In a motorsports race, the pole position is usually the best and "statistically the most advantageous" starting position on the track. The pole position is usually earned by the driver with the best qualifying times in the trials before the race. The number-one qualifying driver is also referred to as the pole-sitter. The pole position, pole sitter, starts the race "at the front of the starting grid. This provides the driver in the pole position the privilege of starting ahead of all the other drivers".
The 1952 British Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on 19 July 1952 at Silverstone Circuit. It was race 5 of 8 in the 1952 World Championship of Drivers, in which each Grand Prix was run to Formula Two rules rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.
Reginald Harold Haslam Parnell Sr. was a racing driver and team manager from Derby, England. He participated in seven Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium, and scoring a total of nine championship points.
William Ronald Flockhart was a British racing driver. He participated in 14 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, achieving one podium finish and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans sportscar race twice.
Eric David Thompson was a British racing driver, book dealer and insurance broker. He participated in sports car racing between 1949 and 1955 taking his greatest success by finishing third in the 1951 Les 24 Heures du Mans and took part in the 1952 RAC British Grand Prix.
Écurie Écosse was a motor racing team from Edinburgh, Scotland. The team was founded in November 1951 by Edinburgh businessman and racing driver David Murray and mechanic Wilkie Wilkinson. Its most notable achievement was winning the 1956 and the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans. The team also raced in three Formula One races. Ecurie Ecosse's cars were always distinctive in their flag blue metallic paint.
Davidstow Circuit is a disused motor racing circuit and airfield built in Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. The circuit was built on the site of a World War II RAF Coastal Command base, RAF Davidstow Moor, opened in 1942. Davidstow circuit opened in 1952, and held three Formula 1 races between 1954 and 1955. The circuit hosted its last race in 1955, and was one of many of Britain's airfields to be transformed into motor racing venues. Davidstow circuit is notable for the first victory in a Formula One race by a Lotus.
The 3rd London Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 30 July 1955 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 15 laps, and was won by British driver Mike Hawthorn in a Maserati 250F. Hawthorn started from pole position in Heat 1 and set fastest lap in the heat, and also in the final. Vanwall driver Harry Schell started from pole position in Heat 2 and set fastest lap in that heat. Schell was second in the final and Roy Salvadori in a Maserati 250F was third.
The 6th Lavant Cup was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 19 April 1954 at Goodwood Circuit, West Sussex. The race was run over 7 laps, and was won by British driver Reg Parnell in a Ferrari 625. Second-placed driver Roy Salvadori in a Maserati 250F shared fastest lap with Parnell. Kenneth McAlpine was third in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis.
The 2nd Curtis Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 5 June 1954 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 10 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Roy Salvadori in a Maserati 250F, who also set fastest lap. Bill Whitehouse in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis and Jimmy Somervail in a Cooper T20-Bristol were second and third.
The 1st August Cup was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 2 August 1954 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 10 laps, and was won by British driver Reg Parnell in a Ferrari 500.
The 2nd RedeX Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 14 August 1954 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 40 laps, and was won by British driver Reg Parnell in a Ferrari 625, setting fastest lap in the process. Bob Gerard in a Cooper T23-Bristol was second and Don Beauman in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis was third.
The 1st West Essec CC Formula 2 Race was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held at Boreham Circuit on 21 June 1952. The race was won by Reg Parnell in a Cooper T20-Bristol, who also set fastest lap. Kenneth McAlpine was second in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis and Bill Dobson was third in a Ferrrari 125. Ken Downing in another Connaught Type A started from pole position and finished fourth.
The 2nd United States Air Force Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held on 25 July 1953 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 15 laps, and was won by British driver Tony Rolt in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis. Bob Gerard in a Cooper T23-Bristol was second and set fastest lap. Leslie Marr in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis was third. Earlier in the day of the meeting Ferrari driver Bobbie Baird was killed in a sports-car race.
The 7th Ulster Trophy was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held at the Dundrod Circuit on 16 May 1953. The race was held over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 14 laps. Mike Hawthorn driving a Ferrari 500 won the final from pole position ahead of the Cooper T23-Bristol of Ken Wharton and the Ferrari 500 of Bobbie Baird. Hawthorn also set fastest lap in the final, and overall fastest lap in the second heat which he also won, again from pole position. Stirling Moss in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis set pole and fastest lap in the first heat but finished second behind Duncan Hamilton's HWM-Alta. Moss failed to start the final, while Hamilton finished sixth.
The 3rd Coronation Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held on 25 May 1953 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 10 laps.
The 1st Mid-Cheshire MC Formula 2 Race was a Formula Two motor race held on 8 August 1953 at Oulton Park Circuit, Cheshire. The race was run over 33 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Tony Rolt in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis; Rolt also setting fastest lap. Peter Whitehead in a Cooper T24-Alta was second and the Hon. Edward Greenall was third in a Cooper T18-JAP. Les Leston in a Cooper T26-JAP started from pole position but retired after 12 laps.
The 2nd West Essex CC Formula 2 Race was a Formula Two motor race held on 27 June 1953 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 10 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Kenneth McAlpine in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis. McAlpine's teammate John Coombs was second and Rodney Nuckey in a Cooper T23-Bristol was third. Roy Salvadori in another Connaught set fastest lap but retired on the last lap with engine failure.
The 1st Crystal Palace Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held on 11 July 1953 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over 15 laps and was won by Tony Rolt in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis. Roy Salvadori was second in another Connaught, also setting fastest lap, and Les Leston was third in a Cooper T26-JAP.
The 1st London Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held on 19 September 1953 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over two heats of 10 laps with the winner being decided by aggregate time.
Reg Parnell 