CLASSIC CLUBMANS CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
Peter Harper added to his seasons victory tally, with a double win in tricky conditions at Pembrey, in his Mallock Mk20B.
Compared with the record turn out at Snetterton, it was a rather select 15 for the trip to South Wales. Peter Harper headed Antony Denham’s Doris after the first wet qualifying session, albeit only 0.533secs ahead. The second row was equally close with Steve Chaplin’s Phantom edging out Mike Hickson’s Mallock.
Mark Charteris headed Barry Webb for class B and formed the third row, with Gavin Childs (Gryphon) and Ray Harper (Mallock) behind.
Row five was an all Wood row, with Jared’s class D Batten just pipping Clive’s class B Mallock. The Mallock’s of John Hayman and New York commuter Bob Crozier were next up, with Ian Mitchell taking 13th , after changing from his CTG to the IM MKIII following damage in testing which necessitated a 300 mile round trip to swap cars.
Alan Davenport’s Mallock and the long awaited comeback of Paul Morris’s Aerofan Special completed the qualifiers.
The rain had stopped and the track was drying as the grid formed for Saturday’s race. Denham rocketed into the lead with Peter Harper, Ray Harper, Hickson, Chaplin, Webb and Clive Wood in line behind. “I sat and smiled when I saw my part of the track was dry for the start,” said Denham. “I was third into Hatchetts behind Peter after a blinding start but went off into the infield at Brooklands and lost the nose. I was pushing too hard on new slicks,” said Ray.
Morris was the first retirement limping the Aerofan pitwards at the end of the opening lap. But he was soon joined by third place battlers Hickson and Chaplin , as they collided heavily at Dibeni on the second lap after Hickson had spun.
Peter Harper started to close in on Denham, while Clive Wood established himself in third, after Webb had spun. “I was going for the class lead and had to spend the rest of the race catching up again,” said Webb.
Hayman was up to fourth, with Childs closing, while Charteris picked off Jared Wood in his quest to close on the class B lead. “Clive and Barry both got me at the start as I had no traction in the wet. Then I spun at Hatchetts trying to catch up,” said Charteris.
Harper’s quest for the lead was rewarded on lap six. “I had a good run through Dibeni and went around the outside at the Esses, “he explained. “I wasn’t’ brave enough to defend that,” admitted Denham.
Harper gradually consolidated his advantage to head Denham by 1.270s at the flag. Childs gradually made third secure after taking Clive Wood on lap 10. “It was very greasy and no dry line, I knew I was on for third once Steve and Mike had gone out,” said Childs. Charteris clawed his way back to take fifth overall behind class winner Wood. Jared Wood pipped Hayman for sixth with a lap to go, “I had a few dramas with gear selection and went off at Hatchetts backwards four times, so past the same class B car about four times too,” said the class D winner. Webb, Davenport, Mitchell and Crozier completed the finishers.
1 Peter Harper (Mallock Mk20B) 14m50.097s (82.44mph); 2 Antony Denham (Doris CKM) 14m51.367s; 3 Gavin Childs (Gryphon C73/75); 4 Clive Wood (Mallock Mk20B); 5 Mark Charteris (Mallock Mk20B); 6 Jared Wood (Batten MKI). Class A: 1 P.Harper; 2 Denham; 3 Childs; 4 Bob Crozier (Mallock MK11). Class B: 1 C.Wood; 2 Charteris; 3 John Hayman (Mallock Mk18B); 4 Barry Webb (Mallock Mk16BW). Class D: 1 J.Wood; no other starters. Fastest lap: Denham 1m01.019s (85.90mph).
Unlike some double headers, Sunday’s race had it’s own qualifying session. With Hickson, Chaplin and Morris all absent, it was a 12 car line up that set out on a drying track.
Peter Harper headed Denham again for pole, while Crozier shared the second row with Clive Wood. Childs and Charteris shared row three, while Jared Wood was seventh best but elected not to race. “It wouldn’t stay in gear and I had no oil pressure,” he explained.
Mitchell was next up, third quickest in class B, heading Webb, Hayman and Davenport, while Ray Harper brought up the rear.
It was dry and sunny for the start of Sunday’s race. Peter Harper made the most of his pole position in the dry, to head Denham, Childs, Wood, Ray Harper and Charteris into Hatchetts. Ray Harper surged past Wood for third place into Hatchetts, then had a double spin on the exit and dropped to where he had started in last place. “It just understeered and went everywhere,” said Ray.
As the lead duo continued to ease well clear, Childs became e solitary third, while Charteris began his pursuit of Wood for fourth and the class B lead, after Webb started to lose ground to both of them.
After Webb pitted on lap five to replace a plug lead, Mitchell moved into sixth, with Crozier making up lost time after a poor first lap.
Ray Harper came charging back into the top six, but had to keep backing off. “It was overheating,” he explained. Peter continued to build on his lead and at the flag he was over 11 secs clear. “I knew if I could make an early break from Antony I would be OK and I just had enough pace to head him into Hatchetts on the first lap,” he explained. “My car was great, but it was a bit boring on my own,” Denham replied.
Childs had another solitary race into third. “I enjoyed it because it was dry. I did try to keep pace with Antony, but touched a kerb and had a bit of a moment, so I eased up,” he said.
Wood was able to ease up over the last lap to clinch fourth and another class win, aided by Charteris’s penultimate lap spin exiting Honda. “I had a few problems, we softened the car as it was damp 20 minutes before the race and it was a bit of handful under braking,” said Wood. “I was just very annoyed with myself,” said Charteris after settling for second in class again. Ray Harper kept going to bring his Mallock home sixth, followed by Webb who took third in class. “So I still finished third even though I pitted, so I didn’t lose anything,” reckoned Webb. Mitchell was fourth in class, “I got caught up and lost places early on, so I might have stayed with others who left me otherwise,” he said. Hayman took Crozier for ninth overall in the closing laps. “We ran old wets and they weren’t the best,” said Crozier. Davenport completed the finishers, “I slid off at Dibeni trying too hard,” he concluded.
1 Peter Harper 14m02.910s (87.05mph); 2 Antony Denham 14m14.379s; 3 Gavin Childs; 4 Clive Wood; 5 Mark Charteris; 6 Ray Harper (Mallock Mk20B). Class A 1 P.Harper; 2 Denham; 3 Childs; 4 R.Harper. Class B: 1 C.Wood; 2 Charteris; 3 Webb; 4 Ian Mitchell (IM MKIII). Fastest lap: P.Harper 57.314s (91.45mph).