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1959 BSCC Season
Uren Zephyr 1959
Season Information
No. Rounds Seven (Ten races)
First Round Goodwood
Last Round Kentish International 100
Manufacturers Alfa Romeo, Austin, Borgward, Ford, Healey, Hillman, Jaguar, Morris, Peerless, Renault, Riley, Saab, Sunbeam, Volvo, Wolseley
No. Drivers 65
Overall Drivers' Championship
First Jeff Uren 46 pt(s)
Second {{{overdrivesecond}}} {{{overdrivesecondpts}}} pt(s)
Third {{{overdrivethird}}} {{{overdrivethirdpts}}} pt(s)
Overall Teams' Championship
First {{{overteamchamppts}}} pt(s)
Second {{{overteamsecond}}} {{{overteamsecondpts}}} pt(s)
Third {{{overteamthird}}} {{{overteamthirdpts}}} pt(s)
Independents' Championship
Drivers' {{{indrivechamppts}}} pt(s)
Teams' {{{indteamchamppts}}} pt(s)
Jack Sears Trophy
Champion
Class Championships
Class A George "Doc" Shepherd 42 pt(s)
Class B Les Leston 38 pt(s)
Class C Jeff Uren 46 pt(s)
Class D Gawaine Baillie 41 pt(s)
Manufacturers' Championship
Champion {{{makerchamppts}}} pt(s)
Runner-up {{{makerrunpts}}} pt(s)
Season Guide
1958 1960

 The 1959 British Saloon Car Championship was the second running of the championship, organised by the British Racing & Sports Car Club.[1] 1959 saw a change in regulations, with the BRSCC attempting to run the series in a similar vein to those held on the continent.[2]

Regulations[]

The BRSCC decided to adopt FIA appendix J, rules which were specifically designed for Saloon car championships. These regulations meant that, once again, the Class system was based on engine size.

1959 BSCC Season Classes
Class Engine Size
Minimum Maximum
A None 1,300cc
B 1,301cc 1,600cc
C 1,601cc 2,600cc
D 2,601cc None

This change had a significant affect on the field, as those cars that once dominated their classes were in different classes.[2] One example is Jack Sears (reigning champion), whose Austin A105 dominated Class C the previous year, yet in 1959 would have been one of the least powerful cars in Class D.[2]

First Round: Goodwood[]

The first race of 1959, held at Goodwood in West Sussex (hosting its first BSCC race).[2] A relatively large field (around 24 cars) gathered at the circuit, with all four classes running together.[2] As was expected, the three of Jaguar 3.4 litres (the most powerful cars on the grid), ran away from the rest of the field in Class D, with Ivor Bueb claiming victory in the Equipe Endeavour machine while Roy Salvadori and Gawaine Baillie completed the podium.[2]

In Class C, Jeff Uren took his Ford Zephyr to victory in the class (fifth overall), with David Haynes and Ellis Cuff-Miller completing a Zephyr cleansweep of the Class C podium.[2] Jeff was able to beat his brother Doug (running another Jag in Class D), showing impressive pace in his old car.[2]

Class B saw an impressive display by Les Leston in his Riley 1.5, in which he was able to finish sixth overall and set a new Lap Record around the circuit.[2] Leston finished more than a lap ahead of F. Scott and D. Harris (who joined him on the Class B podium).[2] Bringing up the rear of the field was Class A, with "Doc" Shepherd taking the class, beating the Austin A35s of Len Adams and Paddy Gaston.[2]

Second Round: Aintree 200[]

Round Two of the season, and once again the entire field was thrown together for a one-off race (run in support of the Aintree 200 non-championship Formula 1 race), won once again by Bueb in his Jaguar.[2] Remarkably, Bueb broke Tommy Sopwith's lap record (set in a non-championship race in 1958) in a washed out qualifying session the day before.[2] He was followed across the line by Salvadori, Baillie and Dick Protheroe in their Jags, with Maurice Charles completing Class D.[2]

