SIMMS AND MITCHELL SHARE FF1600 WINS

On a weekend of outstanding racing in the Cheshire sunshine, two breathtaking Historic Formula Ford 1600 races were exciting and unpredictable in equal measure. Sam Mitchell and Benn Simms were both surprised victors.

The opener was red-flagged after three cars were eliminated before the pack even reached Old Hall, including Ben Tusting and his father Robert. After the restart, an epic six-way contest developed and only in the last two laps did Callum Grant establish any sort of margin over a ferocious battle involving Rob Wainwright, Mitchell, Simms, Max Bartell and Benn Tilley.

However, it all changed at Knickerbrook on the final lap when Grant hit brake trouble and ran wide over the grass and Tilley flipped over after a clash of wheels with Simms in the general confusion. Through it all, Mitchell emerged to win from Wainwright and Bartell. “It was all chaotic,” said Mitchell, while Wainwright did well to tiger up the order from sixth to second.

The later race was almost as good as Mitchell, Wainwright and Grant made the early pace. However, Wainwright soon headed for the pits with a rear suspension issue and Mitchell spun away a slender lead. Grant took over, but his car slowed and he was bundled down the order as Simms came through to beat Bartell by a whisker. “That was hard work; but the luck was with me for once,” said Simms.

Sunday’s Historic Road Sports race was a corker as Kevin Kivlochan got his Morgan Plus 8 to the flag by a fifth of a second over the Lotus Elan of John Davison. The Elan eroded Kivlochan’s early advantage and they traded the lead until Davison spun when trying a bold outside line at Druids.

Kivlochan was left with a handy margin, but Davison fought back and so nearly caught the Morgan on the line. “I won that twice,” said Kivlochan. “I saw him spin and nearly lost my voice shouting. Then he was in the mirrors again.”

Mark Dwyer was the class of the Derek Bell Trophy field with two resounding wins in his Formula 2 March 742. Neil Glover gave chase in both races with the F5000 Chevron B37, but could not live with the nimble F2 car. Instead, Glover had to focus his mind on repelling the advances of Paul Campfield’s Chevron B24.

Peter Horsman was another double winner, this time from the HGPCA ranks with his Lotus 18/21. His success earned him the Historic Gold Cup, which was presented by Lotus Grand Prix mechanic Bob Dance.

Horsman romped clear in the first race, but it was much harder on Monday as a tardy start left Horsman to claw his way back up the order and he then diced with Rod Jolley’s Cooper T45/51 before easing away in the closing stages.

A bumper Historic Touring Car field was red-flagged at the first attempt when Simon Benoy’s Hillman Imp spun across the pack on the exit of Old Hall and took out the Lotus Cortina of Nigel Cox. In the re-run, Warren Briggs soon assumed control in his firebreathing Ford Mustang as John Avill lead the Lotus Cortina pack.

In the second race, Briggs was again unstoppable but this time young James Clarke raced very well to beat Avill for second after recovering from an incident-packed time in the first race.

Stewart Whyte bagged a Super Touring Trophy double with two pretty untroubled wins in his Honda Accord. John Cleland, racing his Vauxhall Vectra for the first time in nearly 12 months, blew the cobwebs away with a strong second in the opener but dropped out of contention on Monday with a lengthy pit-stop. Local ace Mark Jones ran third on Sunday but went one better to take second on Monday and give his Renault Laguna one of its best results to date in the series.

Although the total field would have nicely filled one grid, the Historic Formula Junior pack was split into two rather thin fields. Mark Woodhouse was the cream of the front-engined division in his Elva despite the best efforts of Mike Walker in the leading Bond.

Andrew Hibberd duly took both rear-engined races and was unopposed on Sunday when Benn Simms went out at the start with failed driveshaft bolts in the Merlyn Mk5/7 of John Sykes. Hibberd leant Simms the parts needed to get the Merlyn out on Monday and they ran close for much of the race until Hibberd edged away in the closing laps.

Andrew Park blasted the Historic FF2000 pack to win twice and clinch the title by making it nine wins from 11 rounds to date. Tom White pedalled his older Osella very well to take second in both races.

