FUELFORCE CLASSIC CLUBMANS CHAMPIONSHIP 2005
Following on from his victory last time out at Brands Hatch, Peter Harper proved unbeatable once more as he took his second consecutive win at Oulton Park.
After the mornings qualifying session, Harper’s Mallock had secured pole by 0.743secs from Mike Hickson similar car. “I was bedding new brakes in and new tyres, so the track being a bit slippery helped me,” said Harper. “I went through the chicane on the last lap trying to improve,” said Hickson. Steve Campbell continued his impressive first season of racing with the Raffo setting third quickest time. “I have surprised myself so far this year,” he said.
Completing the second row was Antony Denham, just hoping to see the chequered flag for the first time this year. “We had the engine out again this week, but it was still losing water from the radiator cap,” he said. Geoff Cogan’s Gryphon headed Graham Onion’s Mallock on row three and local man. Class B pacesetter Mark Charteris was next up in his Mallock, over two seconds up on the Mallock of local man Robin Booth. Morgan Burgess’s class A Mallock was also among the class B boys, with Ian Mitchell (IM MKI), Steve Chaplin (Mallock), Tony Harman (Haggispeed) and Alan Davenport (Mallock) spread behind him.
Jared Wood’s Batten completed the qualifiers that were to start the race, as “Giancarlo Gofastio” and Malcolm Jackson were both eliminated in a second lap clash at Knickerbrook. “I had new slicks and it was damp, so I was cautious. When I caught Tom my instinct said pass him, but I held back and she spun before running back across the track. The impact bent my rear axle,” explained Jackson.
With Davenport also failing to make the grid, there were 13 starters. As the lights went green Harper smoked his tyres and shot into the lead, but although second, Hickson was penalized rather harshly for an adjudged jump start. Denham slotted into third and all three ran nose to tail for the first couple of laps, with Campbell just behind.
By the end of lap three, Campbell had started to edge closer to Denham as Hickson was left to challenge Harper. Back in fifth Onion had Cogan and Booth closing in too to challenge fifth, while in class B Charteris was already well clear.
Denham picked up a midrace misfire, which allowed the already closing Campbell to take third into Knickerbrook on lap five. Although Hickson pursued Harper relentlessly, their duel allowed Campbell to close enough to snatch second overall after the addition of Hickson’s penalty. “My only problem in the whole race was Mike Hickson,” said a delighted Harper. “I tried to stay as close as I could but there was no way through,” replied Hickson.
A delighted Denham was fourth, “I made it, the misfire clear but it still wasn’t right. So out comes the engine again,” he said.
Cogan eased clear of Onion on lap five to seal fifth, with Onion, Booth and Burgess next home.
Class winner Charteris was ninth overall, with Mitchell, Chaplin, Harman and Wood all lapped, to complete the finishers.
Issued by Peter Scherer for the Clubmans Register May 16th 2005. Contact 01332 362577/07802 853244 or peter@scher.freeserve.co.uk