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Saturday 30 October 1965, Wimbledon
(Preview notes - raceday programme) With the cancellation of
tomorrow's meeting at Cross-in-Hand in order to facilitate the
laying of a more permanently suitable raceway, our drivers have
a rare few days rest before racing again on Thursday next at
Aldershot - with the exception of Stan Ingle, Trevor Frost,
Jan Scott and Eddie Hynes who, after the meeting tonight, return
to Holland with the Continental drivers, to race at Baarlo tomorrow.
They catch a plane from Gatwick Airport at 2 a.m. tomorrow,
so all the hurrying they will have to do this weekend will not
be confined to the raceways.
Report from December 1965 Journal
The eagerly awaited World International meeting staged at
Wimbledon turned out to be all that was expected.
With drivers engaged from Holland, Belgium, Czeckoslovakia,
Eire, Nigeria and the U.S.A., as well as from the Home countries,
there was a distinct air of `World Championship' night about
the proceedings. This was made even more pronounced owing to
the fact that there was a draw for grid positions.
Some supporters, and for that matter, drivers also, were at
a loss to understand how the Home drivers were chosen for this
event. The method Les Eaton adopted was, in my estimation, the
fairest possible one. He chose those drivers who seemed to be
in form at the time that the programme went to press. This caused
some disappointment to followers of Don Mason and Trevor Carpenter,
but facts are facts, and for the two previous weeks, these two
popular stars had not had their usual run of success. As a pointer
to just how right Les was in his decision, consider the fact
that of the eight English stars chosen, five of them filled
the first five places in this event. And if anyone thinks that
to be bad judgement, well, they'll never be satisfied.
The race was the best International event I have yet seen.
The overseas drivers all managed their cars in a way that proves
that they are now really getting the hang of the `little 'uns'.
Holland's Willie Vullings, driving a car borrowed from Ginger
Payne, Bill Greene from the U.S.A., and Nol Van Kleef, also
from Holland, did well to finish in eighth, ninth and tenth
places respectively. Neither Vullings nor Van Kleef drew good
grid positions by any means, coming out of the hat 19th and
20th. Uncle Sam's representative was a little more fortunate
in that he was drawn 13th, though if he is at all superstitious
he probably doesn't agree.
Trevor Frost, in winning this his first big event in the world
of Formula IIs, was drawn ninth, andtookthe lead position from
Eric Taylor in the eighteenth lap. Eric must have been fuming.
Having been drawn first out of the hat and leading for seventeen
laps, only to have his motor go sick on him. This seems typical
of Eric's luck this season. Never mind Eric, it can only last
a lifetime! There were no fantastic pile ups in the race, but
it did not lack thrills. Neither did the supporting races.
As a point of interest, others well up with the leaders in
this race were as follows, in finishing order, Tiger Thomson
(Scotland), Willie Vullings (Holland), Bill Greene (U.S.A.),
Nol Van Kleef (Holland), Eddie Hynes (Eire), Bill Carbis (Scotland),
David Patrick (Scotland). Main points to note, only one Southern
Driver in the first thirteen, Five English, four Scottish, two
Dutch, one Irish and one American. This must prove that our
Northern drivers are at present the strongest in the sport today,
and also in the future we can expect to see some of the Championship
'tags' travelling abroad if we are not very careful.
The Grand Final, which was the 'Stock Car Journal' Trophy Event,
was a grand race indeed, with thirty cars lined up on the grid
for the 'off'. The big surprise was the fact that although five
star men finished in the first six, the one place not filled
by a star man was the most important one of all - the first
place. This was filled by that popular Blue Top, Tony Mellish.
Tony, at the time of going to press is fourth in the Blue section
of the National Roof Grading chart Star status can surely not
escape him for long. Big thrill of the race was provided by
Johnny Cutting, victim of a spine-chilling flip in the ninth
lap whilst battling it out with Trevor Carpenter for the second
place. Tony Mellish took over the lead in this lap also, lost
it to Trevor in the next, and then fought back to take the lead
once more, and hold this position to the end. Other places went
to Eddie James, Aubrey Dance, Trevor Frost, Norman Crowe and
Pete Parratt. The 'Journal' trophy was presented. by editor
Dave Gay, and a photo of Tony's triumph appears elsewhere in
this issue.
