Castle Combe 2nd May 2005

Qualification:

Results:

Race Report

Castle Combe Monday 2nd May 2005

Conditions: Mainly dry, occasional showers.

Qualifying:  This was the first session for a long while for most drivers, and the first overall for a number of new Midget racers who received a warm welcome from everyone in the paddock. 

A returning Peter Tipper blew his engine after 9 laps, and took no further part.  Andrew Actman failed to get even that far – racing earlier in the weekend at Thruxton saw to his engine. 

The most bizarre incident befell an unfortunate Ed Reeve.  A gearbox problem in his blue A-class resulted in him pulling over on track.  It was as he was towed in that the car overturned.  Luckily, he has his helmet and seatbelt on which saved him from serious injury (unlike the car), and was able to use his white car to join the race, albeit from the back of the grid.

Race: 15 minutes

Tension rises though the grid as the drivers wait with anticipation for the lights to change.  It’s too much for one or two drivers, as the cars of Bernie Baxter and to a lesser degree others inch forward a little prematurely.

Mart Turner makes a great start, but it’s Richard Perry who storms off in to the lead.  Tim Storrar gets along side and takes the lead as they approach Quarry for the first time, as William Smallridge goes up into second.  Everyone makes it through safely.  Around the back of the circuit Perry gets back up to the front again but a wing mirror full of Tim Storrar puts him off, and he misses the chicane at Bobbies.  He rejoins in 5^th place on the straight down to Camp Corner, hotly pursued now by Turner and Peter May.

At the end of the first lap of the season the order is:

Tim Storrar, William Smallridge, Gil Duffy, Paul Hutchens, Richard Perry, Mark Turner, Peter May, Peter Blanchett, Bernie Baxter, Adrian Moore, Ed Reeve, Dominic Mooney, David Pymm, Peter Collinson, John Collinson, Richard Crane, and Ian Woodbridge.

Towards the end of the second lap, Perry is up into fourth and the fight for third place is very close as he overtakes Smallridge???

Peter May is struggling to pass Turner.  Up Avon Rise May is on the inside, they race side by side, but Turner holds position into Quarry. 

As they complete lap two, Pymm has taken the Class C lead from Mooney, with full race order as:

Storrar, Duffy, Perry, Smallridge, Hutchens, Turner, May, Reeve, Blanchett, Moore, Baxter, Pymm, Mooney, Collinson, Collinson, Crane and Woodbridge.

During the third lap. Duffy succumbs to Perry as the early leader recovers second place, being chased by Smallridge and Hutchens.  Bernie Baxter, meanwhile, picks up a ten-second penalty for his over-enthusiastic get away.

May overcomes Turner to move up to sixth place overall. 1.17.947 is the fastest lap of the race so far, by Tim Storrar.

Meanwhile, the Class C battle between Pymm and Mooney is hotting up further.  Pymm is still ahead, but being chased hard into Camp Corner.  Mooney desperately looks for a way round Pymm as they head over Avon Rise, but he has no joy this time.

The number 41 car of John Collinson failed to cross the line to complete lap 3.

Paul Hutchens in his A-Class car closes the gap to the leading B of Smallridge. 

As they field come down towards Camp Corner once more, Mooney has the Class-C lead over David Pymm.  Pymm, though, is hanging on to Mooney’s rear bumper, and won’t be shaken off.

Back at the front, Storrar has the race very much under control.  He now has his headlights on as he laps some of the competitors at the other end of the field.  Richard Crane obligingly moves aside to let Storrar through cleanly.

Perry still has a deficit of 4.4 seconds to make up if he is going to get his lead back from Storrar, but he is slowly making progress.

Turner’s B-Class twitches as he rounds Camp Corner, suffering from less grip than the A-Class cars enjoy.

The top 6 remain in the same order of Storrar, Perry, Duffy, Smallridge, Hutchens and May with 8 minutes left to race.

It’s all action further back. In the C battle Pymm has re-overtaken Mooney for the class lead.

The leaders have long gone, but behind them a trio of cars are fighting for position now.  Smallridge, Hutchens and May, with May closing right up now, just 0.18 seconds behind Hutchens as they cross the line.

Storrar has just done a lap on 1.19.472, 1.5 seconds slower than earlier in the race.  Will this give Perry the chance he needs?

Next lap, and Mooney really tries it on with Pymm in Camp Corner, but again to no avail. 

Another lap down, and Perry has closed the gap to 3.3 seconds.  May is still right on Hutchens exhaust pipe, and he tries to pass him down the start-finish straight. The gap is just 0.079 seconds.  He makes the move stick as they race up Avon Rise.

