Formula Vee encounters prove frantic and unpredictable
MALLORY PARK 750MC 5 MAY
A large Formula Vee entry, split into three groups, provided three different winners and some of the best action of an entertaining day of 750 Motor Club racing at Mallory Park.
Each group had two races and the opening B&C contest was the pick of the bunch. James Harridge’s Maverick powered around the outside of polesitter Graham Gant at Gerard’s Bend on the opening lap to grab the lead. But it didn’t last long. Gant’s WEV was back alongside on Stebbe Straight the following tour but the pair touched wheels, sending Gant off-road and into the Armco.
“I got a very good run out of Gerard’s and he just moved across,” said a helpless Gant. This left Harridge in the lead from a squabbling pack of Craig Pollard, Colin Gregory and Paul Taylor. But when they tripped over each other at Gerard’s, eighth-place starter Ian Jordan’s Sheane pounced to become Harridge’s nearest challenger. The duo battled to the end, with Jordan emerging victorious.
“I had no second gear in qualifying and thought this weekend was going to be a real struggle,” admitted Jordan. “This is my 28th season so I was watching what was happening at the front and picking them off – it was very enjoyable!”
Harridge was disqualified for causing Gant’s retirement, leaving Peter Belsey second “after a bit of a scramble” as he qualified 13th after snapping a rocker shifter.
There was some consolation for Gant with victory in the final (A&B) race. He led initially before losing out to former champions Ben Miloudi and Daniel Hands, but a superb double pass into the Esses mid-race netted Gant the win. Miloudi’s Storm won a calmer A&C thrash.
Classic Stock Hatch also provided some frenetic action. Lee Scott (Ford Fiesta XR2I) and Matt Rozier (Peugeot 205 GTI) ran side-by-side all the way through Gerard’s and along Stebbe Straight at the start of race two with Rozier eventually inching ahead.
But the reigning champion was all over the back of the Peugeot for the next 10 laps. The pair went side-by-side again through Devil’s Elbow before a move down the inside at Gerard’s finally gave Scott the place, even though he was carrying 60kg
of success ballast after winning race one.
Rozier later fell behind the 205 of Stewart Place – who had lost it at Shaw’s on the first lap of the opener when leading – while Edward Cooper’s Vauxhall Nova was also in close attendance.
Another double winner was the Racekits Falcon of reigning 750 Formula champion Mark Glover. Ed Pither’s PRS 1b led the opener before starter-motor failure caused damage to the clutch system, leaving him a spectator. “It’s a shame because it goes really well here,” Pither lamented. Glover was therefore a comfortable winner and doubled up in race two, despite a tardy start.
There were contrasting fortunes for Ryan Polley as the Clio 182 Championship made its first visit to Mallory. He was squeezed into a spin on the first lap of the opener, before recovering superbly to fifth. Polley then won race two after passing 2015 champion James Bark on the inside at Gerard’s. Don de Graaff was an untroubled race-one winner.
Christian Pedersen’s Austin 7 won the twice red-flagged Historic 750 Formula encounter, despite starting at the back. The second stoppage was a lengthy delay caused by a spectator being taken seriously ill and the 750MC rescue unit was called in to attend.