North West Centre Sports / Saloon Championship 2007
Supported by Ace Vehicle Deliveries / Hillside of Heywood

Round four, Oulton Park, June 16th, 2007

Alastair Chalmers took his Caterham to his first overall victory, after the Nissan Primera of round three winner Mark Taylor, made a dreadful start from pole.

A huge 24 car entry set out in qualifying, but it was Taylor who took pole by 1.540secs. Former XR2 Champion Richard Casey was back after an 18 month lay off, during which time he built his immaculate Mini Cooper S. “It was my first time out with it, it’s a standard engine 250bhp and apart from a couple of nuts and bolts, I had no problems,” he said after finishing second quickest.

Chris Maries was happy with his Z Cars Mini Monte Carlo in third, “it’s going Ok but the 20 year old wets were not so good, they never even got warm,” he said. Alongside Maries was Chalmers Caterham, out for the second time in the championship this season. “It was a bit greasy and tentative on new wets, but happy with fourth,” he said.

“It was my first time with the car on wets for 10 years, and it was pretty good,” said Pete Edwards, qualifying his Mini Clubman fifth. Chris Allanson was in a forecasting mood however, “a Z Car one two into the first corner I reckon.  Mine behaved but it was very slippery, a real result,” said the sixth placed Mini man.

Next up was Kevin Cryer’s Caterham, “uneventful and careful,” he reckoned. But alongside was Rob Gough, a Mod Saloon racer from 15 years back, who hadn’t been to Oulton for 20 years. “It was my first time in the car, but I had a slight off at Knickerbrook when I missed a gear,” said the third Z Cars Mini racer.

The mixed conditions played right into the hands of Bob Claxton too, with his Renault 21 Turbo heading row five. Alongside was seasoned campaigner Adam Egar, his first time out in the Ginetta he owns, but is normally raced by former Ginetta Champion Matt Nicholl-Jones, who spent the day spannering.

Preparing for his first ever car race by qualifying 11th was Robert Chalmers, in father Alastair’s spare Caterham. His previous motorsport experience was the in Ford Ka Rally Challenge. Former Championship leader Graham Taylor completed row six in his Westfield, “it’s OK so far and I’m on the grid,” he said after considering his character building year.

Nick Pakes was the best of the Banks Europa’s in 13th, “it felt too slow to spin,” he reckoned, after recounting his familiar qualifying antics. Former rallyman Geoff Davies was “just happy to be there,” in his Mini Clubman.

Down in 15th was Darren Smith with his ex title winning TVR Tuscan, “I just had no grip on intermediates, it was like driving on marbles,” he explained. Richard Winter’s Banks Europa 62GTR was also down in an unfamiliar 16th, “it was too noisy and I had a front hub problem, so it felt like the front wheel was coming off,” he said. Right behind Winter was another 62GTR, a one off outing for Nigel Farmer before he takes it home to Hong Kong. A Blown engine in testing however, meant a 2 litre Astra engine was sourced from the breakers yard.

Alan Collinson’s had the edge over the TR7 V8 of regular rival Ralph Underwood, while completing the top 20 was Richard Billingham’s Mini Clubman. “It had an oil leak from the crank seal,” he said.

Mark Primett only managed four laps in his Banks Europa,” it was misfiring after it got a soaking in the paddock overnight,” he explained.

Ginetta racer Lee Birkett hired Ben Demetriou’s spare Porsche 911SC for a one off at his local circuit and Paul Hardman’s Mini returned after a lengthy absence. Steven Willetts Mini completed the line up, limited to two laps when a balljoint broke on his Mini and shed a wheel.

GRID

*M.TAYLOR      EDWARDS      CLAXTON            PAKES      FARMER              PRIMETT

           MARIES                 CRYER       R.CHALMERS     SMITH        UNDERWOOD   HARDMAN

   CASEY              ALLANSON     EGAR                   DAVIES     COLLINSON       BIRKETT

             A.CHALMERS       GOUGH     G.TAYLOR           WINTER     BILINGHAM     WILLETTS

The track was dry and the threat of rain had almost gone as the huge grid lined up. As the lights went out poleman Taylor made an even worse start than on his previous visit. “I had seen that my position was damp, so tried to line up further over, until the marshal put me back. I knew it would be a nightmare start,” he said.

It was Chalmers Snr that made the best getaway, heading the Mini’s of Maries, Allanson and Casey, with Cryer in fifth from Taylor’s Nissan. Taylor was into third by Knickerbrook and straight onto Maries tail.

By the end of the second lap the top three were already clear, while Chalmers Jnr closed on Casey and Cryer in the battle for fourth.

