... or was he?  The attached photographic evidence clearly shows he was in fact operating on a somewhat smaller scale.  Don't just stand there Spadge, get that Aston sorted and back out on the track.  If that wasn't enough he then jumps in the Ferrari 250TR and shows the DBR1 the way to go.

Nick and Ben     

The Elva Courier Coupe has sold and we expect to see it in the Equipe GTS series as well as at Goodwood.

14th November 2005  Our  TVR Grantura is  SOLD  to Richard Evans who will be collecting the freshly painted car soon and then completing it to race in Europe next year.

Some news of David Randall in his Cottage Classics sponsored Ginetta G4 in the HSCC Historic Roadsports Championship.

23rd July Brands Hatch GP circuit  Race abandoned after six laps due to heavy rain and many "offs".  Dave managed to keep it on the island and collect a class win.

6th August Castle Coombe  A fantastic race with the Lotus 7 of Andy Shepherd resulting in an overall second place despite running out of fuel on the last lap.  Best lap of 1.22.  Highlight of the season.

28th August Oulton Park  Gold Cup Meeting and Chevron Anniversary. Three days of drinking beer and eating burnt meat culminated in a third in class and sixth overall!  Beaten only by the hugely powerful Milanos, TVR Griffith, Morgan +8 and arch-nemesis Andy Shepherd.

10th September Thruxton  Qualified fifth but Tom Harris clobbered Dave's NSR wheel during the race.  Dave restarted and got up to sixth on lap nine but then the axle broke!

15th October Silverstone  The engine bearings let go in practice the day before the race.  Fitted new bearings for qualifying.  Replaced them again for the race.  Started and got to fourth but with two laps to go the engine let go.  A best lap of 1.11 was achieved with no Élans in sight!

Final result of the season second in class C behind Andy Shepherd's Lotus 7.  Andy won the championship outright but cannot compete next year as his car is actually illegal with a huge crossflow engine and had only been granted a special dispensation (that's the HSCC for you) to race this year.

Patrick Ward-Booth shown here in his red Ginetta G4 at Donington is rumoured to have done well in the 1300cc class this year.

28th September 2005  Apologies for the silence here, so much has been going on it has been hard to get the news to Sitemeister NaTCH.  Racing with Trevor Kemp's Elva Courier at Zandvoort was followed very quickly by racing at Goodwood with Fred Boothby's Elva Courier Coupe.  Fred went very well in the Fordwater trophy in good company with another Elva Courier from Oxford University and the TVR Granturas of friends Simon Peach and Dan Nash.  Spadge managed to secure the official Goodwood Staff Title of  Trophy Sculptor's Assistant.  The job involved cutting up a Mini Cooper S mock up with a hammer and cold chisel and making a trophy for Gerry Marshall's family which was well received by his son Gregor.

16th August 2005   After an excellent time at the Equipe GTS barbeque on Saturday night it stayed dry Sunday and we went racing.  The Elva started last on the grid as it hadn't raced the previous day.  After a cautious start (honest, Trevor, honest!) a number of places were gained and huge fun was had sliding around every corner. Luckily the Elva, like a Ginetta G4, is a very well balanced machine and the front drum brakes help keep momentum up when one would rather have been a little less brave. Paddock Bend on three separate occasions comes to mind!

Once the easy cars had been overtaken it was a little lonely as some of the faster cars pulled away.  Then we were black flagged for some sort of fluid loss.  Luckily this was during the mandatory pit stop but we lost an awful lot of time while Nick convinced the scrutineers that it was only a bit of excess coolant.

We rejoined the race and continued to have a lot of  laughs but as there was no prospect of  regaining any of the lost places we did not push too hard.  Zaandvort - here we come!

A huge downpour prompted an early finish to the CSSC race but Fos vanquished another Elite and was second in class.  Brian Ashley's G12 went home early and David Stafford's green Ginetta G12 did run despite what we said earlier.  See his report here.  I hope we find out why soon.  Apparently Mark Walklett was back in his G4 having fixed it but we didn't see the race.  Anyone know the results?

13th August 2005   Spadge qualified the Elva at Brands Hatch today but it was raining quite heavily and he agreed with owner Trevor Kemp that they shouldn't run in the race. Eventfully Mark Walklett in a Ginetta G4 fourth on the grid made a blistering start to take the lead in his race and then stuck it in the bank overtaking a GT40 at Paddock Bend.  Tony Webb was going well in a Ginetta G12 and the Elva could very well compete tomorrow morning.

3rd August 2005   Dave Randall has taken the roof off his Ginetta G4.  (Sponsored by Cottage Classics but set up by Dave himself.)  He is shown here at Cadwell Park where he recently came third overall!  This was an outstanding result, beaten only by the Lotus Seven of Andy Sheperd and the Milano of cheeky chappie Justin Murphy.  Cars vanquished included Élans, a Marcos, Jaguar XKs, a Ford Mustang, Triumph TRs, et al. Well Done Dave.  We are hoping he will join our Ginetta G4 team for the Birkett Six Hour Relay Race 29th October 2005 at Silverstone, although he may be advised to refit the roof!

