Lucky escape at Mallory

Moulton and Merlyn survive !

Simon Moulton was doing a great job at Mallory in the lovely Speedsport Merlyn Mk20A on his debut in the Historic Formula Ford Championship race at Mallory Park recently.

Simon qualified 6th. despite not having driven the car in dry conditions before the 15 minute qualifying session, and then made a great start, avoided first corner incidents and crossed the line in second position at the end of lap one, confident he had the speed to win the race.

However, behind him chaos ensued as the race was red flagged because the serious nature of the first corner accident. Leader Hadfield and Simon slowed down when they saw the red flags, and 3rd and 4th place drivers did the same, however, Amanda Whittacker in fifth place with an already damaged car, failed to slow and drove into the back on another car.

Her machine was catapulted in the air into a series of terrifying rolls, eventually coming to rest at the side of the track. Amanda was amazingly unhurt, but her car was destroyed.

In the course of the violent shunt, her car struck the back our our Merlyn, luckily not too hard, and this caused damage to the exhaust system, rear roll bar, tail section, air filter and wheel.

The picture shows what might have been, but the Merlyn is now in fine fettle again with new parts ready to race at Oulton Park at the Gold Cup meeting on August 31st. where it will be driven by Le Mans LMP2 Sports Car winner MIKE NEWTON.

  
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