Autosport Championship 1961

Text by John Sutton

MARCOS - AUTOSPORT CHAMPION 1961

Text and photos by John Sutton

Video of race

   After testing and an end of season race at Oulton Park in 1960 the Marcos was prepared and made ready for the 1961 season.  Jem Marsh was keen to promote the cars and entered a team of cars for the Autosport Championsip in 1961.  The team was myself, Jack Gates in the ex-works car previously campaigned by Bill Moss and John Mitchell from Honley. I started well by winning the first round at Silverstone on the 28^th April leading John Walker in the GSM Delta.  This was followed by 2 further 1^st places at Snetterton on the 14^th May and 23^rd July.  By this stage I was leading the Championship.  The Final was a three hour race at Snetterton in September.   It differed from the usual “club” races in that it started at about 6 pm and so the last hour and a half was completed in darkness.  As usual my helpers Robert Cook and John Fuller had worked out a strategy.   This involved making a number of minor but significant modifications to the car.   The most effective was simply to set the headlights so that dipped beam corresponded with full beam.  This meant that when braking hard for the corners full beam would be used retain vision.   Also a sun visor from an Austin 7 Ruby was fitted as the pit straight would be directly into the setting sun, and it turned out to be invaluable.   Other modifications were obligatory such as illumination for the racing numbers so that the cars could be identified at night.   This 3 hour race was for all the classes in the Championship and so for the first time that season we would be on the track at the same time as the Aston Martins and other heavy metal.  As I was leading the Championship on points I only needed to finish above fourth in class to win overall.   With this in mind it was decided to limit the engine revs to 7,500 and drive to finish.   Snetterton was my favourite UK circuit and I had a very good feeling about the chance of success.   This was to be my first long distance race and there is no doubt that a different discipline is required.  The Le Mans start was always a problem for the Marcos drivers as one had to open the gullwing door and then make sure it was properly shut whilst at the same time starting the engine.  I made quite a good start but was well down in the field so there was a need to make up lost time and pass most of the field before settling down to regular lapping.  Concentration is a major factor in long distance racing and so it is essential to be comfortable.   In this respect the Marcos, with it’s monocoque wood chassis, had a major advantage over the metal framed cars as it was very much quieter and so much less tiring on long races.  I do, however, remember one “moment” of complete terror.  It was pitch dark and I as I entered the long Norwich straight I was, at that moment, the only car before the hairpin bend at the far end.   In the distance I could make out what looked like the sidelights of a car coming towards me at high speed.   I could not work out which side of the track it was using and whether I could avoid hitting it head on.  Involuntarily I slowed down weaving from side to side to try and identify it.   It was only when I approached the hairpin at the end of the straight that I realised that what I had seen was two cars in the car park backing away from one another.   This just illustrates the dangerous hallucinations that can be caused by fatigue in long distance racing.   Yes, I did finish third in class and took the Autosport Championship for 1961. Together with Jack Gates and John Mitchell we took the Team Prize for Marcos.  Looking back on those days I now realise that this was a notable achievement for a private entrant with very limited financial resources.     

1961 Results

Painting by McCaffrey