Classes C and B followed the Jags across the line, with Jeff Uren and Les Leston taking the honours in their respective classes.[2] The Zephyr's dominance was halted, with Peter Blond in his Jaguar 2.4 litre claiming second in Class C, splitting the Zephyrs.[2] In Class B, H.R. Vincent and H. Brierley completed the podium.[2]

Class A continued as the most popular class, with a number of drivers using the proven Austin A35.[2] "Doc" Shepherd took the honours, followed by John Young and John Willment in two Fords.[2] Ray North became the first driver to race a Swedish car, using a Saab GT 750.[2]

Third Round: Silverstone[]

The BSCC made its first appearance at Silverstone, supporting the 11th running of the British Racing Drivers Club International Trophy.[2] Although the usual procession of Jaguars won (led home by Bueb, Salvadori and Baillie), the race was noted for an extrodinary event in Class B.[2] Volvo saw fit to send no fewer than four Volvo 122 Ss, shipped in directly from Sweden.[2] Three of the Swedish creations dominated the Class B field, taking first, second and fourth in class.[2] Gunnar Andersson became the first class winner not from the United Kingdom.

In Class C, Peter Blond upset Jeff Uren's run of class victories, winning in his Jaguar 2.4 litre from Uren's Zephyr.[2] The good Doctor Shepherd took victory in Class A in his Austin A40, beating four Austin A35s to the victory in the race.[2] John Young's Ford Prefect was later promoted to second in Class A, having had a clarification made to move him to Class A (from Class B as it was confirmed that the Prefect had an engine capacity of 1,172cc, under the maximum limit for Class A).[2]

Fourth Round (A): Crystal Palace[]

On the 18th of May, the BSCC ran at two tracks, a result of the Formula 2 meeting at Crystal Palace.[2] Classes A and B, with the majority of the BSCCs normal faces running in the F2 race, ran at the Palace.[2] As a result, the relatively large Class A field was limited to four cars (with three in Class B), with Geoff Williamson beating the "Doctor" to victory.[2] They were followed by Les Leston (who won in Class B) Adams and a brace of Borgward Isabella TSs.[2]

Fourth Round (B): Goodwood[]

50 miles south of the Palace, Classes C and D met at Goodwood for a single race.[2] The lone runner in Class D, Baillie, took advantage of Bueb's absence to win the race, from the herd of Ford Zephyrs, led by Jeff Uren.[2] Interestingly, the race was run within another race, intended for GT cars.[2]

Fifth Round: Snetterton[]

Round five of the BSCC season saw the paddock move to Snetterton, where they were joined by reigning champion Jack Sears (who no longer competed in the BSCC due to the new regulations making his Austin A105 uncompetitive).[2] Sears was equipped with Bueb's Jaguar 3.4 litre, run by Equipe Endeavour.[2] A dream return to the championship was thwarted when his breaks began to overheat near the end of the 100 mile race, allowing Baillie to sweep past and take the victory.[2]

Joining the Jags on the podium was Jeff Uren, who won in Class C once again.[2] He was followed by the "Doctor" and Adams in Class A and Peter Pilsworth in Class B, more than a lap ahead of the next Class C runner, Barney Everley.[2] Five of the Nineteen entrants failed to finish the 'endurance' race, officially known as the Eastern Counties 100 Trophy Meeting.[2]

Sixth Round: Brands Hatch[]

Formula One came and left Britain before the next meeting, meaning the BSCC would have to support Formula 2 when they came to play at Brands Hatch on the 3rd of August.[2] Class A, with fifteen entrants, was given its own race, won by Geoff Williamson after the Doctor's engine blew up a lap before the finish.[2] Williamson was joined by John Young and Chris Threlfall (returning to the championship in his Skoda) on the podium.[2]