The final wins of the weekend went to John Murphy’s Crossle 22F ( Classic Racing Cars/classic FF2000) and Mark Charteris in Classic Clubmans.

1 Sam Mitchell (Merlyn Mk20); 2 Rob Wainwright (Elden Mk8) +1.356s; 3 Max Bartell (Merlyn Mk20); 4 Callum Grant (Merlyn Mk20); 5 Benn Simms (Jomo JMR7); 6 Will Nuthall (Jamun T2). FL Grant 1m51.941s (86.57mph). P Bartell. S 31. 1 Simms; 2 Bartell +0.434s; 3 James Buckton (Elden Mk8); 4 Mitchell; 5 Grant; 6 Nuthall. FL Grant 1m51.886s (86.61mph). P Mitchell. S 31.

1 Kevin Kivlochan (Morgan Plus 8); 2 John Davison (Lotus Elan) +0.196s; 3 Peter Shaw (Lotus Elan); 4 Frazer Gibney (Lotus Elan); 5 David Boland (Ginetta G4); 6 Mike Eagles (De Tomaso Mangusta). CW Davison; Malcolm Mitton (Lotus Elan); Dick Coffey (Turner Mk1); Christopher Reece (MGB); Alan Greenhalgh (Triumph TR6). FL Davison 1m59.404s (81.16mph). P Davison. S 24.

1 Mark Dwyer (March 742); 2 Neil Glover (Chevron B37) +41.993s; 3 Paul Campfield (Chevron B24); 4 Martyn Donn (Lola T670); 5 Michael Bletsoe-brown (Chevron B27); 6 Keith Norris (Chevron B49). CW Glover; Donn; Tim Kuchel (Brabham BT18); Adam Simmonds (Lola T142). FL Jamie Brashaw (March 73A) 1m36.762s (100.15mph). P Dwyer. S 16. 1 Dwyer; 2 Glover +15.612s; 3 Campfield; 4 Donn; 5 John Murphy (Crossle 22F); 6 Norris. CW Glover; Donn; Murphy; Simmonds. FL Dwyer 1m37.838s (99.05mph). P Dwyer. S 15.

1 Peter Horsman (Lotus 18/21); 2 Rod Jolley (Cooper T45/51) +13.565s; 3 Rudi Friedrichs (Cooper T53); 4 Ed Morris (Lotus 18); 5 Dan Collins (Lotus 21); 6 Andrew Smith (Cooper T43). CW Jolley; Morris; Smith; Sid Hoole (Cooper T41); Andrew Wareing (BRM P261). FL Horsman 1m54.814s (84.40mph). P Horsman. S 19.

1 Horsman; 2 Jolley +1.164s; 3 Collins; 4 Barry Cannell (Cooper T51); 5 Iain Rowley (Assegai); 6 Smith. CW Jolley; Collins; Smith; Wareing; Hoole. FL Horsman 1m54.741s (84.45mph). P Horsman. S 18.

1 Warren Briggs (Ford Mustang); 2 John Avill (Lotus Cortina) +10.718s; 3 Graham Pattle (Lotus Cortina); 4 Endaf Owens (Mini Cooper S); 5 Peter Hore (Lotus Cortina); 6 Greg Thornton (Ford Mustang). CW Hore; John Spiers (Lotus Cortina); Owens; Richard Belcher (Lotus Cortina); Roger Godfrey (Mini Cooper S); Adrian Oliver (Hillman Imp); Gary Warburton (Austin Mini). FL Briggs 2m02.286s (79.24mph). P Briggs. S 33. 1 Briggs; 2 James Clarke (Lotus Cortina) +6.337s; 3 Avill; 4 Pattle; 5 Hore; 6 Spiers. CW Clarke; Avill; Owens; Belcher; Godfrey; Oliver; Warburton. FL Briggs 2m04.340s (77.93mph). P Briggs. S 28.

