CLASSIC CLUBMANS CHAMPIONSHIP 2008
FROM ROVING REPORTER - SUE FACER
Harper returns to winning ways.
Facer takes the wind out of the Sales!
Pete Harper finally returned to the winners circle at Brands, taking wins in both races, reducing championship leader Mark Charteris to a supporting role.
Dave Facer won both B-Sport encounters, after an early tussle with Mike Sales ended with Mike in the Kitty Litter.
Entry
A slightly disappointing 19 cars turned up for the Brands double header, with most of the hardy northerners deciding not to risk a dangerous border crossing (That’s a line somewhere between Birmingham and the Wash!), preferring instead to stay at home and watch Lewis Hamilton’s bid to jump the lights!
The good news was, that we did have five drivers venturing out for the first time this season. In A-Sport, it was good to see Ray Harper accompanying his brother for the long journey south (maybe with such a dangerous border crossing, they had to travel in convoy!). In B-Sport it was great to see Mike Sales for the first time since his ‘three wheels on my wagon’ excursion at Snetterton towards the end of last year. Also John Deane-Bowers back out in the ex Steve Chaplin Mk.16 and Mike Gurr, having sold his own car to Paul Marshall, having a run out in Ian Mitchells IM1 (Whilst Ian ventured out in his A-Sport CTG).
We finally had a class D runner, Jared Wood bringing the Batten out to play. A warm welcome return for those guys.
Qualifying
The qualifying format was in line with most double headers. Practise would determine the grid positions for race one and fastest laps in race one would determine the grid for race two.
True to form, the first eight places on the grid were occupied by the eight A-Sports cars. Pete Harper grabbed pole with a stunning time in the 47 second bracket. He was the only person to break the magic 48 second barrier all weekend. He was joined on the front row by Steve Chaplin in the black Phantom, Steve just 0.009 secs ahead of John Harrison.
Malcolm Jackson was 4th. and Mark Charteris was 5th. struggling to get the handling to his liking.
Ray Harper was 6th. the only runner in the 49 second bracket. He was well clear of Bob Crozier and Ian Mitchell, both in the 51’s and very evenly matched.
On row 5, Jared Wood, the lone class D runner was also in the 51 ‘s, as was the surprise of Class B, Mike Sales. Mike, at his home circuit, grabbed pole from under Dave Facer’s nose, who was the sole runner in the 52’s.
John Deane Bowers was alone in the 53’s to share row 6 with Dave, whilst Rob Beazer, David Childs and Mike Gurr were all very close to together in the 54’s. Alan Davenport joined Mike on row 7 with a 56 sec. lap.
The first of the class C cars, that of Bob Yarwood, was on the inside of row 9. he was joined by the final B-Sport of Tony Harman. Bringing up the rear was Richard Fry in the other very pretty Mallock Mk.8 class C car.
Race One
On the warming up lap, the sole Class D car of Jared Wood expired out on the circuit with a throttle linkage problem. This led to a 2nd. warming up lap whilst he was removed from the field of play and a race distance reduction to 16 laps (much to the confusion of the pit crews!).
As the lights went out, it was Steve Chaplin who seemed to have the edge, but Pete Harper soon put the power down and just pipped Steve on the run to Paddock, John Harrison slipped into 3rd. just ahead of Malcolm Jackson and Mark Charteris.
Ray Harper was 6th. whilst Bob Crozier and Ian Mitchell started their battle that was to last for the duration of both races.
In class B, Dave Facer got the jump on Mike Sales to lead into Paddock. John Deane-Bowers was initially 3rd. but a strange misfire quickly relegated him. Rob Beazer grabbed 3rd. followed through by David Childs and Mike Gurr.
On completion of lap one, it was Pete Harper, just from Steve Chaplin and John Harrison. These three were followed by Mark Charteris and Malcolm Jackson, neither driver managing to maintain their early season pace. Ray Harper peeled off into the pits with a broken swirlpot , so it was Mitch in 6th. with Bob Crozier in close attention.
Dave Facer just had the legs on Mike Sales, these two well clear of Rob Beazer. John Deane-Bowers also headed for the pits, so it was David Childs next up in the Centaur, followed by Mike Gurr. Alan Davenport just headed Bob Yarwood and Richard Fry and then, Tony Harman, hotly pursued by Jared Wood, who had started from the pitlane.
For the first half of the race, Pete had it all his own way at the front. John Harrison got the better of Steve Chaplin around lap five and set off after Pete. Further down the order, Mitch was just holding Bob at bay and there was a great dice for the lead in Class B with Dave Facer just holding Mike Sales.
After five laps, Jared called it a day, his engine expiring after the throttle linkage traumas.
On lap eight, it was all change in both classes. Pete was delayed by a backmarker, allowing John to ease into the lead. In class B, Dave and Mike came upon the class C car of Richard Fry as they sped through Surtees. Dave went for the inside at Clearways and just as Richard moved out to give him room, Mike tried an audacious move around the outside of both of them. Unfortunately, this coincided with Richard moving out and Mike locked up and slid into the kitty litter.
