CLASSIC CLUBMANS CHAMPIONSHIP 2008
Mark Charteris was made to work exceptionally hard to retain his unbeaten record for the season. But with rivals John Harrison and Peter Harper failing to reach the chequered flag, it was win number three for the 2006 Champion.
“I can’t believe I had got pole,” said Charteris after qualifying. His Mallock was over a second up on Peter Harper. “I was going for a quick one at the end and just got caught in traffic,” Harper replied.
Third best was ex Supersports racer John Harrison, making his Classic debut in an immaculate Mallock Mk21. “It’s been rebuilt over the last three years. I had the wrong diff in and my visor misted up too,” he said. Alongside was Malcolm Jackson, making his seasonal debut too.
Steve Chaplin’s Phantom shared row three with Ray Mallock. “My fastest was just not enough. I had brake problems too and the pedal went to the floor,” said Chaplin.
Ewan Bason was next up with the Myers Special. “I am still looking for some more time, but it’s going well,” he said. Mike Hickson had problems though, “the battery keeps going flat, I didn’t have time to stop though,” he explained. Gavin Childs decided to change the carbs on his Gryphon after qualifying, “it just wouldn’t run sweet so we are going back to the old ones,” he said.
Geoff Cogan made it an all Gryphon fifth row, while Robin Booth’s Mallock just headed Dave Facer class B Mallock. “I spun twice though at Goddards,” said Facer. Rob Beazer, Ian Mitchell, and Alan Davenport completed the class B runners, while Sam Lancaster’s class a Mallock and Bob Yarwood’s class C version completed the grid.
RACE
As Harper and Charteris charged into Redgate from the start, they both ran wide and Chaplin was able to snatch second. Mallock slotted into fourth and Jackson just had fifth after running side by side with Harrison through Goddards.
The lead trio pulled out an early gap and Chaplin tried a challenge into the Esses. Harrison and Jackson took their duel past Mallock and soon reeled in the lead group.
Charteris really started to push Chaplin and his defence finally faltered at the Esses on lap three. A lap later Harrison had third at the Esses and Jackson was poised to follow as Mallock started to lose touch. Chaplin claimed his lost place back into Melbourne, but Harrison came by again when they reached Goddards.
But it was all change at the front when Harper spun at McLeans and rejoined in fifth. He quickly retook Jackson but Charteris, Harrison and Chaplin were clear. A lap later Harper had an indentical spin which was just avoided by Jackson, only to recover and slam the wall on the exit of Goddards. “Something must have broken probably the diff,” Harper explained. “I nearly hit Peter when he spun the second time, then Ray got by when I stopped but I got him back at Melbourne,” Jackson explained.
Charteris’ attempts to build a lead came to nought as he was unable to shake off Harrison. “Once I got into my stride I really enjoyed it,” said Harrison. They were having a terrific wheel to wheel scrap until Harrison’s gearbox went bang exiting Goddards on the penultimate lap. “I messed up the start but knew John would give me a hard time,” said Charteris. With Chaplin pulling off with no brakes too, Jackson came home in second, from Mallock, while Childs just held onto fourth from the fast finishing Hickson. “I had to pull off the brakes had gone. It was vibrating, at first I thought it was the diff,” said Chaplin. “it was a good race at the end, I lost a bit at the start when Malcolm got sideways,” Hickson added.
Bason had lost out to Hickson in the closing laps but still retained sixth, well clear of Cogan’s spluttering Gryphon.
Booth and Lancaster were next home with Facer completing the top ten having dominated class B.
Harrison and Chaplin were still classified 11th and 12th, while Beazer, Yarwood, Mitchell and Davenport completed the finishers.
RESULT
1 Mark Charteris (Mallock Mk20B) 9 laps in 15m01.593s (89.84mph); 2 Malcolm Jackson (Mallock Mk20B) 15m15.388s; 3 Ray Mallock (Mallock Mk18); 4 Gavin Childs (Gryphon C73/75); 5 Mike Hickson (Mallock Mk20B); 6 Ewan Bason (Myers Special); 7 Geoff Cogan (Gryphon C73/75); 8 Robin Booth (Mallock Mk20B); 9 Sam Lancaster (Mallock Mk20); 10 Dave Facer (Mallock Mk18BW). Class A: 1 Charteris; 2 Jackson; 3 Mallock;4 Childs. Class B: 1 Facer; 2 Rob Beazer (Mallock Mk18); 3 Ian Mitchell (IM MKI); 4 Davenport. Class C: 1 Bob Yarwood 9Mallock MK8B) no other starters. Class D: no starters. Fastest lap: John Harrison (Mallock Mk21) 1m37.552s (92.25mph).
Issued by Peter Scherer for the Clubmans Register, March 25th, 2008. Contact 01332 362577/07802 853244 peter@scher.freeserve.co.uk