Bosworth & Rawles take to the track

Jack Rawles and Hugo Holland Bosworth paired up for the Classic and Sports Car Championship – Round 3 – Brands Hatch Bonanza on the Indy Circuit – Saturday 04th June 2016

Bosworth & Rawles take to the track for the CSCC Brands Hatch Bonanza on the Indy Circuit

by Jack Rawles

The Classic Sports Car Club Championship arrived at Brands Hatch Race Circuit for the May Bank Holiday weekend (04/05th June 2016). It was round 3 of their 2016 calendar. As always the two day event promised a diverse display of fine racing cars. The CSCC meetings always have a real mix of racing. The weekend programme had something for everyone, ranging from modern to historic. The grids are always full and the racing consistently interesting and exciting.

The older cars provided Saturday’s entertainment. The more modern machines provided Sunday’s action and enjoyment. Saturday  classic content consisted of two races in the Adams & Page sponsored Swinging Sixties (1960s), the Mintex sponsored Classic K (Pre-1966 FIA), the Advantage Motorsport Future Classics Series (1970s and 1980s) and Tin Tops (Hot Hatches of any age) all taking part in pit stop races, together with race one of the weekend for the XJ Restorations Toyo Tires Jaguar Saloon and GT Championship.

Sunday’s highlight for many was the two CSCC Special saloons and Modsport races plus the CSCC Gold Arts Magnificent Sevens (Caterham type), Modern Classics (1990s), New Millennium (2000 to present) and the second race of the weekend for the big Jaguars.

Who is Hugo Holland Bosworth?

Pembrey 2005 – Bill Rawles, David Grace & Hugo Holland Bosworth

Anybody reading this Blog may ask “Who is Hugo Holland Bosworth?” When I was growing up my Dad, Bill Rawles, had already built his Big Healey race car FSL 246. It was my two older brothers who had endure Dad working every hour under the sun and then coming home in the evenings to build his own car. My Mum was always told that this classic, once restored, would be the family “picnic car”. Little did my Mum know that all the picnics would take place at a race track! From an early age I spent many weekends watching my Dad racing this Healey. During these years Hugo also was a big part of my life. Bill Rawles also built and maintained the Austin Healey 3000 MK I race car, ASJ 520, which belonged to Hugo Holland Bosworth. As an eight year old I never envisaged that in ten years time I would actually be racing with Hugo and not just the kid shouting from the spectator area.

Time to qualify

We left our home in Hampshire at 6am. Travelling to the Kent circuit the roads were wet and we went through a lot of foggy patches. When we got to Brands Hatch, it was a misty, cold morning, for the time of year. Hugo was already there and ego to go. Qualifying was early which meant that the rain from the night before was still sitting on the track. Although it was no longer raining, qualifying was going to take place under pretty damp conditions. A qualifying session before the Classic K field did dry the track in places. I knew it was going to be a combination of reading the conditions and optimising the last lap that would count.

An early qualifying session at a damp, misty Brands Hatch

I took the car out initially for 3 laps to warm everything up and then handed over to Hugo to qualify. With 27 cars on the grid, finding space on the 1.3 mile circuit was tricky. Hugo posted a great time to put the car 5th on the grid. Hugo was called in to the pits and with 6 minutes of the 30 minute session remaining I went back out to try and better the time, if I could. On the final lap of qualifying I went 0.060 seconds quicker. This time promoted our Healey up to 4th overall. No one could catch the unbelievable TVR Griffith 4700, driven by John Spiers. Spiers Griffith was 2 seconds clear of the field.

Time to go racing

By the time the race had come along at 2 O’clock the track was dry and the skies were less threatening. It was time to go racing. The 60 minute race was split evenly between me and Hugo.

Starting 4th on the grid, out of 27 cars, was excellent but I was not sure if I would be able to hold on as the E-Types and Elan 26R’s look after their tyres much better in the long run and often have the edge on the Healey.

