North West Centre Sports / Saloon Championship 2009
Supported by "Performance and economy chip tuning"

Round 4, Oulton Park, May 23rd, 2009

25 years of the championship of the championship were celebrated in fine style. Many former champions were present and they were greeted by over 40 cars, which necessitated two classes being run in a separate race. Fittingly it was current sponsor Ric Wood’s that took the victory spoils in his ex DTM Opel Astra. Robert Pritchard’s Caterham Vauxhall secured pole, but he was unable to race after a collision towards the end of the qualifying session. “I got my braking wrong into Knickerbrook, went across the grass and hit Matt Jones’ Mini. The chassis is bent and the front suspension broken,” he explained. Wood was 0.390s slower but was having trouble meeting the noise limits.

Race debutant Adam Morgan was next up in his Ginetta G50. “I am pleased with that, but I am here for signatures,” said the Historic rally regular. Ian Hall’s Darrian should have been alongside, but was another qualifying victim. “It’s a major engine problem and losing a lot of oil,” he said. Paul Sheard brought his Ginetta G50 out for the first time in the championship to head row three, with defending champion Paul Dobson’s Mazda RX7 alongside. “I had a big moment at Knickerbrook when I was bedding in the clutch. I used too much kerb and it even made the marshals run,” he reckoned.

Peter Davies was more than happy to be seventh best in his Caterham R400. “It’s my first time out without a problem since the new engine, but my clutch cable snapped after qualifying,” he said. Darren Smith’s TVR Tuscan was fractionally slower, “I decided not to use my new tyres, but reckon I should have,” he said. After a lengthy absence former XR2 Champion Richard Casey was back with his Mini, having replaced the supercharger with a turbo and built a new six speed gearbox. “I damaged the front and steering though hitting Bob Claxton’s Renault,” he said.

Patrick Smyth was another returnee, surprising even himself with his Lotus Elan’s reliability. Dennis Crompton’s BMW M3 was also on song and completed the fifth row. “It’s beautiful now,” he said. Having only started circuit racing last season Cam Forbes continues to get quicker in his Westfield SEiW. “The only thing not working properly was my in car camera,” he said. The first of the Vauxhall Vectra’s was alongside with Simon Parker at the wheel, but Andy Robey’s BMW M3 managed head Parker’s rivals David Rawlins and Derek Kelly-Cooper. “We are still developing the car but it’s getting better every time,” said Robey.

Another former sponsor and returnee Richard Winter was alongside Kelly-Cooper with his Banks Europa 62 GTR. “It’s 18 months since my last race, the car is like an old pair of slippers, but the clutch is slipping,” he explained.

Duncan Aukland’s trusty Rover 3500SE headed the next row from David Hinde’s Vectra. “I tweaked the geometry a bit and went the wrong way,” said Aukland. Having debuted now BMW powered Capri at Cadwell, Colin Vickers headed row six, from Mike Hurst’s Vectra. Peter Wann was delighted and surprised to have his Westfield just behind. Richard Billingham’s Mini was out for the first time this season, while James Aukland’s Capri made its first appearance since Croft last season, heading Tom Andrew’s Seat on row seven. Ralph Underwood’s TR7 V8 was finished on the eve of the meeting, while the grid was completed by Tony Glover’s Nissan 200SX, Dave Maries’ Westfield Sei, Brian Allen’s XR2i, Bob Claxton’s Renault 21 Turbo and Matt Jones’ Mini. Nicholas Bartlett’s Lancia Delta Integrale started from the back after his qualifying was cut short with a red flag, after he went off at Old Hall after two laps. “It was my first race meeting, first time on slicks and I just skated off. I am glad the damaged wasn’t too bad as I drove it here on the road,” he said.

GRID

Wood Pritchard+

I.Hall Morgan

Dobson Sheard

Smith Davies

Chalmers Casey

Crompton Smyth

Parker Forbes

Rawlins Robey

Winter Kelly-Cooper

Hinde D.Aukland

Hurst Vickers

Billingham. Wann

Andrew J.Aukland

Glover Underwood

Allen D.Maries

Jones Claxton

Bartlett

With Pritchard and Hall both absent, Winter elected to start from the pitlane and Wood from the back of the grid, which effectively left Morgan on pole for his race debut. As the lights went out though Morgan sat almost stationery as his wheels spun, leaving him fifth into Old Hall, behind Dobson, Sheard, Davies and Chalmers. Smith soon picked off Chalmers and took Morgan too into Old Hall on the second lap. Davies briefly held third into Knickerbrook, but outbraked himself, while at the front Sheard had started to edge closer to Dobson’s lead. By the end of lap three the lead had reduced substantially, while Smith was flying in third, having shaken off both Morgan and the dueling Caterham’s of Davies and Chalmers. But Wood lay in wait having charged from the back row of the grid into ninth, only to pick off Chalmers, Forbes and Crompton on the next lap.

Morgan came back to challenge Smith again for third, but Wood’s progress was unrelenting, taking Davies and Morgan on consecutive laps. Sheard snatched the lead on lap six, but rather than focusing his challenge to retake the lead, Dobson found Wood’s Astra looming ever larger in his mirrors, as the top five shot past the pits line astern. Wood made his decisive move into Knickerbrook on lap seven and eased his way to a comfortable victory.