12th July 2005 

I'd forgotten what a great circuit Cadwell Park is.  Sadly, I'd also forgotten where I 'd put my wretched racing licence so I didn't get to drive!  Celia and Ian's charming Peerless was looking a bit like a fibreglass Ashton.  Rod Begbie's Grantura was flying, however a major component failure (the nut holding the steering wheel) suffered in the heat and chundered all over the mechanic's boots during an unscheduled pit stop!  The array of fantastic plastic included John Leslie's lovely Reliant Sabre Six, Mike Roe's Marcos 1800 GT and Fos' past nemesis the Black Lotus Elite of John Hilbery ...

In 30 degrees plus the Midget kept cool and qualified Fos fastest in class with a 1.59.  At the start the Elite shot up the middle of the grid through a gap that wasn't there.  Fos came in for his crafty compulsory pit stop after only one lap and our slick drills saw him out again in no time.  A few laps later the John and his Elite came in to be overtaken by Fos who then kept them at bay until John fell off the track trying to catch up.  Fos won the class, got fasted lap in class (1.57) and secured a top ten finish overall.  RESULT!

The Midget is for sale at £6,500 and can be seen doing it's stuff at Brands Hatch on 13th and 14th August 2005.  Our webmaster will also be there doing a live web update, so you can tell him there's only only one c in neccesary.

Spadge    

31st May 2005  Life isn't all motor sport and sports cars.  Yesterday Spadge, George and Hatty joined the Framlingham Gala parade ... and Spadge and NaTCH have photos entered in Arts Framlingham ... well actually there is a certain amount of motor sport.

28th May 2005  We're not great fans of F1 here at Cottage Classics.  Call us old fashioned but we think a race should involve one car occasionally overtaking another; but we couldn't resist this bargain overlooked by a second hand shop.  A signed mint paperback copy of Graham Hill's autobiography Life at the Limit 75p!  Aw Yesh

11th May 2005  Ventured out with the G4 last weekend at the Fintray hill climb – trouble was that I still had my ‘single-seater brain’ installed and instinctively tried to carry the brakes into the first long corner.  You can get away with this in a lightweight single-seater with super sticky slicks and front brake bias, but I quickly found out that you cannot take such liberties with the G4.  The back came round gracefully in a third-gear 180 spin … still, I managed to avoid the scenery and did beat the Lotus in my class by a full two seconds on the second timed run.  Big disappointment was that I got beat by Gus ‘The Bandit’ Carnegie in his G4/4 by 4/10ths, but he is running the ‘super soft’ Yokohamas.

Cheers, David Baker         

PS – everyone who saw the G4 at Fintray thought it was beautiful, so I can confirm that Aberdonians do have good taste when it comes to automobiles …

11th May 2005  Sunday at Silverstone David Randall was eleventh overall in his G4 in the HSCC Historic Roadsports.  His 1500cc engine with only 100bhp or so was enough to put him eighth fastest lap behind two Milanos, a Ford Mustang and a Porsche 911 amongst others.  He was fifth in a very competitive class behind two Lotus Sevens and two Élans; all with much more power. Well driven Dave!

In the same race Patrick Ward-Booth, also in a G4, gained fastest lap in class, third in class and sixteenth overall.  With some reliability in sight we are hoping to see him claim some class wins.

Where do you get the results?  I've not found any on the HSCC web site?  Got myself into the slow lane on first lap and behind a Jagonaut for a few laps - need to see those Turners orf!  But it was very encouraging to finish - the head was warped and probably not enough metal left to stop it sagging again so probably go for new head.  Also looking to get to work on the 997 engine but don't want to commit until certain the car will get FIA approval - so will talk to the blazer men asap.  Patrick

This coming Saturday Spadge and Chris Blewett are out again in the yellow G4 with the CSCC at Oulton Park.

1st May 2005

27th April 2005 Well into his second pint of Albert at The Station last night Spadge confided that last Sunday he'd "never driven like that before" and would have won the class if the race organisers hadn't slipped in a bandit.  This morning  he got this email  The MGB was not actually in your class and you were in fact the class winner.  The CSCC got it "tits-up". cheers, Jim Lowry   Aw Yesh

25th April 2005  Thank you for your tribute to our Father.  If there is any information we can help you with in regards to his website, please feel free to contact us.  Thanks.

Tina, Justine and Gregor                

22nd April 2005  I was deeply saddened to received a call late last night telling me of Gerry Marshall's death at Silverstone yesterday.  He suffered a fatal heart attack at the wheel of a Camaro. I had thoroughly enjoyed his friendship over the last few years and it was an honour to know such a wonderful driver.  He was not only a personal inspiration but also a great raconteur with an excellent sense of humour and a generous spirit.

I only had an amusing email from him a couple of days ago and now truly regret not pushing him for more information for the website we set up for him.  He was a little reticent over the matter due to a surprising modesty - perhaps we will be able to do him more justice in the future.