Allanson found his horsepower lacking and slipped to eighth behind Winter, with Smith up to ninth as Gough held off Pakes for 10th. Taylor made it past Maries for second into Island but overshot and had to do it all over again over Hilltop.

As Casey started to consolidate his hold on fourth, Chalmers Jnr was all over Cryer and Pakes who started to reel in Gough.

By the end of lap four Chalmers Snr had a commanding lead, as Maries still hung onto Taylor. As well as pressing Cryer, Chalmers Jnr had Winter challenging. Allanson’s race became somewhat solitary in eighth. Smith was also solo in ninth, but Gough had respite from Pakes as Graham Taylor and Primett closed on him.

By lap five Maries started to lose ground in his quest for second, but Taylor was making no impression on Chalmers lead. But Chalmers Jnr continued his progress as both he and Winter demoted Cryer into Old Hall and Casey was the next to fall to the debutant, but he fought back initially before accepting defeat.

Chalmers not only retained his lead over the remaining laps, but increased it to over 20secs at the flag.” Brilliant start, but it was hard to build a lead early on. I kept going until I realized he wasn’t there any more and backed off,” he said. “The Caterham just went,” replied second placed Taylor.

Maries retained a clear third, “it finished. Alastair got away at Old Hall on the first lap as I did, but he just drove away from me. I knew the Nissan would get me,” said he said.

Rob Chalmers made it a double family celebration with fourth, “a nervous start and fraught for me. I bided my time and worked myself through. It was perfect,” he explained.

Winter made it past Casey for fifth on lap eight, but was heading pitwards a lap later. “I was having too much fun and either the gearbox or driveshaft went,” he explained. Casey therefore regained the place, “it was frustrating, I was all over them in the corners and they drove away on the straights. It handled well though,” he said.

After a tankslapper exiting Old Hall on the seventh lap, Cryer settled down and took sixth, “I don’t know why I went so tight into Old Hall on that lap, I was sure it was going,” he reckoned.

Allanson settled in seventh, “a good race, but I got swamped into Island on the first lap, I was too much of a gent,” he said. Smith’s solitary race netted him eighth, “it was a lot better than qualifying and I didn’t blow it up or crash it,” he concluded.

Gough managed to hold onto ninth despite losing his brakes. “They went very early on, it was just a case of holding in there,” he said.

Having circulated most of the race in Graham Taylor’s wheeltracks, Primett finally made 10th from lap 11. “It wouldn’t rev above 7000 and he’s normally around 10, 500,” said team boss Winter. Pakes was next home, “I had a misfire which we cured during qualifying, only it for it to return in the race,” he explained.

Collinson made it past Egar mid race and claimed 12th, Birkett was 14th and Graham Taylor slipped to 15th in the closing laps. “It started to overheat so I backed off,” said Taylor.Claxton, Underwood, Hardman and Davies completed the finishers. Farmer retired with a sick engine, Billingham switched off after an early engine rattle and Edwards had a CVJ explode on the second lap.

RESULT

1 Alastair Chalmers (Caterham R400) 14 laps in 21m55.575s (86.581mph);
2 Mark Taylor (Nissan Primera) 22m18.137s;
3 Chris Maries (Z Cars Mini Monte Carlo);
4 Robert Chalmers (Caterham R400);
5 Richard Casey (Mini Cooper S);
6 Kevin Cryer (Caterham Seven);
7 Chris Allanson (Z Cars Mini V Tec);
8 Darren Smith (TVR Tuscan);
9 Rob Gough (Z Cars Mini);
10 Mark Primett (Banks Europa);
11 Nick Pakes (Banks Europa);
12 Alan Collinson (Rover Vitesse);
13 Adam Egar (Ginetta);
14 Lee Birkett (Porsche 911SC);
15 Graham Taylor Westfield SEi);
16 Bob Claxton (Renault 21 Turbo);
17  Ralph Underwood (Triumph TR7 V8);
18 Paul Hardman (Mini);
19 Geoff Davies (Mini Clubman).

Class A: 1 Smith; no other finishers.
Class B: 1 A.Chalmers; 2 M.Taylor; 3 R.Chalmers; 4 Cryer; 5 Egar; 6 G.Taylor; 7 Davies.
Class C: 1 Maries; 2 Allanson; 3 Gough; no other starters.
Class D: 1 Casey; 2 Collinson; 3 Birkett; 4 Claxton; 5 Underwood; no other starters.
Class E: 1 Primett; 2 Pakes; no other starters.
Class F: 1 Hardman; no other starters.  

Fastest lap: A.Chalmers 1m32.192s (88.250mph).