ECURIE ECOSSE LAST HURRAH AT KOP HILL CLIMB
This September 21st – 22nd the Kop Hill Climb (Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire), itself steeped in motorsport legend, is proud to host Dick Skipworth’s Ecurie Ecosse race team collection for what is likely to be the collection’s final ever appearance. The cars will also be taking to the hill as a team in what will no doubt prove to be an event not to be missed. Discounted advanced tickets can be purchased on-line until September 16th at www.kophillclimb.info.
There are few teams better known in the world of motorsport than the iconic blue liveried Ecurie Ecosse, Scotland’s flagship 1950s double Le Mans winning race team founded by David Murray in November 1951.
The team enjoyed some 68 victories across just 10 seasons, often operating on a shoestring budget. The cooperative syndicate, running largely Jaguar sports cars prepared expertly by the legendary mechanic Wilkie Wilkinson took on and beat the best known names in world-class motor racing. The Le Mans wins in 1956 and 1957 taken in the team’s Jaguar D-Type by Ron Flockhart, Ninian Sanderson and Ivor Bueb must stand as crowning achievements.
The list of famed drivers went on to include both Jimmy Stewart and his three-time Formula 1 World Champion brother Sir Jackie Stewart contributing greatly to the team’s international respect and while the team disbanded in 1972, its 1982 rebirth continues the tradition with its drivers competing to this day in the British GT Championship and the European Le Mans Series.
In terms of historic 1950s – 1960s era race team collections, Dick Skipworth’s Ecurie Ecosse must stand as one of the most comprehensive and captivating. The blue livered cars replete with the iconic Scottish team’s famous double-deck Commer car transporter has appeared at many of Europe’s most high profile historic motoring events.
However Dick, Kop Hill Climb Patron as well as long-time event supporter, an ardent near lifelong Ecurie Ecosse fan and regular competitor in historic races and rallies is calling time on his custodianship of this exceptional collection of some of motorsport’s most recognisable names with the entire collection to appear at Bonhams Sunday December 1st 2013 sale. Among the collection’s highlights are two sports-racing Jaguars – a 1953 C-Type and a 1956 D-Type and of course the famous double-deck team Commer transporter, capable of carrying three cars (one inside with two on top), support crew along with on-board workshop.
The complete Dick Skipworth Ecurie Ecosse Collection appearing at this year’s Kop Hill Climb includes:
1952 Jaguar XK120 Roadster - campaigned in period by Sir James Scott-Douglas.1953 Jaguar C-Type- raced in period by Ninian Sanderson, Jock Lawrence, Jimmy Stewart and Frank Curtis.1956 Jaguar D-Type - short-nose 'D' without the fin raced in period by Ron Flockhart.1959 Tojeiro-Jaguar campaigned in period by Barrie Williams.1960 Cooper T49 Monaco - campaigned in period, including Le Mans, by Bruce Halford, Tommy Dickson and Sir Jackie Stewart1961 Austin-Healey 'Sebring' Sprite raced in period by Ninian Sanderson and Bill Mackay1962 Tojeiro-Buick Coupe – designed by John Tojeiro's as a Le Mans 24-Hour race contender1959 Commer Ecurie Ecosse Transporter - immortalised by Corgi's classic 1:48-scale model