A lap later, Pete ran wide at Graham Hill bend and surrendered 2nd. place to Steve on the run to Surtees. So at ten laps it was John leading from Steve, Pete 3rd., followed by Mark and Malcolm. Dave was comfortably in the lead of class B, followed at a distance by Rob, also comfortable in 2nd. DC was 3rd. well ahead of Mike Gurr. Alan Davenport was black and orange flagged for a smoking n/s rear wheel and he called it a day.
On lap 12 Pete pulled off a stunning manoeuvre to retake the lead at Paddock. John was taken by surprise and Steve managed to sneak through into 2nd. A lap later John managed to grab 2nd. back.
So at the flag it was a first win for Pete Harper, followed home by John Harrison and Steve Chaplin. Mark Charteris was a disconsolate 4th. and Malcolm Jackson was a philosophical 5th.
Ian Mitchell just got the better of Bob Crozier in their titanic battle, to come home 6th. with Bob 7th.
In Class B, it was Dave Facer from Rob Beazer and David Childs. Mike Gurr was 4th. and Tony Harman a distant 5th. In class C, Bob Yarwood always had the legs on Richard Fry.
Race 2
The grid for race two was based on the fastest lap times from race one, provided that you finished the race. The first four rows were as per the finishing order from race one, with Pete Harper on Pole. The one to watch would be Ray Harper from the back of the grid.
The red lights seemed to be on for a very long time. John Harrison crept forward and then checked and when finally, the lights did go out, John was left stranded, probably with a broken diff.
The next five rows all managed to avoid John, but then he was hit from behind and in the melee, a total of four cars were out on the spot. John had rear end damage and Richard Fry damaged his o/s front suspension. Alan Davenport and Tony Harman both suffered front. and rear end damage.
The red flags came out immediately and the race was restarted minus four cars. Pete, alone on the front row, got away cleanly and it was Mark Charteris who moved into 2nd. place, closely followed by Steve Chaplin. Mitch was 4th. ahead of Bob Crozier and Dave Facer was 6th. leading class B.
Ray Harper moved through the field very quickly and he deposed Dave for 6th. on the run down to Graham Hill bend. Mike Gurr had made a flyer of a start and was up to 2nd. in Class B. Mike Sales also made a quick getaway and was soon scything through the class B runners, although he did come a little too close to David Childs and contact was made.
At the end of lap one therefore, it was Pete from Mark, with Steve in close proximity. Next came Malcolm and them Mitch and Bob, hotly pursued by Ray.
Dave comfortably led class B and Mike Sales was soon pushing Mike Gurr for second. Rob Beazer was 3rd. and John Deane-Bowers was up to 4th. from the back of the grid. DC was 5th. and Bob Yarwood the lone class C runner brought up the rear.
The race quickly settled down, without the excitement of race one. Steve was hassling Mark but the best dices were the battles between Mitch and Bob in class A and Mike Gurr and Rob Beazer in Class B.
On lap nine, Mark, under pressure from Steve lost out to an errant backmarker at Druids and ended his race in the kitty litter. At the same time, Steve felt his engine start to go off and he was quickly passed by Malcolm Jackson for 2nd.
Pete Harper eased back and at the end, he finished well clear of Malcolm Jackson. Steve Chaplin with his spluttering engine, just hung on to 3rd. ahead of a charging Ray Harper.
Not far behind these two, came the battle for 5th. with Ian Mitchell once again, just pipping Bob Crozier.
Dave Facer wrapped up class B, well ahead of Mike Sales. Mike quickly cleared the rest of the class B field, but could not make any impression on Dave’s early lead.
Mike Gurr took the final podium finish by just half a second after a titanic struggle with Rob Beazer. John Deane-Bowers took 5th. but with the consolation of much faster laps than the pair in front of him. DC took 6th. and the lone class C finisher, Bob Yarwood was the last man home.
Overall it was a good weekend. The weather behaved itself, although rain on Friday afternoon spoilt the dedicated Clubmans test session (unless you were praying for rain of course!). Friday stayed dry and when it did rain on Saturday evening, the hog roast was all but over and people were returning to their campers. Sunday was a beautiful warm day.
The hog roast was tremendous, a real credit to Tracy Champkin and the other organisers. As well as the beautiful pork, the other food was in plentiful supply and the range of desserts was something special.
When your lucks in, it’s your day and both Pete and Dave made the most of it. With a complete reversal of fortune, Mark had a weekend to forget, but at least it has made the A-Sport championship more open.
Of the four cars damaged in the race two startline incident, there is a good chance that we will see three of them at Silverstone in two weeks. If that proves the case, it will be thanks in no small part to Richard Mallock and the team at Mallock Sports, whose technical ability and supply of numerous spare parts enables the bulk of the field to keep running.
Hopefully we will see you all at Silverstone, as we start the second half of the season. For the first half the average grid size was a shade under 18. We must use the second half to get more cars on to the grid. The last thing we want, is an MSA yellow card!!
Love and hugs to you all
Sue Facer
The Demonic Perm