Classic Clubmans marked 23 years of racing with the HSCC in 2021. A tricky covid effected season saw a reduced programme of three double headers and one single race.
The season started at Snetterton 300 with 16 entries. Mark Charteris took pole and won Race 1 by a comfortable margin from Clive Wood in the works Mallock hire car, third was Spencer McCarthy having a welcome outing in Peter Garton’s immaculate Mallock. B Class pole sitter Tommy Eustace won from Steve Littler and the returning Paul Marshall.
Race 2 saw early season teething troubles effect the results, 2020 champion Adrian Holey winning A Class ahead of Mike Lane.
Tom Muirhead gave us a glimpse of his speed and reliability by winning B Class from Paul Marshall and Mike Sales, whose Phantom P79 was the only non Mallock to race this year.
Cadwell Park again showed Mark Charteris was unstoppable in his Mallock Mk21, the F2 March racer winning both races. Mike Lane had an excellent 2nd and 3rd.
B Class provided another win for ex biker Tommy Eustace and it was great to see Steve Littler take his first Class win in race 2 in his Mallock Mk.18B. Tom Muirhead did well to finish 2nd and 3rd on his first visit to Cadwell.
An opportunity arose to race at Brands Hatch Indy on the Friday of the Superprix Meeting, sadly several drivers work commitments reduced our grid size.
Mark won again ahead of the dicing John Harrison, and McCarthy. Tom Muirhead took a superb win, with Littler and Dave Facer close behind.
After a ten year gap we returned to Mallory Park for the last meeting. Our smallest grid of the season but featuring some exciting racing.
The three A Class cars looked very impressive at speed through Gerrards.
Both races were won by Mark from the hard pushing Harrison, who lead the second race for a few laps in his beautifully presented Mallock Mk21.
Class B was dominated by Dave Facer, Mallock Mk16, two wins, two poles and two fastest laps but he really had to work hard. Tom Muirhead scored two 2nd’s pushing Facer all the way. Littler battled with Paul Marshall and Brian Hunter to snatch two third places.
The Mallory Park lap times were impressive, 45 sec. (105 mph) for Mark in A Class, 51 sec. (93 mph) for Dave Facer B Class.
Mark Charteris won the A Class Championship for the 11th. time, a really amazing effort. Always super competitive he now continues to impress in the F2 championship.
The surprise of the season has to be young Tom Muirhead who won the B Class Championship at his first attempt in father John’s Mallock Mk18, The car very well prepared by Dad and brother John Luke. Well done Team Muirhead !
However, a racing Formula is not only defined by its Champions, but all the other drivers that compete.
Colin Ralph continues to impress in his Mallock Mk16, Chas Jones was a very competitive 4th. at Brands in his Mk20/21.
Brands also saw a welcome return of Roy Bing after a lengthy break and Scott Goodfellow in his early Mallock Mk6B C class car.
Other B class drivers include Jeremy Banks, David Bain, driving a Mallock Mk11, Chris Toulchard and Roger Watton in his rare Mallock Mk15 De Dion.
Huge thanks again to Andy, Alan and the HSCC team whose hard work made the season happen in the most challenging of circumstances.
A big thank you to all our Marshals without whom none of this could take place.
Winter well everyone.
Mike Sales, Classic Clubmans co ordinator