The annual pilgrimage to the end of the M4 was on the final weekend of August. Better than a miserable April, like last year ? Well, in part. Saturday was great – a clear, bright day with the gentle sea breeze keeping the engines nice and cool. Sunday was simply wet.

We had our smallest grid of the year at Pembrey, but then again, that is often the case. For some reason, many are put off by the distance, yet for most people it is not much further than Oulton, and less distance than Croft. The only negative that I can think of is that you have to drive passed Port Talbot. Count your lucky stars that you don’t have to live there. There can surely be few places in the UK that are more depressing ?

Stuart Kestenbaum came to Pembrey needing two significantly better results than his only Championship rival Joe Walton in order to keep up the pressure, and take the fight to the final round at Combe. That was going to be difficult. Andrew Smith had a 9 point advantage in Class B over Dave Lowe. Consistent points scoring by the Guernseyman had whittled into Andrew’s lead, especially after his non finish at the previous round. On the Novice front, Steve Bell was hoping to capitalise on the absence of Alan Fincham and take the battle to the final round. Things were hotting up nicely.

The Championship welcomed back one of its previous Champions. Nigel Lingwood hadn’t driven his RF80 for two and a half years, but those who remembered him knew he was going to be mixing it at the front.

Matt Taylerson was back out, his first run since Brands in June. Mike Saunders and Jonathan Greenwood were the remaining Class B drivers. In A, we had regulars Steve Pearce, James Gowens, Ian McMillan, Roger Newman, Andy Hodson and Mick Whitehead.

Qualifying 1 : Unusually, we had two qualifying sessions this weekend (one Saturday morning, one Sunday morning), providing another meeting with a full hour of track time. People may complain about the cost, but this season BARC have been generous in their allocation of track time, and that must surely be applauded.

Indeed, with a 20 minute session, even those who hadn’t tested on Friday would benefit from a few extra laps. Joe was immediately the quickest, banging in a low 65 on his first flyer, followed by 3 consecutive laps in the 63s. Stuart had a 63.95 on his third lap, whilst Andrew bettered that by 3 hundredths a lap later. Joe’s 63.4 kept him on pole throughout, and he went quicker still later on, to take pole on a 63.1. Stuart kept soldiering on though, with 8 laps in the 63s in the second half of the session. His best, a 63.2 was good enough for the other front row slot. Andrew was the only other man to regularly visit the 63s, and took a fine third and Class B pole on a 63.7. Paul had a good day at the office, to be the only other driver in the 63s. Dave Lowe reckoned the Lotus cooled better without a nosecone, and slipped in a 64.0 towards the end to take 5^th. Nigel didn’t take long to get up to speed, and was down in the low 64s towards the end of the session, and took 6^th. Matt was also able to find the low 64s late on, and was happy in 7^th. We then had Steve Pearce, James, Steve Bell, Ian and Roger all in the 64s (5^th to 12^th all covered by 0.8 of a second). Andy pitted early with continual engine problems, and would take no further part in the meeting – a long way to go for 10 laps ! The grid was completed by Jonathan, Mick and Mike.

Race 1 : Andrew Smith made a great start, and overtook Stuart on the blast down to Hatchetts. Joe kept the inside line off the grid. With Andrew in the middle of the track, with Stuart on his left, what happened next effectively decided the Class A Championship. Stuart tried to outbrake Andrew into the hairpin, but his right rear caught Andrew’s left front, pitching the RF79 into a roll.

Over….and out !

Stuart was out on the spot, with a badly damaged roll hoop. Fortunately, he is not a tall man, and he emerged unscathed. The RF79, other than the mangled roll hoop, was in remarkably good shape all things considering. But the roll hoop damage effectively ruled the car out of any further action.

The race was immediately red flagged. It would restart over 15 laps. We were now down to 14 cars.

Joe realised that the Crown was almost in his grasp, and drove a faultless race from lights to flag, and was never headed. He crossed the line 8 seconds ahead of his nearest rival on the track. With Stuart out of action for the rest of the weekend, Joe’s points tally was now beyond the reach of Stuart, so that was that – Joe was Champion !

The 2009 Class A Champion heading for victory

Andrew also had an equally impressive (albeit lonely) race, leading Class B and second on the road for the entire race, finishing a similar distance ahead of third placed man Nigel. With Dave taking 2^nd in Class, Andrew’s lead (after dropping one score) had now grown to 13 points.

Nigel had to work hard to keep Steve Pearce behind, but he managed to do so, to take 3^rd on the road/2^nd in Class on his return to the cockpit. He was so impressed afterwards that he said he was now thinking of doing the Championship next season !

