Snetterton is a village between Thetford and Norwich in Norfolk. I've never been to the actual village, but I have been to its famous car racing circuit on many occasions. I once even did two laps in a Lotus Formula Junior race car. It frightened me to death!
In the days when I would go reasonably often, there were two characters who regularly raced against each other in the saloon car category. One raced a Ford Anglia, and the other an Austin A40; both small family cars.
The story goes that Chris Craft (above) and Doc Merfield had garages very close to each other, and when one tweeked something on his engine, the other would do the same. As a result when they raced against each other they would always be bumper to bumper, and their battle would be decided on the final bend (so to speak). Watching them race was always the highlight of any meeting.
There's something fascinating about 'privateers' who race cars. They're not always like James Hunt or Hamilton, they're often very ordinary people with a garage out back and some home-prepared beast of a car that comes out on race days.
I suppose I would quite liked to have been one of them, but unfortunately I know nothing of mechanics. Chris and Doc definitely influenced my interest in car racing (not F1). If they're still with us, I send them my best wishes.
p.s. I've just seen that Christ Craft died in 2021; he drove the Anglia. What happened to Doc Merfield, I have no idea.
Good morning Cro.... living in West Norfolk as I did, I also got to know Snetterpod very well...
ReplyDeleteWhy Snetterpod.... they used to do Drag Racing there!! And good it was, too.... as opposed to Santa Pod, it was almost invariably dry!!!
Often went for saloon meetings and also bike races.... a friend was the "counterweight" in a sidecar team... always fun to watch... even more so on the occasion a stud lifted and Martin got sprayed liberally with engine oil... head to toe!! The driver just got his leggings covered.
Nowadays it is a venue that until moving to France I used to go to for the annual 24hr Citroën 2CV race... also very exciting as people push a car that was originally intended as a rural farmer's, doctor's and midwife's transport well beyond its limits!
2CV racing has been around since the early Fifties and the Dagonett two seat saloon conversion.
Worst moment at Snetterton was when I slipped coming down the wooden steps from the then "grandstand" in the 70s and bruised my cocyx... and my sidecar passenger friend who had given me a lift on his motorbike seemed, on the way back, to find every pot hole between Snetterton and Swaffham!!
Here's 24hrs in 10 minutes from the 2020 one....
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UqEH5u5xRU
I used to own a 2CV; a blue one. We did think of buying another a few years ago, but they now cost about £10,000.
DeleteI liked Snetterton, it was a very friendly 'club track'. I went with a school friend who owned a Lots Formula Junior car, and he let me do a couple of laps. I was so frightened of crashing it that I went round at about 30 mph.
And some drag racing from 1978 with Pathé News style comentary....
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUec696bPjs
Cro, there are still good ones around for under £4K.... sound chassis and mechanics, just need tlc!!
DeleteI had no idea they had drag racing at Snetterton. I imagine the course is separate from the race track.
DeleteI think the 2CV's might be cheaper in the UK than they are here. I would liked to have had a Mehari, but they're crazy prices too.
Some men understand engines and love them with a passion that far exceeds their interest in women. You have either got it or you haven't and I most certainly haven't.
ReplyDeleteWhen cars were simpler, I could change the plugs, clean the inside of the distributor, fill with oil and petrol, etc. Now I just put the petrol in, and cross my fingers.
DeleteYour last sentence of your comment to YP, is how I look after my car - I just put petrol in and cross my fingers. Tomorrow it goes for it's annual ITV (MOT), so we'll see how successful that approach is!
ReplyDeleteMany, many years ago when I was changing my car, my husband wanted me to have a Mini Cooper. He didn't normally show any interest in what I drove, then I found that he wanted to use it for rallying! He lost interest when I told him there was no chance he could borrow it!
I've decided with my new (ish) car to have it Serviced and MOT'd at the same time. It was a lot less expensive than I'd imagined, and has given me peace of mind. Before driving down through France, all it needed was one small fog light bulb.
DeleteHave driven through Snetterton a few times over the years (tandemed through once) but the track has always been silent apart from the odd crow wandering about.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how many times a year it's used; probably not that many.
DeleteThere was an Indy-Car race Sunday on a street circuit in Toronto, great fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteWhen I get back to Brighton in September there'll be 'The Brighton Speed Trials' along the promenade. It's a spectacular event.
DeleteIn no time, you'll be off to the races.
ReplyDeleteI did recently suggest to my oldest that we bought an old Porsche 911 to do-up and race! We thought better of the idea.
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