In the second race, Classes B, C and D ran together, with Baillie (now the only runner in Class D) taking the win.[2] He was joined on the podium, once again, by Jeff Uren and Haynes in their Ford Zephyrs, as Uren's march to the Class C title continued.[2] Class B was won by Leston, whose "ridiculously fast" Riley took a decisive step to the Class B title.[2]

Seventh Round: Kentish International 100 (Brands Hatch)[]

The final meeting of the BSCC in 1959 with the field running in the same format as before, with Class A competing before the Formula 2 race.[2] A feeling of deja-vu swept the field as, on the same corner, on the same lap, in the same position, Doctor Shepherd's engine blew up once again, handing victory to Williamson once again.[2] The Doctor won his Class championship, but still had to see Uren fail to finish his race before he could claim the Bonneville Trophy.[2]

Sadly for Shepherd, Uren not only finished his race, but won his Class, finishing the race in third, behind the Class D Jags of Sears and Baillie.[2] Leston, in his Riley had a chance of forcing Uren to a duel for the title, but, after losing water throughout the race, Leston was forced to retire, handing the Bonneville Trophy to Uren.[2] In the end, Uren won the championship by four points.[2]

Entries[]

All entrants to the 1959 BSCC season are shown below:

1959 BSCC Entries
Nat. Entrant Nat. Name Rounds
Flag of England Alexander Engineering Co.
Austin A35
Flag of England T. Fry
Flag of England Barwell Motorsport
Austin A35
Flag of England Robin Byrant
Flag of England Cambridge Racing Team
Austin A35
Flag of England G. Boxhall
Flag of England J.A.B. Taylor
Flag of England B.D. Whitaker
Flag of England Loughborough Racing
Austin A35
Flag of England David Coode
Flag of England Rudd Racing
Renault Dauphine Gordini
Flag of England Bob Jennings
Flag of England Team Speedwell
Austin A35
Flag of England Len Adams
Flag of England John Sprinzel
Flag of England Privateer
Austin A35
Flag of England Dennis Clark
Flag of England Privateer
Morris Minor
Flag of England Alan Foster
Flag of England Privateer
Austin A35
United Kingdom Paddy Gaston
Flag of England Privateer
Austin A35
Flag of England Bob Gerard
Flag of England Privateer
Austin A35
Flag of England John Horridge
Flag of England Privateer
Ford Prefect
Flag of England N.R. Jones
Flag of England Privateer
Austin A35
Flag of England George Lawrence
Flag of England Privateer
Austin A35
Flag of England Adrian Lewis
Flag of England Privateer
Morris Minor
Flag of England Fred Marriot
Flag of England Privateer
Saab GT 750
Flag of England Ray North
Flag of England Privateer
Austin A40
Flag of England George "Doc" Shepherd
Flag of England Privateer
Saab 96
Flag of England Chris Threlfall
Flag of England Privateer
Austin A40
Flag of England Geoff Williamson
Flag of England Privateer
Ford Anglia
Flag of England John Willment
Flag of England Privateer
Ford Prefect
Flag of England John Young
▲ Class A ▲
Flag of England C. Steele Cars
Borgward Isabella TS
Flag of England D. Harris
Flag of England Chris Steele
Flag of England George Hartwell Ltd.
Hillman Minx
Flag of England F. Scott
Flag of England K&T Autos
Riley 1.5
Flag of England Alan Hutcheson
Flag of England Metcalfe & Munday
Borgward Isabella TS
Flag of England Nobby Spero
Flag of England R.W. Thompson
Riley 1.5
Flag of England Peter Pilsworth
Kingdom of Sweden Volvo AB
Volvo 122 S
Kingdom of Sweden Gunnar Andersson
Kingdom of Sweden Gunnar Bengtson
Kingdom of Sweden Per Nyström
Kingdom of Sweden Arthur Wesbald
Flag of England Privateer
Borgward Isabella TS
Flag of England Bill Blydenstein
Flag of England Privateer
Borgward Isabella TS
Flag of England Tommy Bridger
Flag of England Privateer
Sunbeam Rapier Series II
Flag of England H. Brierley
Flag of England Privateer
Riley 1,5
Flag of England Harold Grace
Flag of England Privateer
Wolseley 1500
Flag of England E.L. Hine
Flag of England Privateer
Riley 1.5
Flag of England Peter Jopp
Flag of England Privateer
Riley 1.5
Flag of England Les Leston
Flag of England Privateer
Alfa Romeo Giulietta
Flag of England Michael McKee
Flag of England Privateer
Wolseley 1500
Flag of England H.R. Vincent
Kingdom of Sweden Privateer
Borgward Isabella TS
Kingdom of Sweden Gunnar Wulf
▲ Class B ▲
Flag of England Sammy Rees
Ford Zephyr
Flag of England Malcolm Kingham
Flag of England Privateer
Jaguar 2.4 Litre
Flag of England Peter Blond
Flag of England Privateer
Ford Zephyr
Flag of England Ellis Cuff-Miller
Flag of England Privateer
Jaguar 2.4 Litre
Flag of England Barney Everley
Flag of England Privateer
Ford Zephyr
Flag of England George Farmer
Flag of England Privateer
Peerless GT
Flag of England John Freedman
Flag of England Privateer
Ford Zephyr
Flag of England David Haynes
Flag of England Privateer
Ford Zephyr
Flag of England David Shale
Flag of England Privateer
Ford Zephyr
Flag of England Jeff Uren
Flag of England Privateer
Healey
Flag of England Edgar Wadsworth
▲ Class C ▲
Flag of England Dickson Motors
Jaguar 3.4 Litre
Flag of England Tom Dickson
Flag of England Equipe Endeavour
Jaguar 3.4 Litre
Flag of England Ivor Bueb
Flag of England John Coombs Racing Organisation
Jaguar 3.4 Litre
Flag of England Roy Salvadori
Flag of England Privateer
Jaguar 3.4 Litre
Flag of England Gawaine Baillie
Flag of England Privateer
Jaguar Mk VII
Flag of England Maurice Charles
Flag of England Privateer
Jaguar 3.4 Litre
Flag of England Jack Sears
Flag of England Privateer
Jaguar 3.4 Litre
Flag of England Dick Protheroe
Flag of England Privateer
Jaguar 3.4 Litre
Flag of England Doug Uren
▲ Class D ▲