Nigel, Steve, James mid race

Paul found himself down in 8^th for much of the race with a reduced throttle opening, but benefitted from some of those in front falling off, and came home in 5^th. As the race was actually red flagged a lap early (due to Matt’s retirement), the results sheet showed the bizarre situation of everyone in 5^th and beyond as having been lapped. I know not how they came to this conclusion, but amusing it was nevertheless to see a result sheet with Paul Walton being shown as lapped ! Surely this must find itself into a frame, and on the wall in the Walton’s downstairs toilet…

James had a spin on lap 12 which put him down from 5^th to 7^th, but he retook 6^th on the demise of Steve Bell. Steve was running nicely, and was up to 5^th at mid distance, but he hit someone up the rear, and broke his radiator. Reminiscent of

Jon Nash a few years ago, he soldiered on, hoping the engine wouldn’t boil dry and hoping to make the finish and collect his Novice points. It was not to be. He stopped on lap 14 (the penultimate lap) with a completely knackered engine. He too would take no further part in the meeting, and with a non finish on both races, the Novice Challenge was settled, with the absent Alan Fincham taking the title, and the coveted BBE engine rebuild.

Steve Bell what are you doing ? Park it !

Dave came home 7^th, glued to the gearbox of James for the final 4 laps, but unable to find a way passed. Valuable Class B points were gratefully accepted, and the battle continues.

Roger managed to overhaul Ian by mid distance for 8^th, with Ian falling away towards the end.

Matt was having a good race, but retired on lap 13 with a broken float in the carb. He parked it between Spitfire and Dibeni in a position that was deemed dangerous (hence the red flag), and so was disqualified! Rather harsh in the circumstances surely ?

Mick Whitehead was the final unlapped runner in 10^th, with a rather surprised Jonathan picking up the final Class B trophy (and with it the Novice trophy as well !) following the demise of Mike Saunders with damaged rear suspension following a coming together with Jonathan on lap 9.

Mike collects a spinning Jonathan on lap 9

Report by Andy Hodson

Qualifying 2/Race 2 (report by Steve Pearce) : I suppose two dry days in August was too much to hope for, and sure enough the rain started just after dawn and kept up for most of the day. So time to get tango'd (get bright orange waterproofs on), and put the car on wet settings. We'd lost a few runners from the day before - Stuart after his inversion, plus Andy Hodson and Steve Bell with engine 'issues'. So the rest of us ventured out at 11-ish for a splash round - we found more grip than expected, but with some standing water in places - the circuit is below sea level!. Joe  took another pole (just), from Andrew Smith - the only casualty I spotted was Dave Lowe with wet electrics? Ian McMillan enjoyed the conditions in 6th - he must play with ducks in the bath all day!

But the big news in the paddock was from the Ware Horticultural show, where Mike Saunders' carrots took the top spot in the Phallic Vegetable Competition. No doubt the carrots were straighter than the rear suspension on his Hawke…
 
Time to dry off a little, fettle the car, and watch the start of the GP on the box before another 16 laps worth. The rain stopped for a while, but not for long enough for track conditions to change much, so it was our first proper wet race of the year. Nigel hasn't forgotten what to do when the lights go out and shot towards the front, while I found too little traction and went in the other direction. So at the front it was Nigel from the Waltons, Andrew and Matt while I managed to get clear of the midfield and gradually gain on those in front.
 
Nigel was doing a good job holding everybody else off, but eventually Joe & Co found a way through. Soon after Andrew lost another Class win when his car lost drive along the back straight. I had a good dice with Matt, until I got all out of shape under braking for the hairpin, forcing Matt to half spin in avoidance - sorry mate! So Joe and Paul were well clear, with Nigel 3rd but then Nigel overshot the hairpin, allowing both myself and Matt past. So I found myself in 3rd, but under pressure from Matt and Nigel - who were both quicker than me. I needed to press on to keep out of range - to stop a last lap lunge, but then I blew it when the car swapped ends coming out of the long left hander. By the time I'd gathered things up both Matt and Nigel were long gone, and I had a cockpit full of wet grass and a loose nose.
 
So it ended up with a Walton 1-2, well done again Joe, with Matt finishing 3rd and a Class B win. I wasn't too chuffed after (still kicking myself), but I suppose justice was done because I'd borrowed a dog ring and rear tyre from Nigel, so it was only right for him to finish ahead. Apart from Andrew S, everybody else managed to finish OK with Ian 6th then Dave, James, Roger  and Jonathan  the first novice (again).

So – with the Class A and Novice battles concluded, all that remains to be settled at Combe is the Class B title, with Andrew now on 74, and Dave on 67 points. See you there !

Next race Combe, October 3rd.