1969 BBN Coulter Autocross

Dessie McCartney Scoops Coulter Trophy.

This article, with words and pictures by Stan Garmondsway, was first published in Motorweek 28 June 1969.

Last Saturday the Belfast, Bangor and Newtownards Motor Club ran their first autocross of the season, a restricted event for the Ken Coulter Trophy and counting towards the Northern Ireland Autocross Championship.

The 800 yard track was a new one, laid out on the property of Mr. Dennison at Ballywoodock, a few miles North of Templepatrick. From the start -finish line, it curved right, then left into a downhill straight to a long right hand bend, into another straight and up a hill. A right hand kink came next and then a dip followed by a “tump” and another long right hander into the finishing straight.

The surface was bumpy and the intermittent rain made the going very slow indeed. As usual practice made short work of the grass, exposing a slimy but fortunately quite firm surface, so racing began on a well lubricated and roughened track. After the first dozen cars had skated their respective ways round, Clerk of the Course, David McCullough modified the bottom bend which was looking rather the worse for wear, and awarded a rerun to the “dirty dozen” (mud don’cha know) which included such names as Des McCartney, John McA1orum and John Jones.

The first run gave the spectators some fine demonstrations of driving, having regard to the conditions, but the surface favoured cars with engines over the driving wheels. This was amply demonstrated by Miss Nemece when she took her 875cc Imp past F. G. Boyle’s’ 1275 cc Sprite on the back straight. Unfortunately she overcooked it on the last bend and was disqualified for going outside the course. a fate which claimed several other people, some of them prominent autocross names like Ken Carson.

PUSH START

The start line was at the top of a small rise, and this caused the Escort Twin cams of Hill Scott and Dennis McKeag and the 1500 Cortina of J. Logan some trouble, all of them needing helping hands to start them on their runs.

It’s almost certain that Johan Strauss could have written music for the antics of the front engine, rear wheel drive machinery. Unfortunately, as time went on, the track cut up very badly. A deep hollow appeared on the left hander at the beginning of the downhill straight, causing some very spectacular but dangerous looking yumping, while the aerobatics on the bottom bend were wondrous to behold. David McCullough and the Stewards took another look at it after the first runs, and decided to abandon the event, deciding the results on the first runs only.

So, in weather conditions alternating between sunshine and driving rain, Dessie McCartney pedalled the “Scoop“ around some 2.3 seconds faster than John McAlorum in the “Bucket” to record FTD and win the Ken Coulter taking the lead in the Autocross Championship into the bargain.

It was a pity that the track deteriorated so quickly, rendering it unsuitable for autocrossing in the immediate future. It now looks as though the BBN Motor Club will have to search all over again for a suitable venue. They are as scarce as a hen’s teeth, so if any reader has a spare couple of fields, Joe Kirkpatrick will welcome him or her with open arms.

RESULTS

Class 1 (General Classification)

1. D. McCartney, 1.3 Mini Sport Special Mk2, 3-07.2 secs;
2. J. McA1orum, 1.3 Mini Sports Special Mk 1, 3-09.5;
3. R. White, 1.3 Mini Cooper S, 3-16.0;
4. R. McCartney, 1.3 Mini Cooper S, 3-16.6;
5. J. Jones, 1.3 Mini Cooper S, 3-27.0;
6. G. McBurney, 1.6 Ford Escort TC, 3-39.5;
7. R. Wilson, 1.3 Mini Cooper S, 3-39.7;
8. P. Thompson, 1.0 Mini Cooper, 3-44.6.

Class 2 (up to 1000cc)

1. P. Thompson, 1.0 Mini Cooper, 3-44.6;
2. W. Farren, 1.0 Mini Cooper S, 347.2;
3. R, Moore, 1.0 Mini Cooper, 3-57.2

Class 3 (1001 to 1300cc)

1. R. McCartney, 1.3 Mini Cooper S, 3-16.6;
2. J. Jones, 1.3 Mini Cooper S, 3-17.0;
3. R. Wilson, 1.3 Mini Cooper S, 3-39.7.

Class 4 (Over 1300cc)

1. R. White, 1.3 Mini Cooper S 3-16.0;
2. G. McBurney, Ford Escort TC 1.6, 3-39.5;
3. F. Bell, 2.0 Triumph GT6, 3-45.8.

Class 5 (Specials)

1. D. McCartney, 1.3 Mini Sport Special Mk2, 3-07.2;
2. J. McA1orum, 1.3 Mini Sport Special Mk1, 3-09.5.

NOTE — with only two entrants in this class, there is some doubt at present about awards.

Championship positions after round two:

1. D. McCartney; 17 points;
2. J. Jones, 15 points;
3. =R. McCartney 14 points
4. =J. McA1orum, 14 points
5. R. White, 7 points;
6. G. McBurney 6 points;
7. W. Farren, 5 points;
8. R. McBurney 4 points;
9. =R. Wilson 3 points;
10. =K. Carson 3 points;
11. P. Thompson 2 points.