Motor Sport and an AGM
24th April 2022
This month I have enjoyed attending two events, one planned and one a pleasant surprise. And both in the same week.
The planned event was the AGM of the Leica Society held, after a two year absence, in Buxton. The surprise was an invite to Donington Park for a track evening from my neighbour, Dave Robson.
Dave has been building and racing cars for quite some time in the 750 Motor Club. The 750 Formula is the longest running championship in the world, predating Formula 1! I asked Dave for a summary of his and his car’s history and this is what he told me:
“The car is SDAR/17 because I started building it in 2017. (started design in 2016 and first ran in 2018. Had various oil, clutch, gear selection, carburettor etc. problems for a few seasons and finally got it going well last year. I designed and built an earlier car (SDAR/83) which I sold to make way for this one.....you've guessed it.............built in 1983. I won the championship in 2009 & 2012 in that car. The SDAR doesn't have a specific meaning. David Alan Robson accounts for 3 letters and S is for............Special, Super, Sensational, Stupid etc!” …
…”All 750 Formula cars have to use the FIAT 1108cc engine from Punto, Uno, Seicento. They are virtually standard but have a 'mandated' sports cam. We must use a single port carburettor. Approximate power at flywheel is 95 bhp.”
Dave has retired from racing so, this season, his car is being driven by Conway Daw who has driven a Centaur 750 for a few years.
Dave talking to Conway
Conway listening to Dave
The evening was great fun although the weather, April showers, played its part in curtailing things. I was transported back to the days when I worked for Autofarm in Hertfordshire and was involved in their Porsche racing series. I’m now looking forward to an opportunity to go again!
That event took place on the Wednesday evening and the following Saturday meant a trip to the Palace Hotel in Buxton for the Leica Society AGM. This meeting had been postponed for the previous two years due to Covid and everyone was relieved to be able to get together again.
The AGM is the main event in the Society’s calendar and the best chance for members to meet up and chat over things Leica and photography in general. Friendships have been formed and kept alive at such events! It is held over two days with three speakers, an exhibition and trade/members “bring and buy”! I managed to find a customer for my father’s Sanderson Half Plate camera (from 1915).
This year the speakers were Sarah Lee, Homer Sykes and Jim Lager. We were also joined by Sir David Suchet who is the Society’s President, a keen Leica photographer and always a joy to chat to. In a short address before the prize draw he commented that this event allows him to mix with like minded people and was somewhere he could “be himself”!
Sarah Lee
Sir David
That’s it for this blog! Thanks for reading and see you soon.
Here is a link to the 750 Motor Club website: https://www.750mc.co.uk/about.htm
And here is a link to my photos from Donington: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzKf4v
p.s. the Donington photos were taken with my Leica V-Lux 114. The photo of Sarah with my Leica D-Lux 6 and the photo of Sir David with my iPhone X.
The planned event was the AGM of the Leica Society held, after a two year absence, in Buxton. The surprise was an invite to Donington Park for a track evening from my neighbour, Dave Robson.
Dave has been building and racing cars for quite some time in the 750 Motor Club. The 750 Formula is the longest running championship in the world, predating Formula 1! I asked Dave for a summary of his and his car’s history and this is what he told me:
“The car is SDAR/17 because I started building it in 2017. (started design in 2016 and first ran in 2018. Had various oil, clutch, gear selection, carburettor etc. problems for a few seasons and finally got it going well last year. I designed and built an earlier car (SDAR/83) which I sold to make way for this one.....you've guessed it.............built in 1983. I won the championship in 2009 & 2012 in that car. The SDAR doesn't have a specific meaning. David Alan Robson accounts for 3 letters and S is for............Special, Super, Sensational, Stupid etc!” …
…”All 750 Formula cars have to use the FIAT 1108cc engine from Punto, Uno, Seicento. They are virtually standard but have a 'mandated' sports cam. We must use a single port carburettor. Approximate power at flywheel is 95 bhp.”
Dave has retired from racing so, this season, his car is being driven by Conway Daw who has driven a Centaur 750 for a few years.
Dave talking to Conway
Conway listening to Dave
The evening was great fun although the weather, April showers, played its part in curtailing things. I was transported back to the days when I worked for Autofarm in Hertfordshire and was involved in their Porsche racing series. I’m now looking forward to an opportunity to go again!
That event took place on the Wednesday evening and the following Saturday meant a trip to the Palace Hotel in Buxton for the Leica Society AGM. This meeting had been postponed for the previous two years due to Covid and everyone was relieved to be able to get together again.
The AGM is the main event in the Society’s calendar and the best chance for members to meet up and chat over things Leica and photography in general. Friendships have been formed and kept alive at such events! It is held over two days with three speakers, an exhibition and trade/members “bring and buy”! I managed to find a customer for my father’s Sanderson Half Plate camera (from 1915).
This year the speakers were Sarah Lee, Homer Sykes and Jim Lager. We were also joined by Sir David Suchet who is the Society’s President, a keen Leica photographer and always a joy to chat to. In a short address before the prize draw he commented that this event allows him to mix with like minded people and was somewhere he could “be himself”!
Sarah Lee
Sir David
That’s it for this blog! Thanks for reading and see you soon.
Here is a link to the 750 Motor Club website: https://www.750mc.co.uk/about.htm
And here is a link to my photos from Donington: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzKf4v
p.s. the Donington photos were taken with my Leica V-Lux 114. The photo of Sarah with my Leica D-Lux 6 and the photo of Sir David with my iPhone X.