Dave Allan Trophy thrills but crash mars meeting
What should have been a hugely entertaining afternoon of racing at Castle Combe was brought to a standstill after a serious accident involving historics racer Charles Knill-jones soberly reminded all that motorsport remains dangerous.
With little more than half an hour’s racing gone, the track fell silent as the medical team carefully extracted the stricken driver, and then for helicopter crews to arrive and depart (see News). But, once racing got back under way, those who remained were rewarded with a succession of thrillers where the outcome could only be predicted on the short run out of the final corner to the flag.
Saving the best until last, the annual
Dave Allan Trophy race produced an epic encounter between the Porsche of fatherand-son pairing Kevin Bird and Charles Hyde-andrews-bird, and the Ginetta of Chris Everill and Ben Scrivens. The absence of polesitter Lucky Khera pitched both into an evenly matched contest, Bird Sr holding off Everill’s repeated challenges with a perfectly placed car. But it was the work by the Ginetta crew in the pitlane, hauling Everill out of the car, that made the difference and allowed the positions to be reversed at the halfway stage.
Elsewhere the Team Dynamics Audi of former Paralympic skier Matthew Stockford (on his debut) and Alyn James was earning its own stripes. Stockford had settled well into fifth and, as James emerged for his stint, he trailed Jordan Billinton’s Gallardo but lapped ever quicker to reduce the deficit before making the move at Hammerdown to see the Audi home in fourth.
Back at the front, Scrivens and Hydeandrews-bird traded personal bests as the clock counted down, the Porsche at times within inches of a move but the Ginetta given its all to hold on and win.
The battle for Formula Ford honours began with Luke Cooper and Felix Fisher separated by one point as they arrived on the grid. Fisher led off the line with Cooper sticking to his gearbox before inexplicably failing to turn at Old Paddock, where he was collected by Tom Hawkins. Cooper continued under the safety car, but was now last and nursing damaged front suspension.
Nevertheless, an inspired drive allowed Cooper to climb back up the order until he caught the podium battle. Crossing the line with one lap to go, second, third and fourth were just tenths adrift, then three-abreast on the climb up Avon Rise, where Cooper seized the inside line and was boldly late on the brakes to grab second.
Chris Snowdon and James Colburn conjured a thrilling Classic Alfa encounter. Colburn thwarted Snowdon’s early attacks before succumbing to a move at Quarry, then driving his Giulia Sprint beyond its normal limits to keep the gap at just four tenths at the flag.
Another Colburn, James’s brother Ben, was also in top form in the restarted Jack Sears Trophy race. The Ford Mustang of Alex Thistlethwayte and Cortina of Pete Chambers settled into a familiar routine of speed versus agility but, while these two kept each other busy, Colburn’s Mini simply kept both in his sights. Then, with the help of his team, executed an exceptional stop to emerge handsomely in the lead.
Khera’s entry into the GT race resulted in his Lamborghini Huracan GT3 scything through to take an easy win and smash the previous series lap record.