Commentary Part 2

[geofff]

Race

Well the program was running 10 minutes early so all the cars went out for the green flag lap at 12:15. It had dried out even more from the morning and hopefully some rubber had been laid down by the morning qualifying sessions.

I’ve decided to spectate from the esses after the back straight rather than Russels onto the front straight.

Every one completed the green flag lap and lined up on the grid. Didier got a good start and moved across to block any possible move up the inside by Nick Flowers. Somewhere between Riches and the Esses Nick gets past Didier (slipstreaming?) but it doesn’t last for long as Didier retakes the lead before the end of the first lap.

The big moment for Seamus comes as he exits Corum with a blown engine on Lap 1. He’s left a huge trail of oil (not that he could have done anything else) on the line. I cannot see if the marshals are waving the yellow / red flag but have the leaders seen it as they come round for lap2?    

On lap 2 Quentin Laithwaite has already got up to P5 and is closing on his next victim but Andy Mowbray spins and parks his car backwards in the middle of Russel bend. As the cars fly past onto lap 3 a red flag is shown. Andy’s car is placed dangerously and there is no safety car in Westfield racing!

Lap 3 sees the cars take heed of the red flag and move to reform on the grid. Unfortunately for Quentin Laithwaite, who got up to P4, goes back to his original grid position P8. After a lot of coughing and spluttering Andy Mowbray restarts his car and jumps back to the P3 grid slot.

The clerk of the course announces a new race of 20 minute duration with a new green flag lap after Seamus’ car has been cleared from the grass on the exit of Corum. I spotted a black car going slowly on lap 2 exiting the esses I wonder who it was and would they make the re-start?  Or was it just a missed gear?   The marshals have heavily dusted the oil deposits left by Seamus’ engine but it will still be slippy. I decide to change my spectating position back to my qualifying spot at Russels. Will Andy Mowbray’s car have enough fuel?

On the restart Didier moves across to cover Nick Flowers but it’s Andy Mowbray who get the demon starts and looks for a gap. He can’t find it and had to brake losing his momentum then he settles in behind the two lead cars.

The start of lap 2 sees a train of Didier Prongue / Nick Flowers/ Andy Mowbray / Peter Chattin / Troy robinson and Quentin Laithwaite in P6. Further down the field fights are already breaking out between Matthew Flowers / Marting Gartside and a three way fight Richard Hardy-Bishop/Jonathan Hawkins/ Paul Taberner.

Lap3: Quentin Laithwaite puts in the fastest lap of the race so far with a 80.7 then takes Troy Robinson to move up to P5.

Lap4: Didier Prongue puts in an 80.4 (close to his qualifying time) and start to edge a lead out on Nick Flowers. Quentin Laithwaite is getting really close to Peter Chattin and gets really close through Russel’s riding those kerbs. There’s no way past though!

Lap 5: Didier & Nick Flowers continues to pull away. A different winner in the Westfield championship again? Third to sixth are nose to tail, slowing each other up a bit and letting the leaders get away, Troy Robinson lines Andy Mowbray up for a big go at Russels but in the end has to back out and looses exit speed away from the corner. Further down the field the three way fight is now between Richard Hardy-Bishop / Paul Taberner / Thomas Robinson. Where has Jonathan Hawkins gone? Am I fast enough scribbling my commentary?    

Lap6: Nick Flowers bangs in a 80.3 but closes only by hundredths on Didier Prongue. Quentin Laithwaite has got past Peter Chattin on the back straight and moves into P3! Will he be able to get away from the pack and close on the two leaders?

Lap 7: I did miss Jonathan Hawkins. He has got ahead of the three way fight and is moving forward. The leaders are spacing out. A four way battle has started between Matthew Flowers / Jon Chappell / Derek Brooks / Martin Gartside. Paul Taberner has a look inside Richard Hardy Bishop at Russel’s but decides against it. Thomas Robinson watches the pair of them. Hoping to pick up the pieces maybe?  

Lap8: Andy Mowbray and Peter Chattin are pushing each other along. Troy Robinson is trying different lines into Russel’s but he has a lot of wheel spin on the exit. The fighting continues further down the field.

Lap 9:  Nick Flowers does the fastest lap of the race so far, will he close on Didier Prongue? Andy Mowbray passes Peter Chattin. The fights further down the field start to space out. Is the adrenalin waring thin? Are drivers starting to tire with the long race?

Lap10: Peter Chattin retakes P4 from Andy Mowbray. Nick Flowers has really closed up on Didier Prongue. Has Didier made a mistake or did Nick use the tow down the back straight? Nick hasn’t won a race but has finished second several times this year. Will this be the one? His last lap was a 79.3! and the gap is down to a second.

