ERA claimed an expected victory at the Vintage Sports Car Club\u2019s Autumn Sprint at Goodwood last Saturday, but in something of a surprise result Ben Fidler set Fastest Time of Day while guest-driving Nick Topliss\u2019 R4A, topping the car\u2019s owner who was competing in the much-fancied R4D, which is owned by Ben\u2019s father, Brian Fidler.<\/p>\n
The day marked only the second competitive outing for the younger Fidler in the ex-Pat Fairfield and Bob Gerard voiturette following his debut at the same event last year and, having set the pace during morning practice, led the way in the afternoon\u2019s timed runs. His best clocking of 98.35 seconds was good enough to claim the Colerne Trophy \u2014 featuring a model of a Spitfire in keeping with the venue\u2019s aeronautical heritage \u2014 for a second time, following his success in 2012 in ERA AJM1.<\/p>\n
It was also a historic day for two of the Club\u2019s \u201cYoung Guns,\u201d who enjoyed memorable outings for the Bourne-based ERA marque, with Nick Topliss\u2019 20-year-old son James sharing R4A with Fidler, while James Crabb shared the sister R12C with father, Terry, who set a new class record for 1.5-liter racing machinery.<\/p>\n
Record-breaking performances also came from experienced Frazer Nash exponent Patrick Blakeney-Edwards, who dominated the Sports Cars classes with a time of 105.39 seconds \u2014 also the fastest Pre-1931 Vintage mark on the day \u2014 and fellow \u201cChain Gang\u201d representative, David Wylie, setting both Class and Vintage records to best perennial Class 10 leader Dudley Sterry in his AC-engined Nash.<\/p>\n
A closely fought contest among the day\u2019s Pre-1918 Edwardian machinery saw Hudson Super Six pilot, James Collins take top honors, less than a second ahead of Peter Wilson\u2019s aero-engined Brasier Voiture de Course.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, there were class wins for a number of other VSCC frontrunners, including Joe Tisdall\u2019s Austin 7 Ulster, John Guyatt in his Talbot-Lago, David Pryke\u2019s Morgan\/Riley and Julian Grimwade in the Frazer Nash Norris Special.<\/p>\n
It proved a fitting finale to the Club\u2019s Speed Season and inaugural Speed Championship, as the Paddock bustled with a fantastic crowd of enthusiasts, many arriving in their own Pre-war cars to form a wonderful gathering on a stunning autumnal day in West Sussex.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ERA claimed an expected victory at the Vintage Sports Car Club\u2019s Autumn Sprint at Goodwood last Saturday, but in something of a surprise result Ben Fidler set Fastest Time of Day while guest-driving Nick Topliss\u2019 R4A, topping the car\u2019s owner who was competing in the much-fancied R4D, which is owned by Ben\u2019s father, Brian Fidler. The day marked only the second competitive outing for the younger Fidler in the ex-Pat Fairfield and Bob Gerard voiturette following his debut at the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":142,"featured_media":577024,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[260,13063],"tags":[11468,432,15234,17555],"class_list":["post-495977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-car-events","category-vintage-car-racing","tag-vscc","tag-events","tag-events-vintage-racing","tag-vintage-race-goodwood-autumn-sprints"],"yoast_head":"\n