[Mick O'Malley]

My original plan for the May Bank Holiday weekend was Shelsley Walsh Saturday; Stoneleigh Sunday, and Castle Combe Monday. However, when squaring these with an old friend from my pre-lit Westfield days, he told me he was competing at Shelsley on the Sunday, so I decided to scratch Castle Combe and move the other visits forward a day.



I used to blast up the M5 to Worcester from here in Gloucester before the rural part of my regular Shelsley trips, but I decided to try the A38 through Tewkesbury, a route I used to take in my official capacity when I worked. Being a signatory of The Official Secrets Act, I can't name names, but I once presented a cheque for circa £250,000 for input to my employer's account at a bank there. The ever suspicious teller quibbled, and wouldn't accept it before 'phoning said employer. Banks not wanting money? Surely a first!

Anyway, the early drive in the A352 through the sun soaked countryside was amazing and I arrived slightly later than usual at 0815. Despite not having been a member of MAC for years, I was directed away from the public car parking area, and from the members' area, to the front row of the grid with the real classics. Result! An absolutely beautiful XK120 roadster was my neighbour and a little later an equally beautiful XK120 coupé in a non-standard, but nevertheless fabulous, colour joined the line. If you've never been there go, I can't rave about it enough.







I fielded the by now normal plethora of compliments and questions and, judging by the number of times she was photographed, the A352 would surely blush if she could.

An 0650 start yesterday with my #3 son riding shotgun saw us on the road to Stoneleigh. At the end of another glorious drive, this time up the largely deserted Fosseway, I was stunned to be the only car at the entrance. I've been going to this event on and off since '86 and fully expected to be in the midst of the usual mass of Cobras and Caterhams (used to be Duttons and Jagos) awaiting entry. We were the first of three on the Tribute stand and again fielded many compliments and enquiries.



The overall turnout was very low compared to many previous years, a bit of a disappointment really. This was leavened by visits to the Westfield stand where they not only had a thoroughly regimented display each side of their imaginatively dubbed 'Westfield Avenue', overseen by stewards in dedicated Westfield high-vis gilets, but also a printed instruction on each vehicle detailing at which time bonnets should be opened! I most definitely prefer our low-key approach. I had to resist the temptation to ask if, in infancy, they'd been told off for playing with their motions......

Car of the show for me was a Buckler of which I only took analogue photo's. I loved that it had three slim wood blocks holding the rear of the bonnet just clear of the scuttle for additional cooling. Abarth clips is the technical term, I believe.

On return, and having spent circa six hours in the cockpit over the two days, my face now felt a couple of sizes too small, but nothing that a few sherbets didn't anaesthetise .

A truly fab weekend.

Regards, Mick

p.s. Blue is the colour, it seems..........