Final Standings[]

1959 had an unusual points scoring system, with each Class' points allocation based on the number of entries in each race. As such, with Class C being the most well attended of the classes, and Jeff Uren the most consistent, it was no surprise that the Englishman would become BSCC Champion in 1959 with the Ford Zephyr.

George "Doc" Shepherd claimed victory in Class A and finished second overall, while Gawaine Baillie claimed the honours in Class D with third overall. Les Leston completed the top four and took the Class B honours, although the overall order is debatable below Shepherd.

1959 BSCC Standings
Pos. Name Rounds Class Pts.
GWDI ANTR SILV RDIV SNET BHI KNTI
1st Jeff Uren 1st 1st 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st C 46
2nd George "Doc" Shepherd 1st 1st 1st 2nd 1st Ret Ret A 42
3rd Gawaine Baillie 3rd 3rd 3rd 1st 1st 1st 2nd D 41
4th Les Leston 1st 1st 3rd 1st 1st B 38
5th Len Adams 2nd 3rd 2nd DNS 2nd A 34
6th Bill Blydenstein 3rd 2nd 2nd 1st B 33
7th Ivor Bueb 1st 1st 1st D 29
8th Geoff Williamson 1st Ret 1st 1st A 26
9th Roy Salvadori 2nd 2nd 2nd D 19

Champions[]

The Bonneville Trophy was awarded to Jeff Uren, who took the championship at the final round.[2] There were no other championships that year, apart from the individual class championships (although these were not awarded with trophys or honours).[2]

References[]

Images:

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