So, at the end of that lap the order ran as:

Storrar, Perry, Duffy, Smallridge, Hutchens, May, Reeve, Turner, Blanchett, Moore, Baxter, Pymm, Mooney, Collinson (Peter), Crane, Woodbridge.

Next time around, May makes a lunge for Smallridge, but its unsuccessful initially, until May makes it stick at Quarry.

Storrar’s lap time is back up to 1.17.349, but Perry’s challenge seems to have got a bit sticky trying to pass traffic.  Three minutes remain on the timer. May has pulled out 0.6 seconds ahead of the Class B leader Smallridge, while in Class C Pymm is extending his lead over Mooney.

Adrian Moore’s car has spun, disappeared, and backed into the barriers at the back of the circuit.

The May/Smallridge battle for fourth place carries on unabated.  Out of my sight, Smallridge has retaken the position from May, despite being in a different class car.  Hutchens is still in sixth, with Reeve, Turner and Blanchett behind.

The last lap board is shown.  

Tim Storrar completes his final tour in control of the race, with a flag to flag victory.  Perry, second, Duffy in third, and on the final lap May reclaims fourth spot from Smallrigde, who in turn comfortably wins his class.  Pymm successfully maintains his hold over Mooney to win Class C.

Midget Gems:

Peter Blanchett: It was lonely.  I made a good start and was up with Peter May and Mark, right up to the first corner.  But then Peter found his feet, so I thought I’d try to stay with Mark.  First couple of laps I was disconnected, and after that I was on my own.  I took Camp Corner in fourth every time, but I’m still not brave enough.

Peter Tipper: (On qualification).  Engine went bang big time.  I did nine laps, but the car was rubbish.  The driver wasn’t very good either!  So I went and had a glass of wine and it was ok!!

Gil Duffy: It was a good race.  I was not unhappy to be third. It’s just I was such a long way behind them.  I was understeering a bit.  The car felt fine, I was driving it ok – I just needed to go quicker, simple as that.  Fun.  First few laps were good.    

Mark Turner:  Lonely.  Had a bit of a scrap with Peter May.  All a bit twitchy in Camp, throwing it around.  Got to try and beat William – going to need a rocket!  But I’m quite pleased.

Ed Reeve:  Bit of overtaking going around.  Got a bit boring in the end.  I thought I might catch Peter but then he started going a bit quicker. 

Tim Storrar: Cracking race.  Richard got past me going down into Tower on the first lap.  I came out right on his tail, moved to the right.  He glanced in his wing mirror and missed his braking point.  That’s when he went straight on at the chicane.  Good way to start the season.

Richard Perry: That was stupid wasn’t it?  I’ve never ever done that.  I was walking it!  I thrashed the pants off this thing (car) – I’ve never driven it so hard. I was determined to pull it back but the gap to Tim was too much. 

John Collinson: It broke!  It stopped on me, I swore quite a lot, and got out the car.  It’ll be a few evenings in the garage before you see us again.

Peter Collinson: I bought the right car, definitely!  If he hadn’t have broken down he’d have probably been quicker than me, but I’ll take it – not a problem.   The car’s a bit old and tatty, but it does the job – his is sparkling new, but unreliable.

Ian Woodbridge: My first ever race – it was fantastic.  Had the time of my life. Thoroughly enjoyed it.  Came last, but came back with a car.  I had a wonderful time. 

William Smallridge:  First front row start in the Midgets.  I tried to hold on to the A-Classes as long as I could.  I kept not too far away for most of the race but it was a bit hard to keep up.  Bit on the cautious side as well – didn’t want to do anything silly and spin off.  Had a good little bit of fun with Peter May.  We’re just playing though!!  He missed a gear once and I got ahead.  He’s obviously not going full speed.  It was good fun.

Peter May:  It was ok.  Got better as the race progressed, as I got into it.  Both William and Paul Hutchens got by when I missed a gear, but I got them back eventually.   My car’s fine, it’s just the driver that’s rusty. 

David Pymm:  Brilliant race.  There’s nothing like a good old fight.  He’s a “green demon” [Dominic Mooney].  The new tyres transform the car – much more positive – fantastic.

Dominic Mooney:  It was very good.  Had a bit of a misfire, which made it hard work for me.  I went wide a few times. But David drove very well.  The new tyres area very good, much better than the old ones. 

Paul Hutchens:  Its good to be back.  Car feels good.  Had a ding dong with William, couldn’t get past the ******.  Got closer and closer, but couldn’t get past.  I had a really good time – it’s been a really good day.