50 years of Formula Ford at Combe
But what next for the UK’S longest running single-circuit championship?
The great and the good from Castle Combe’s illustrious Formula Ford history gathered at the Wiltshire circuit last month to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the circuit’s own championship.
Having started in 1969, only two years after Formula Ford itself was created, it has stood the test of time as a rare example of a continuing single-venue category. Combe’s season-opening Howards’ Day meeting provided the opportunity to mark the half century. Nineteen of the 30 living Combe Formula Ford champions attended including the very first, Bryan Sharp.
“I don’t know how they tracked me down,” says 1979 champion Geoff Davies. “I now own a hotel up between Leeds and York, and I suddenly got a phone call from reception saying it’s Castle Combe circuit. I’m astounded [they found me] – they obviously did a very good bit of research.”
The competitive nature of the Kent-engined category, coupled with Combe’s flat-out characteristics, has meant the championship has thrived in years gone by. And some of the country’s top FF1600 drivers have raced at the venue. “It’s easily as competitive as a National championship – it’s just the drivers here are drivers with less budget,” says three-time Combe champion and now team boss Kevin Mills. Roger Orgee, champion in 1974, adds:
“It’s sort of halfway between club and National.”
Combe has become a hub for drivers in the south-west of England and offers a tasty challenge, with fast, flowing sections that were only broken up by chicanes at the end of the 1990s. Yet the addition of them has provided a different sort of difficulty. “I guess if you live south of Bristol this is the first track you
What does Castle Combe Formula
Ford mean to you?
Very competitive, good racing, and a nice circuit with no chicanes [the original layout remained unmodified until 1999]. I think it was just a good learning curve. We subsequently did a couple of the European championships at Spa, Hockenheim, Zolder and Zandvoort. I think we had two of the first Merlyns that were made – we used to go up to Colchester and watch them being built.
What was the Merlyn like to drive?
Great – we enjoyed it a lot. Most of my career was motorcycle racing, motocross. When I gave up because I wasn’t fit enough we went into cars. We were introduced to Merlyns by Formula 3 champion Harry Stiller. He said ‘buy a Merlyn’, and that’s how it all started. So we went to Snetterton to try them.
What did Castle Combe Formula Ford teach you as a driver? I think it taught us how to be competitive. And how to give a nudge! At that time I think there were a lot of inexperienced drivers about, not always intelligent.
But mainly I always kept on the circuit…