A rolling start would unleash 27 historic racing cars into Paddock Hill bend for the first time. The lights went out and it’s flat out up through the gears, second, third, fourth and then stand on the brakes to get the car slowed. I had a Lotus Cortina on my inside, driven by Pete Chambers and the E-Type of Graham Bull on my outside. Previous short circuit oval racer Graham Bull was inevitably good at the start and managed to pass. On lap 2 I was caught in a battle with the E-Type of Gray, two Elans carved their way past only to arrive at oil, dropped by a TVR. These cars became passengers to the oil and spun in the middle of the track. Going at race speeds, everything happens so quickly. It was my job to make sure I didn’t wrap one of these Elans around the front of the Healey. I had to negotiate the newly introduced Elan chicane between Surtees and Clearways!!

After this eventful start I had now dropped 4th to 7th place. I got my head down and started to claw my way back. Traffic from earlier pit stops started to mix up the field. I handed the car over to Hugo in 5th position.

Starting 4th on the grid – A rolling start unleashed 27 historic racing cars into Paddock Hill bend

Over to Hugo Holland Bosworth

After 30 minutes it was time for the driver change. Into the pit lane and we made a smooth transition. Hugo had not raced for nearly 10 years. He certainly had not lost his touch. He drove equally well and continued to use the pace of the Bill Rawles Classic Cars built machine to his advantage. He managed to hold off the 6th place car and maintain the gap. Cars further back down the field started to drop out but the Healey just carried on. The performance of the Healey or Hugo did not waver. It was exciting to watch Hugo on track. Everytime the car flew past the pit wall, with its lights on, the engine roaring and Hugo firmly in control of the machine, we had confidence in his skill and determination that he would battle on til the end. Trying to get the best result he could.

No one could catch the Griffith of Spiers, which lapped the whole field at least twice!! The Griffith was somehow in the same class as the Healey thus we had to settle finishing the race 2nd in class and 5th over the line. A very pleasing result and a whole lot of fun. It was just like the old days. Hugo is such a great guy to be around and to share the car with. He just keeps smiling and keeps us all laughing. Hopefully we can repeat this pairing again.

Race Results

1. John Spiers – TVR Griffith 4700 (Class C)
2. David Holryod – Lotus Elan 1558 (Class B)
3. G Bull/A Bull – Jaguar E-Type 3781 (Class A)
4. Peter Chambers – Ford Loyus Cortina 1558 (Class F)
5. J Rawles/H Holland-Bosworth – Austin Healey MK II A 2992 (Class C)

A huge congratulations to the other Healey driver Mark Dunn (Austin Healey 3000 MK III 2912) who finished 3rd in our class and 11th over the line. Mark is a fairly newcomer to racing and race on race he just keeps on improving.

Huge congratulations to new comer Mark Dunn, Austin Healey 3000 MK III, 3rd in Class C

Hugo absolutely loved being back out racing in a Healey. We all had a fabulous day. Thank you to everyone who came to watch and help. I hope you enjoyed the day as much as I did. Hugo, hot and sweaty from racing and still oozing with energy, removed his race overalls and replaced it with an ACDC t-shirt. After showing me his blow up guitar, he left the track with his brother and nephew and they were now off to an ACDC concert in London. I am still to find out which was the most enjoyable part of his day racing the Healey machine or watching the ACDC legends?

Hopefully I will be out racing our Healey again with the CSCC on the 13th August 2016 at The Thruxton TV Thriller Event. For many it is the highlight of the CSCC 2016 season. The entries are now open and if any other Healey Drivers are interested it would be great to get more onto the grid. This is the first time the CSCC has taken all of its series to Thruxton.

Thank you to friends, family and spectators for coming along to watch and support classic car racing at the Brands Hatch Bonanza

Jack Rawles & Hugo Holland Bosworth pair up for the CSCC Brands Hatch Bonanza which took place 04th June 2016

Highlights from CSCC Classic K race for FIA appendix K cars