Wellingborough Southern 32

Sunday 25 October 2009

WELLINGBOROUGH club web site

Race report by James Cleave

Thirteen racers came to this year’s Wellingborough S32 round, including Simon and Scott Francis the furthest travelled, from Bournemouth.  There were six drivers from the home club or seven counting James Cleave who is a fairly regular racer there, including two who are new to the series, Gavin Wills and Kevin Colman. As we’ll see, these two have developed their skills impressively in the Production classes since Wellingborough installed their ex-Tomacher track to complement their recently braided ‘hard body’ track.

Production

As usual, racing started with Production class.  Everyone got a run on all 6 lanes, with just the fastest one to count for qualifying order.  To make the marshalling load a bit easier, each heat had just 4 drivers.  Things were fairly slow until Ian Fisher did 35 laps in heat 4.  Ian F and Ian Barker both did 36 in heat 7, but they were later eclipsed by Stan Alton (37) and James Cleave (38).  These four drivers ran Super Production (Wasp) motors and coincidentally formed the A final.  Although the final was close with several changes of positions and just 2 laps covering the field, the finishing order matched the qualifying order, James, Stan, Ian B, Ian F.

The B final was effectively the Falcon Masters final for the day.  This author would have rated former National Finalist Adam Le Maitre or former Production national Champion David Farrow to win, but they both made too many mistakes and were solidly beaten by Gavin Wills who stayed in the slot as well as going fast. Gavin was only 3 laps slower than James’ winning pace in the A Final.  Kevin Colman also impressed in his run to second, with David F 3^rd and Adam 4^th.

Mick Kerr was pleading that his motor had ‘gone off’ even before the start of the C final and sure enough it wasn’t that good on the straights.  This gave us a good close race between Mick and Simon Francis.  Mick took the victory but by just 0.01 lap!  Les May took 3^rd and Scott Francis a rather subdued 4^th.  Sarah Holmes had been struggling with Adam’s No 2 car and elected not to make it a fivesome in this race.

The Novice Falcon final had all six of the eligible drivers.  In this one Kevin Colman was the fastest and steadiest, winning by 2 laps.  Closest finish of the day was the battle for 2^nd, which involved Simon Francis and Gavin Wills.  There’s a photo of the cars as they finished.  Impossible to split them one has actually travelled further in that lap section and is arguably millimetres ahead, the other is closer to the next section marker!  They were happy to call it a draw, with equal points to both.  4^th place went to Les May, beating Scott and Sarah again.

Production Results

Clubman Production Results

Le Mans 32 Team Race

David F and the Francis’s stepped down from this race, leaving 5 teams:

I squared; The usual pairing of Ian Barker and Ian Fisher.

LSCC; Again with their usual line up of Stan Alton and James Cleave.

Team AS;  The soon to be permanently teamed Adam and Sarah.

WestTec; Mick Kerr and Gavin Willis

Coulsdon; Les May with guest driver Kevin Colman.

The race got off to a close start with several lead changes in the first section.  Ian Barker drove an excellent section on the outside, black lane to lead much of it, but at the first lane change it was near level between Sarah for Team AS and Stan Alton for LSCC with Ian just 2 behind them.

I squared alternated their drivers throughout whilst Stan Alton drove the first three for LSCC and James the last three.  By halfway, I Squared had a scant 7 laps lead with the pace of James threatening.  As expected, LSCC took the lead and were 4 ahead at the 4^th lane change.  With James on the difficult black lane, Ian B then took 3 laps back so there was just under 1 lap between the leaders with one run left.  James then took some time settling to the fancied blue lane and Ian F retook the overall lead for a few minutes.  But with Ian’s tyres wearing out and James back on the pace it couldn’t last and James took LSCC to a 5 lap advantage by the end.

What of the others?  Team AS’s pace in the first section was revealed in the second section to be in part the result of rather small tyres when everyone started with tyres intended to go the full hour.  After a tyre change, AS were never quite as fast and needed a few more stops, finally retiring in the last section when the pinion came loose leaving them 4^th.  Westec had even worse luck (well really, lack of preparation!).  They ran well, within 20 laps of the overall lead until the last minute or two of section 4, when Mick Kerr discovered what happens if both the motor brushes wear out completely.  They retired and were placed 5^th.  The Coulsdon team ran with a Production car and although it wasn’t all that quick, it did have the essential reliability to do the hour without any real attention so they were a surprised and pleased 3^rd overall.

Le Mans 32 Results

Many thanks to the Wellingborough Club for their hospitality and their drivers’ good turnout.  Thanks also to Mick Kerr for Race Control ably supported by David Farrow and Sarah Holmes.  Come and join in at the next round, Haydon.

Ian Fisher, 

For another perspective on the meeting , see the race report by James Cleave

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