Stock Car Racing News
Two nights later at Wimbledon there was another big crowd for
the World International, held by Stan Ingle. Owing to a clash
of fixtures on the Continent, Spedeworth had not been so successful
in bringing over the Continental drivers this year — but the
field for this event included three from Holland, one from Belgium,
and one from Nigeria, plus the usual drivers — Jan Scott representing
Czechoslovakia; Rinti Capecchi (Italy); Bill Greene (USA); and
Eddie Hynes (Ireland). Six Scottish drivers also made the long
journey down, and eight top drivers represented England. Eric
Taylor led the pack from the start. Nowadays this great worker
for the sport has a blue roof, but his driving in this race
until the car slowed reminded one 'how in 1962 he was the sport's
first silver top driver — 'second only to the 'gold' roof of
Stan Ingle. In small letters Eric has this fact painted on the
car. He is right to be proud of it. Derek Fiske, Eddie James
and Trevor Frost led the chase of Taylor, but soon Frost took
over the lead and with four laps to go he looked a clear winner.
Sudden-ly the race had to be stopped. Our Nigerian visitor,
David Ash-wood, had been turned over and could not get out of
his car. When the race was re-started Frost had Chris Studd
and' Aubrey Dance right behind him, but he never faulted and
the ex-Formula I World Champion went on to win his first major
Spedeworth title. Studd was second, as he was in, the British
and World Championships on the same track. Dance was third,
followed by Norman Crowe, Derek Fiske (deducted a place by the
Steward) and a lone non-Englishman, George M CM i Han for Scotland.,
The Grand Final of the even-ing was won by blue-top Tony !Mellish,
only after this race had been stopped after 11 laps for safety
reasons. The cause this time was Johnnie Cutting, whose car
rolled over so many times and such a speed on the pits bend
we all lost count. Cutting emerged unhurt and actually re-started
the car. Later this burly smiling driver went round on the Control
car just to prove to all that he was fit after the •most alarming
turn-over I have ever seen. Mellish was in the lead when the
race was stopped, and like Frost, kept it that way. He was followed
home by World Champ Eddie James, Aubrey Dance and Trevor Frost.
Race 1: 1st 463 Dell Stickings, 2nd 174 Tony Mellish, 3rd 477
John Watts, 4th 86 Pete Parratt, 5th 320 Dave Pierce, 6th 206
George Telfer, 7th 364 Tony May, 8th 160 Jim Field
Race 2: 1st 280 Johnny Melia, 2nd 311 Terry Rustell, 3rd 207
Johnny Matthews, 4th 417 Roger Warnes, 5th 294 Geoff Goddard,
6th 216 Mike Hitchcock, 7th 319 Denny Pearson, 8th 366 John
Astley
Race 3 World International: 1st 68 Trevor Frost, 2nd 399 Chris
Studd, 3rd 70 Aubrey Dance, 4th 304 Derek Fiske, 5th 307 Norman
Crowe, 6th George McMillan
Race 4 CONS 1: 1st 35 Trevor Carpenter, 2nd 364 Tony May, 3rd
180 Jim Field, 4th 54 Don Packham, 5th 441 Nigel King, 6th 315
Johnny Cutting
Race 5 CONS 2: 1st 319 Denny Pearson, 2nd 210 Eddie James,
3rd 41 Eric Taylor, 4th 34 Don Mason, 5th 478 Harold Holloway,
6th 95 Jan Scott
Race 6 Journal Trophy: 1st 174 Tony Mellish, 2nd 210 Eddie
James, 3rd 70 Aubrey Dance, 4th 68 Trevor Frost, 5th 307 Norman
Crowe, 6th 86 Pete Parratt
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 Trevor
Frost receives the trophy from R Glanville
Tony Mellish receives the Stock Car Journal Trophy from Dave
Gay
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