Stewart Whyte (Honda Accord); 2 John Cleland (Vauxhall Vectra) +7.914s; 3 Mark Jones (Renault Laguna); 4 Phil Keen (Audi A4); 5 Paul Smith (BMW 320); 6 Dave Jarman (Nissan Primera). CW Keen; Rick Wood (Ford Capri); Tom Andrew (BMW M3). FL Whyte 1m49.078s (88.84mph). P Whyte. S 17. 1 Whyte; 2 Jones +5.332s; 3 Smith; 4 Jarman; 5 Jason Minshaw (Volvo S40); 6 Roger Lavender (Ford Mondeo). CW Wood; Darren Fielding (BMW 318); Andrew. FL Whyte 1m49.069s (88.85mph). P Whyte. S 17. Grimshaw (Moorland Mk1); 6 Phillips. CW Olissoff; Pearson. FL Walker 2m03.133s (78.70mph). P Woodhouse. S 11.

1 Andrew Hibberd (Lotus 22); 2 John Fyda (Brabham BT6) +34.766s; 3 Robin Longdon (Lola Mk3); 4 Jonathan Fyda (U2 Mk3); 5 Rudolf Ernst (Brabham BT2); 6 Peter Anstiss (Lotus 20/22). CW Chris Alford (Elva 200); Longdon; Malcolm Wishart (Cooper T65). FL Hibberd 1m53.736s (85.20mph). P Hibberd. S 17. 1 Hibberd; 2 Benn Simms (Merlyn Mk5/7) +13.093s; 3 John Fyda; 4 Jonathan Fyda; 5 Anstiss; 6 Ernst. CW Jonathan Fyda; Alford; Wishart; Greg Thruston (Lotus 20). FL Hibberd 1m53.279s (85.54mph). P Hibberd. S 17.

1 Andrew Park (Reynard SF81); 2 Thomas White (Osella FAF) +18.932s; 3 Graham Ridgway (Reynard SF78); 4 Brian Morris (Delta T80); 5 David Walton (Royale RP27); 6 Mick Whitehead (Reynard SF79). CW White. FL Park 1m46.197s (91.25mph). P Park. S 12. 1 Park; 2 White +25.671s; 3 Walton; 4 Andrew Storer (Reynard SF79); 5 Morris; 6 Dale Spruce (Reynard SF79). CW White. FL Park 1m46.421s (91.06mph). P Park. S 12.

1 John Murphy (Crossle 22F); 2 Julian Stokes (Tecno F2) +4.437s; 3 Andy Jarvis (Palliser WDB2); 4 Chris Lord (Van Diemen RF82); 5 Andrew Lancaster (Pilbeam MP52); 6 Steve Worrad (Palliser). CW Jarvis; Lord; Phil Nelson (Hawke DL2B). FL Murphy 1m45.776s (91.61mph). P Murphy. S 15.

1 Mark Charteris (Mallock Mk20/21); 2 Spencer Mccarthy (Mallock MK20B) +38.302s; 3 Mike Evans (Mallock Mk20/21); 4 Alan Cook (Mallock Mk20); 5 David Wale (Mallock MK20B/21); 6 Barry Webb (Mallock MK16BW). CW Webb; Roger Waite (Royale S2000M). FL Charteris 1m39.603s (97.27mph). P Charteris. S 16.

1 James Dean (Lotus Europa); 2 Russell Paterson (Morgan Plus 8) +1.188s; 3 Charles Barter (Datsun 240Z); 4 Julian Barter (Lotus Europa); 5 Mark Leverett (Lotus Elan); 6 Steve Cooke (Lotus 7 S4). CW Paterson; Charles Barter; Neil Brown (Lotus Eclat); David Tomkinson (Triumph Spitfire). FL Dean 2m01.488s (79.76mph). P Charles Barter. S 22.

1 Julian Thomas/ Calum Lockie (E-type); 2 Alistair Dyson (E-type) +1m01.896s; 3 Jamie Boot (E-type); 4 Martin Melling (E-type); 5 Paul Castaldini (E-type); 6 Pete Foster/tim Mogridge (E-type). Class winners John Burton (E-type); Roger Cope (Mk1); Andrew Moore (XK150); Chris Scholey/ Nick Finburgh (XK120). FL Dyson 1m58.627s (81.69mph). P Thomas/ Lockie. S 19.

