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A GOLDEN CELEBRATION FOR THE SEVEN
Ben Corley | June 15, 2007
A fantastic weekend of racing and a superb birthday party for the iconic Seven - that’s the verdict on the Golden Jubilee celebrations held at Donington Park recently (2/3 June).
The sun shone, the crowds came and 17 races for Sevens of all ages and sizes were successfully completed. Some 330 entries were in action and, says Caterham Motorsport Director Magnus Laird, the event couldn’t have been bettered.
“It was a great 50th anniversary celebration,” he said, “and I know that every competitor taking part was delighted to have done so - even if some of them did not have the happiest of races. It was a great spectacle, the racing was fast, furious and fun in the best Caterham tradition and the many spectators went home well pleased.”
Among the fascinated visitors to Donington was Hazel Chapman, widow of the Seven’s creator, Colin Chapman, their son Clive Chapman and his children. Mrs Chapman was moved by the event: “It’s amazing to see the Seven thrive like this - incredible,” she said. “I am quite sure that Colin never imagined when he designed the car in 1957 that it would still be around 50 years later, nor that it would be as big a success as it has been. Were he here to see this, I think perhaps he might be kicking himself for selling the car to Caterham!”
In addition to the racing there were static displays of the latest Caterham road cars, early Lotus and Caterham Sevens owned by Caterham founder Graham Nearn, plus historic Lotus Formula 1 cars owned by Clive Chapman’s Classic Team Lotus, as well as cars from the Historic Lotus Register.
Many classic Lotus Sevens took to the track as well, and there were some vintage racers also, including 67-year-old Brian Mitcham, who started his track career in 1967 at the wheel of a 1-litre Seven and who this weekend sampled the quickest of the Caterham breed, the 2.3-litre CSR 260, for the first time. One of the youngest competitors was 16-year-old Vincent Beltoise, nephew of 1970s Grand Prix winner Jean-Pierre Beltoise.
ロータス / ケイターハム スーパーセブン ビルダー
SOURCE: CATERHAM CARS UK
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