ALL CHANGE AT THE FRONT
With some of the normal front runners missing, this was an opportunity for others to steal the limelight. In A Sport, Alan Cook took a rare victory in race one and Clive Wood secured his first A Sport win in race two. In B Sport, John Muirhead scored a fine maiden win and Dave Facer returned to the winners circle for the first time in six years.
ENTRY
It was a disappointing entry for this meeting, partially due to the clash with the Register round at Donington, some people preferring 5 minutes extra track time for an additional £175!! On a positive note, there were several people making their first appearances of the season. In A Sport, we welcomed Adrian Holey. With both Mark Charteris and John Harrison absent, this was a great chance for another name in the winners circle.
B Sport saw first time appearances in 2019 for John Muirhead, having sorted his propshaft and brake maladies and Chris Tolchard recovering from a bout of less than perfect health.
There was also a warm welcome to Guy Sheppard in the Rawlson Sports 2000, having his first outing with us since the Brands Superprix last year.
QUALIFYING
The whole day promised to be sunny and warm, so 13 cars took to the track in ideal conditions (although not necessarily for ultra fast times). It was immediately obvious that the A Sport pole was not a forgone conclusion (as often in the past with Mark Charteris!). It was Clive Wood who secured pole with a lap in the 1 min 16 sec bracket, but he was joined by both Alan Cook and Anttt Denham, also in the 1 min 16’s. Anttt was joined on row 2 by Adrian Holey.
Guy Sheppard was the leading Sports 2000 runner. He was joined on row 3 by the B Sport polesitter, Dave Facer, both recording times in the 1 min 24’s.
Row 4 saw Roger Waite in the other Sports 2000. Alongside him was John Muirhead. Row 5 was Adam Paterson and Martin Walker, Martin having just his second ever race meeting. Adam was having some issues, either ignition or fuel and very difficult to pinpoint.
Steve Littler and Chris Tolchard were on row 6 and series coordinator, Mike sales to lone occupant of row 7
RACE 1
Only 12 cars lined up for race one, the missing car being Guy Sheppard, who had gearbox maladies at the end of qualifying. Everyone got away cleanly, but it was Alan Cook who swept into the lead from the outside of the front row, closely followed by poleman Clive Wood and Anttt Denham.
The battle for the lead of Class B looked very frenetic as the cars reached Montreal for the first time, but it was Dave Facer who emerged in front, closely followed by Roger Waite and John Muirhead.
At the end of lap one, Alan held a very tenuous lead over Clive with Anttt and Adrian a few seconds back. Dave headed Class B, closely followed by Roger in the lone Sports 2000. Then came John Muirhead, Steve Littler, Martin Walker, Mike Sales and Chris Tolchard. Sadly Adam Paterson retired to the pits at the end of lap one, having not solved the mysterious ignition or fuel issue.
On lap two, Clive swept by Alan to take the lead and Roger used the extra speed of the Sports 2000 to pass Dave on the Bentley Straight. Otherwise the order remained static until the following lap when we lost Martin Walker to overheating, caused by an intake manifold water leak.
No changes up to half distance, but a lap later the situation changed in B Sport, with leader Dave Facer retiring to the pits with overheating problems. John Muirhead inherited a class lead which he would keep until the end. A further two laps later, the overall lead changed when Clive Wood’s diff exploded, allowing Alan Cook to take the lead.
No further changes, so at the chequered flag it was Alan Cook from Anttt Denham and Adrian Holey. Roger Waite was fourth and then came the B Sport winner, John Muirhead. Steve Littler maintained his consistent form to take second, ahead of Mike Sales and Chris Tolchard.
RACE 2
Sadly we lost Roger Waite before the start of race 2. He had a cracked exhaust manifold. As it is stainless steel, nobody had the resources to repair it and he had to scratch.
With the retirements from race one, we had a very mixed up grid for the race, so things promised to be interesting. Clive Wood, Dave Facer and Adam Paterson were all towards the back, so it looked like things could get lively on the first lap. At the end of the warming up lap, John Muirhead peeled off into the pits with no clutch, so there was to be no repeat win for him.
At the lights it was Anttt Denham who got the jump from Alan Cook and led into Montreal for the first time. Montreal was no less frenetic this time, but everybody made it round safely and by the end of the Bentley straight it was the four A Sports and Guy Sheppard up front. Adam Paterson had made a flyer from the back of the grid and led the B Sport brigade, closely followed by Steve Littler, Dave Facer, Mike Sales, Martin Walker and Chris Tolchard.
At the end of lap one it was Anttt from Alan, but with Clive now in third and ominously close. Adrian Holey was next up, then a gap to Guy Sheppard in the Rawlson Sports 2000, who would have a very lonely race. In B Sport it was Adam from Steve, but with Dave drawing ever closer. Mike was fourth from Martin and Chris.
No change until lap three, when Dave passed Steve and started to close in on Adam. Martin managed to sneak a move on Mike Sales. A lap later, Clive passed Alan to move up to second overall. Then over the next two laps the lead changed in both classes. Dave had pulled himself right up onto Adams tail and then Adam lost it under braking coming into Murrays and Dave inherited a lead he was never to lose. Pressure finally prevailed right at the front and Clive slipped through to lead overall. This was never a case of Clive disappearing from sight however. Anttt kept him honest right to the end with Alan snapping at Antts heels for the remainder of the race.
So the race played out with no other changes until Martin pulled off between Riches and Montreal after a fuel pipe had become dislodged.
At the end it was Clive from Antt and Alan, the top three covered by just three seconds. Adrian was fourth, the only other unlapped runner and Guy was the lone Sports 2000 car in fifth.
Dave finally picked up the B Sport laurels, with Mr.consistent, Steve Littler in second and a recovering Adam Paterson in third. Mike Sales was fourth and Chris Tolchard, the final finisher in fifth.
Not the greatest pair of races, but everybody behaved themselves and all lived to fight another day, which of course is just two weeks away. Driver of the day went to Anttt Denham for his two superb second places and Mechanic of the day was Dave Facer (for his head gasket changes between races one and two). However he couldn’t have done it without the superb help from Tom Dunstan. If Tom had been there at the end, I’m sure that the bottle would have ended up in the Dunstan household.
Tom was there as he had brought Steve Clamp. In the last race report you heard that Steve had been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and he had been given a maximum of 12 months. Sadly that has now changed, as Steve’s cancer is too far advanced for Chemo and the latest prediction is 12 weeks. 
Nonetheless his positive attitude is astounding, he is trying to squeeze as much into whatever life he has left. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Steve, Stella and the family.
The hospitality was once again superb. This was all down to Clive’s partner Kerry. She did a wonderful job, especially as they left the circuit straight after the presentation to go up to Donington for the second and third races on the Register weekend!
And a final word of thanks to Mike Sales and Bill Mallet. Mike and Bill brought all of the hospitality facilities (Awning, tables, tea urn, generator etc.) and set them up and help organise the refreshments during the day. And all this on top of Mike racing with very little help!
Hope to see you all at Cadwell. Let’s hope the weather is just as good!
John Muirhead, you are excused. I’m not sure that working for Aston Martin at Le Mans is better than racing your Classic Clubmans at Cadwell but heigh ho, something has to pay for the racing!
Regards
Dave Facer