1 Mike Gardiner/ Dan Cox (TVR Griffith); 2 Mike Whitaker (TVR Griffith) +3.506s; 3 John Spiers (TVR Griffith); 4 Alistair Dyson (Jaguar E-type); 5 Robert Farrell/ Dave Coyne (Jaguar E-type); 6 Peter Shaw/julian Barter (Lotus Elan). CW Dyson; Shaw/ Barter; Martin Richardson (MGB). FL Whitaker 1m55.079s (84.21mph). P Gardiner/ Cox. S 19.

both. Two production class wins for the Hungarian Tamas Vizin (Elise) maintained his unbeaten record at the top of the championship table.

A 40-plus Racing Saloons field successfully negotiated the crowded first few corners in their opening race. The BMWS of Stephen Pearson, Stuart Waite, Nigel Innes and Karl Catliff soon established themselves at the front, although their order was far from settled until the chequered flag appeared. The Peugeot 306 of Don Hughes was first non-bmw until the French car faded, handing that distinction to the unmissable shape of Johan Hoogenwerff ’s Volvo estate in seventh.

Race two was abandoned without a lap being completed after two red flags. The first resulted from a relatively minor startline incident, but the second followed a huge shunt on the straight towards Hawthorn’s involving Pearson and Innes among others.

Bradley Smith dominated Saturday’s Radical Challenge sprint races with Steve Burgess second each time. Jack Lang was third at the first attempt but retired after a lap one incident in race two. Brian Murphy looked set for a personal best third-place in race two, but Joe Stables passed him on the final lap.

Race three was 20 minutes longer and incorporated pitstops. This made no difference to Smith, who completed a hat-trick of wins despite a stop extended by 20s of success penalty. Jack Manchester’s team had a crumpled car to mend earlier in the weekend, but he rewarded them with second place in this finale, just ahead of Stables. Championship leader Burgess was a relieved fourth after a lap one spin left him temporarily last. Having finished in 11th and sixth places earlier, Olympic cycling star Jason Kenny tried to follow Manchester past Brian Caudwell and into a podium position. Light contact sent Caudwell spinning at Paddock and bent an upright on Kenny’s car.

Poleman Darren Goes (SEAT Leon Cup) qualified fastest and led most of the Trackday Championship race on his way to victory. Several drivers were keen to be second, and Kester Cook (Ford Fiesta) was in front of James Britton and Mark Flower (BMWS).

Ryan Savage (2-Eleven) and Adam Mackay (Exige V6 Cup) each won a Lotus Cup & Elise Trophy sprint race, the second of them a chaotic affair run on a damp but drying track which resulted in many incidents. Mackay looked secure in the lead of the longer finale until the pitstops, but fell to third behind Savage and Jason Baker (Elise) as he rejoined. Adam Balon’s Exige was a distant fourth and the rest were lapped. Luigi Mazza and John Lamaster shared their Elise to production class success, this car battling with Alex Ball’s Elise all weekend.

Double F3 Cup winner Robbie Watts scored his 65th success on Saturday and raised the total again the following morning. James Heffernan in race one and Tony Bishop in race two both came to grief while chasing the leader. Stuart Wiltshire finished second in race one but succumbed to pressure in race two and fell from second to fourth as Jacopo Sebastiani and Heffernan came past. Shane Kelly paid the price for two terrible starts and finished fifth in both races, but still extended his points lead.

William Davison’s Production BMW momentum continued at Brands with his fifth and sixth victories in a row. His winning margin over Matthew Swaffer and David Graves was relatively small in race one, but he drove well clear in race two.

Patrick Sherrington (MCR) qualified 12th in the wet for the Sports 2000 championship but stormed to second after one lap of the dry race. He closed on Tom Stoten’s Gunn and took the lead on lap 15 and appeared to be in control – until his engine coughed a couple of corners from the end and Stoten swept past. David Houghton/ Clive Hayes and Giles Billingsley finished inches apart but a lap down in third and fourth.

1 Steve Williams (Evora GT4); 2 Jean-baptiste Loup (2-Eleven) +1.711s; 3 Jonathan Packer (Evora GT4); 4 Philippe Loup (2-Eleven); 5 Harry Woodhead (Exige S2); 6 Tommie Eliasson (Exige V6 Cup). Class winners Jean-baptiste Loup; Woodhead; Tamas Vizin (Elise Cup R). Fastest lap Williams 1m37.718s (89.64mph). Pole Williams. Starters 31.