Our sympathies go to his family and his many, many friends.

Spadge                 

20th April 2005  For some reason David Stafford has entered his Ginetta G12 and Paul Morgan his G15 in a kit car race at Snetterton this Saturday!  On Sunday Spadge is out in Chris Blewett's G4 on a rather fuller grid in a one driver, one half hour race with Equipe GTS. Two races later the Swinging Sixties pit stop race will see Chris in his G4 take on Fos in his Midget, and Vincent and Spadge in the MGB, in amongst all the other lovely sixties sports cars including several TVRs and other interesting marques.

19th April 2005  Hard at work Sunday morning prepping Vincent Hunt's MGB when Dave Randall phoned.  His Cottage Classics sponsored Ginetta G4 had gone well in qualifying but Patrick Ward-Booth's car (not CC sponsored ... at the moment) had blown a head gasket.  The CC Emergency Response team clutching assorted spares jumped in the van, not that van the other van, and sped through the Suffolk lanes to Snetterton. We arrived in time to help fit the gasket and put the car back together ready for the race start.  Sadly, our efforts were not rewarded as the problem was obviously more than a blown gasket.

David went very well in an exciting race won by Mike Eagles in his Milano after a hard fought duel with a Lotus Seven.  The 70s Roadsports, where Fos has raced in the past, featured a great deal of excitement but due to dodgy driving rather than good close racing.  We'd link to the results but the HSCC haven't got last year's results on line yet!

8th April 2005  Dave Randall in his Cottage Classics sponsored G4 will be out with the HSCC at Snetterton Sunday week the 17th.  His Acralite pistons have caused trouble so we've supplied him with a block, rods, pistons, cam, crank and various other goodies.  With his customary hard work and perseverance he hopes to build on his recent good performance at Donington.

4th April 2005  Easter Monday saw George Douglas' Ginetta G12, the G4 of Howard Jones (not the pop star), and the G4 of Chris Blewett and Spadge competing in the Cloth Cap series at Castle Coombe.  The Cottage Classics sponsored Best Ginetta Performance trophy went to Chris for excellent lap times in his first ever race.  George won his class and was fifth overall and Howard didn't quite finish due to an annoyingly simple technical problem.  Somehow "our" G4 was allocated a class of it's own and we appeared in Autosport as class winners!

20th March 2005  Goodwood ... what a place.  Simon Peach’s delightful TVR Grantura IIA had an unfortunate rocker shaft failure.  It was a particular pleasure to meet Simon as he is organising the first ever Elva only race 22 May 2005 at Mallory Park the friendly circuit.  Email us for more info. 

Rod Begbie’s TVR Grantura MkIII was going well.  Dan was there in his ex-Le Mans TVR Grantura MkIII, restored by Ian Massey-Crosse.  He has a few small jobs to do before racing it any distance as the frequent sight of him blowing coolant back from the catch tank to the header tank was both unbecoming and disturbing!

We have always appreciated Lenham Sports Racers and have quite an archive on these cars.  So it was a double delight to meet the owner of this one who also has some GSM Deltas for sale.  Email us for more info.

We met the current owner of the impressively fast TVR Griffith known as the Mongoose.  Now fitted with a more standard bonnet, it appeared to be flying despite an apparent misfire.  As ever, it was time to leave too soon however, once we had left, we were called on our new fangled mobile whatsit and heard that the historic racer had made its way into a barrier and we weren't there to bid to put it right.  Perhaps the telephone will ring, we have all the bits!

16th February 2005  It is with great sadness that we have to report our friend Roy Adams passed away from cancer last Sunday.  He had been fighting the illness well and bravely for a number of years. We got to know this great character during our early days of racing G15s and the occasional MG Midget, mainly at Silverstone.  His yellow G15 brought him a lot of fun and we enjoyed racing together.  He was a great wheeler dealer in the last few years when his racing activities were curtailed and he channelled his genuine enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge to the benefit of himself and his customers.  Our sympathies go to Anne and his family.  He was a good mate, a bloody good bloke and we shall miss him.

24th January 2005  The MGB in the pic below apparently is Vincent Hunt's ... the webmaster knew that.

20th January 2005  The Classic Sports Car Club (from whom we pinched this rather nice TVR/MGB pic) have stopped lumping all GRP cars together in the Swinging Sixties series.  This is going to make a lot of Ginettas considerably more competitive and Spadge will be at Snetterton Sunday 24h April for the first meeting along with Vincent Hunt and his 1964 MGB.

15th January 2005  Chris Blewett's Ginetta G4 has been competing in hill climbs and sprints for several millennia.  Now Chris has race prepared the car with Cottage Classics, and with Spadge as co-driver it will be campaigning in the Top Hat series starting 28th March at Castle Coombe.  Mark Faukner and G12 will be there as well as George Douglas with his G12 and probably Brian Ashley and G12.  Not just four Ginettas on the grid but three G12s in the same place at the same time.  An interesting season ahead!