Lap11: Andy Mowbray defends hard against Peter Chattin througn Russel’s. Troy Robinson is having a lonely race in P6 after falling back from the Chattin/Mowbray fight. Brian Small is another who’s having a race on his own in P7. He’s still trying though and hammers over the kerbs through Russell’s. Richard Hardy Bishop seems to have pulled ahead of Thomas Robinson and Paul Taberner. Paul gets past Thomas exiting Russel’s as he misses a gear by the sound of it. Martin Gartside and Jonathan Hawkins seem to have found each other and start to play.

Lap12: Nick Flowers takes the lead. Peter Chattin takes Andy Mowbray, these guys just don’t give up! Troy is a bit rough through Russels but he keeps going.

Lap13: Didier takes back the lead from Nick Flowers, they’re really close through Riches.Are they slowing each other up? Quentin Laithwaite still dogs the pair of them a distant third. Andy Mowbray takes Peter Chattin at Russel’s. Derek Brooks locks up BIG time all on his own into Russel’s and has to take to the grass but makes it back to tarmac losing a few seconds.

Lap14 /15. It’s been so action packed I wonder if I’ve lost count of the laps. Or my scribbles are hardly legible. Didier seems to have got some breathing space on Nick Flowers a last lap dive isn’t going to happen unless Didier makes a mistake.

But it doesn’t happen. Didier keeps his cool and brings it home with a large gap of 7/100’s of a second ahead of Nick Flowers. Quentin Laithwaite comes in an easy third then Andy Mowbray chases Peter Chattin across the line only a tenth separating them. Troy Robinson and Brian Small come in lonely 6th and 7th places followed by Jon Chappell rounding out the first half of the field less than a second ahead of Matthew Flowers. All the way down the field fights have broken out, ended & restarted through out the race. I’m knackered just writing about it!

For complete times / positions visit http://www.msttiming.com.

Scrutineering

Of course these positions were pre-scrutineering which included weights and ride heights as normal. Plus this event saw John Wasilewski request removal of carbs and inspection of cylinder heads for any gas flow work which is against the formulae regs.

I’ve just rechecked the www.msttiming.com site and see Troy and Peter were disqualified under section O.3.1.2. Now Troy was in Didier’s car but Peter was in his own. Anyone? Any ideas?  

Comments & conclusions?

The championship standings can be viewed at http://www.barc.net/

If you want to get out and support the race series the remaining race is on the 25th September at Mallory Park. I’ll be there - with car this time!

I must apologize in advance for any errors or omissions – they are all down to me and no one else. Please feel free to email me with anything I’ve missed and I’ll amend accordingly.

Photo’s are coming!!!!!!

If anyone would like to replace me as race reporter for Mallory please take two steps forward    I have a feeling I may be a bit busy at my first Westfield race I can highly recommend the job though. I have always tended (previously) to concentrate 100% on the car / race / my spanner team rather than talking to other competitors. It is surprising how nice a bunch they are. They all experience similar problems, set backs and victories and are happy to talk to you about them. I can now understand how people become passionate about a sport without competing in it.

[simon4007]

Hi Geoff,

My understanding after talking with Seamus Harding is that Troy and Peter were both excluded from the results for having polished ports.

Seamus seemed pretty certain of this after talking with Didier, I'm only reporting it as I know it....

Cheers

Simon

[Scottie]

Hi Simon

I feel I need to clarify that Troy was not driving his own car and was using a car which was lent to him for the race.

It is very dfifficult to make sure that a car that you borrow complies fully with the regulations unless you take the engine apart when you use it, may be this will have an effect on peolpe using other cars and stop potential guest drivers in the future.

Let me know your thoughts.

Scott

[simon4007]

Hi Scott,

Totally understand the situation and full appreciate that Troy had Didier’s car whilst you handed yours back to Jonathan. I raced with Jonathan at Cadwell, he's a nice guy and a quick driver - it was a real shame that the throttle cable snapped in quali.

I of course know the origins of Didier’s engine too, and as I bought Stewart Linn’s other car.... I really will be paying close attention to my ports before I go out next time! It's not something I have ever checked (just taken for granted). (As you do)

I hope it doesn't stop guest drivers wanting to join in, I think with the somewhat precarious state of the championship we should welcome all. I'm very pleased that there seems to be renewed interest in the series with 3 new drivers joining in the last 3 races, but there still away to go before we have a full field the likes have been seen in past seasons.

Hope to see you back next year maybe  

All the best

Simon