1 Williams; 2 JeanBaptiste Loup +13.500s; 3 Philippe Loup; 4 Robin Nilsson (Exige V6 Cup); 5 Eliasson; 6 Andrew Wright (Exige V6 Cup). CW Jean-baptiste Loup; Christopher Laroche (Exige S2); Vizin. FL Williams 1m37.323s (90.00mph). P Williams. S 31.

1 Stephen Pearson (BMW E36 M3); 2 Stuart Waite (BMW M3) +3.187s; 3 Nigel Innes (BMW E36 M3); 4 Karl Catliff (BMW E36 M3); 5 Darren Stamp (BMW E36 M3); 6 James Card (BMW E30 M3). CW Card; Colin Philpott (Jaguar XJS); Jason Dzenis (Peugeot 205); Matthew Wileman (BMW E30); Karl Graves (BMW 120d); Kieron Lehane (Citroen Saxo). FL Pearson 1m43.815s (84.37mph). P Pearson. S 44. Race two abandoned.

1 Bradley Smith; 2 Steve Burgess +9.482s; 3 Jack Lang; 4 Brian Caudwell; 5 Brian Murphy; 6 Joe Stables. CW Burgess; Andy Chittenden. FL Smith 1m27.236s (100.41mph). P Smith. S 25.

1 Smith; 2 Burgess +2.722s; 3 Stables; 4 Murphy; 5 Mark Richards; 6 Jason Kenny. CW Burgess; Chittenden. FL Smith 1m27.736s (99.84mph). P Smith. S 26.

1 Smith; 2 Jack Manchester +5.033s; 3 Stables; 4 Burgess; 5 Peter Tyler/tom Gladdis; 6 Jason Rishover. CW Manchester; Chittenden. FL Smith 1m27.124s (100.54mph). P Smith. S 25. M3) 1m44.082s (84.16mph). P Goes. S 41.

1 Ryan Savage (2-Eleven); 2 Adam Mackay (Exige V6 Cup) +0.644s; 3 Adam Balon (Exige V6 Cup); 4 Bob Drummond (Exige V6 Cup); 5 Phillip Britten (Exige V6 Cup); 6 Douglas Campbell (Exige V Cup). CW Mackay; Luigi Mazza (Elise S2). FL Mackay 1m37.789s (89.57mph). P Jason Baker (Elise S2). S 30.

1 Mackay; 2 Baker +7.506s; 3 Savage; 4 Balon; 5 Britten; 6 Drummond. CW Baker; Alex Ball (Elise S1). FL Baker 1m37.973s (89.41mph). P Scott Couper (Exige S1). S 28.

1 Savage; 2 Baker +5.811s; 3 Mackay; 4 Balon; 5 Britten; 6 Drummond. CW Mackay; Mazza/john Lamaster. FL Baker 1m36.362s (90.90mph). P Mackay. S 26.

1 Robbie Watts (Dallara F308); 2 Stuart Wiltshire (F308) +6.104s; 3 Jacopo Sebastiani (Dallara F311); 4 Tony Bishop (Dallara F310); 5 Shane Kelly (F308); 6 Wade Eastwood (Dallara F307). CW Geoffrey Hoodless (March 813). FL James Heffernan (F308) 1m22.116s (106.67mph). P Watts. S 11.

1 Watts; 2 Sebastiani +11.227s; 3 Heffernan; 4 Wiltshire; 5 Kelly; 6 George Line (F308). CW Hoodless. FL Sebastiani 1m21.599s (107.35mph). P Watts. S 11. 1 William Davison; 2 Matthew Swaffer +2.736s; 3 David Graves; 4 Harry Goodman; 5 Sam Strong; 6 Edd Giddings. FL Davison 1m51.239s (78.74mph). P Davison. S 29.

1 Davison; 2 Swaffer +6.459s; 3 Graves; 4 Rob Cooper; 5 Giddings; 6 Strong. FL Davison 1m51.619s (78.47mph). P Davison. S 26.