As Sheard consolidated second, Dobson was absorbed into a battle with Morgan and Smith for third. But on lap 10 Dobson ran out of brakes. “Into Knickerbrook it was pedal to the floor, then it came back before there was nothing at Druids. Darren and I touched and we both went off,” he explained. “Yes new tyres would have been prudent, but it didn’t matter when I had a little off at Knickerbrook before joining Paul in the gravel at Druids,” Smith replied. Morgan was set for third until he spun too, “I lost it at Island,” he said.

Davies finally shook off Chalmers to clinch third and class victory, before Morgan recovered in fifth. “A podium at last after far too long. I had a great race with Rob but I had the edge this time,” said Davies. “I had a misfire that kept clearing. Then I got ahead of Peter and it went flat again,” Chalmers replied. Forbes had an untroubled run to sixth place, despite having Crompton shadowing him for much of the race. “Brilliant, but that little sports car was just too quick up the hills,” said Crompton. “It must have been good, I feel battered but the car is fine. I could see Peter and Rob ahead but just couldn’t catch them,” added Forbes. Smyth caught them both after only five laps, but failed to make any further progress. “I watched them battling but it was a bit too close to get involved after two years without starting a race, but I had brakes too this time,” he said.

Casey pitted from eighth after 11 laps leaving Parker and Robey to complete the top ten, having swapped places on lap nine when Robey spun. “It was Druids I had a full 360, but chased Duncan’s Rover once I got moving again. Aukland succumbed within a lap, but still held onto 11th and was the last unlapped runner. The Vectras of Rawlins, Hinde and Kelly-Cooper were next home, with Winter surviving in 15th. “The clutch was still a problem, every time the throttle wouldn’t respond, but I enjoyed it,” he said. With Capri’s the Vickers and James Aukland both retiring before the end, Andrew, Billingham, Hurst, Wann and Underwood rounded off the top 20, while Claxton, Glover, Maries, Jones, Allen and Bartlett also made it to the flag.

RESULTS

1 Ric Wood (Opel Astra) 14 laps in 21m32.545s (86.79mph); 2 Paul Sheard (Ginetta G50) 21m41.870s; 3 Peter Davies (Caterham R400); 4 Robert Chalmers (Caterham R400); 5 Adam Morgan (Ginetta G50); 6 Cam Forbes (Westfield SEi); 7 Dennis Crompton (BMW M3 E30); 8 Patrick Smyth (Lotus Elan); 9 Simon Parker (Vauxhall Vectra); 10 Andy Robey (BMW M3).

Class A: 1 Wood; 2 Sheard; 3 Morgan; 4 Richard Winter (Banks Europa 62GTR) no other finishers. Class B: 1 Davies; 2 Chalmers; 3 Forbes (Westfield SEiW); 4 Smyth; 5 Richard Billingham (Mini Clubman); 6 Peter Wann (Westfield Sei); 7 Dave Maries (Westfield Sei); 8 Lee Jones (Mini). Class D: 1 Parker; 2 Robey; 3 Duncan Aukland (Rover 3500SE); 4 David Rawlins (Vauxhall Vectra); 5 David Hinde (Vauxhall Vectra); 6 Tom Andrew (Seat Leon Cupra); 7 Ralph Underwood (Triumph TR7 V8); 8 Bob Claxton (Renault 21 Turbo); 9 Tony Glover (Nissan 200SX); 10 Nicholas Bartlett (Lancia Delta Integrale). Class E: 1 Crompton; 2 Derek Kelly-Cooper (Vauxhall Vectra); 3 Mike Hurst (Vauxhall Vectra); 4 Brian Allen (Ford Fiesta XR2i).Fastest lap: Wood 1m29.293s (89.74mph).

Classes C& F joined in with the Max 5 racers for their race. Chris Maries’ MK Indy took pole from Robert Spencer’s Locosaki, with Chris Allanson’s Z Cars Mini and Danny Keenan’s MK Indy on the second row.

The Caterham’s of Robbie Birrell and Matthew Gillbanks shared row three, leaving Phil Hall’s Banks Europa , Howard Hunt’s Mazda MX5, Anthony Hayes’ Mini and Matthew Spencer’s Peugeot 205 Gti to complete the line up. Allanson built a big lead on the opening lap of the race, after Maries hit Spencer hard in the rear and put himself out of the race. Spencer recovered in second and hauled in Allanson before taking the lead on lap six. Allanson kept the pressure on but finally fell back to settle in second. “Robert got me when I put two wheels on the grass at Clay Hill, then my tyres went off. Keenan was a solitary third until the closing laps. “I had to back off as it had a flat spot,” he explained. Birrell pipped him on the last lap, with Gillbanks taking fifth and Hall sixth, despite doing most of the race in sixth gear. Hayes, Hunt and Matthew Spencer made it to the flag too.

RESULTS

1 Robert Spencer (Stuart Taylor Locosaki) 14 laps in 21m59.065s (85.05mph); 2 Chris Allanson (Z Cars Mini) 22m01.345s; 3 Robbie Birrell (Caterham 7); 4 Danny Keenan (MK Indy); 5 Matthew Gillbanks (Caterham 7); 6 Phil Hall (Banks Europa); 7 Anthony Hayes (Mini); 8 Howard Hunt (Mazda MX5); 9 Matthew Spencer (Peugeot 205 Gti); no other finishers. Class C: 1 R.Spencer; 2 Allanson; 3 Birrell; 4 Keenan; 5 Gillbanks. Class F: 1 Hall; 2 Hayes; 3 Hunt; 4 M.Spencer. Fastest lap: Allanson 1m32.989s (86.17mph).

Issued by Peter Scherer for BARC (NW) May 26th, 2009.