In the original programme we were down for a single race but were offered an additional race to fill a gap following a withdrawal. Our qualifying session and two races would all have to be completed by 2.00pm as the meeting was billed by the BRSCC as a VW Fun Cup race day and rightly so as the programme was dominated by the 4 hour VW race which would start at 2.00pm.

Our single 20 minute qualifying session would determine the grid for the two races with the fastest time counting for the first race and the second fastest for the second race. The entry list was small with only 13 cars lining up in the paddock.

Once out on the track the session was soon halted by a red flag as Didier Benaroya’s Mondial T needed to be recovered from the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend. After a short delay we were all out again with the exception of Peter Moseley whose 308 GTB was suffering from a misfire. Despite the delay most cars completed 19 or more laps of the short Indy circuit.

The timesheets then revealed that for the first race Gary Culver would be on pole in his Group 4 328 GTB and alongside him would be Darren Wilson in his Group 3 328 who had managed to outqualify Jim Cartwright in his Group 4 328. Further down the order was Richard Fenny in his 308GT4 the quickest of the Group 2 cars ahead of John Swift. There were only small changes to the grid for the second race with Jim Cartwright joining Culver on the front row. Wilson again headed Group 3 ahead of Tim Walker

Race 1

Race 1 was to prove to be rather more eventful than the races we had enjoyed in the first two meeting so far this season. The start was a little ragged and at the end of the first lap Culver was in the lead with Jim Cartwright very close behind followed by Tim Walker who was now leading Group 3 from Wilson. At the back of the field the Moseley 308 was back on song making up 3 places in the first lap. Also Moorwood was doing his best to keep his Group 1 GT4 ahead of the quicker cars of Swift and Fenny.

On lap 6 Cartwright managed a very clean move up the inside of Culver at the Druids hairpin to take the lead so it would now be his turn to be chased in close order by Culver. After a solo excursion onto the grass Myles Paulton found himself at the back of the field in his Group 4 328 GTS and would have to work hard to make up lost places.

On lap 17 it was all change. Cartwright took to the gravel trap at Paddock Hill Bend in determined style and would remain there for the remainder of the race. Fortunately the marshals decided he was in a safe place and the race was allowed to continue.

After being lapped by Walker, Didier Benaroya managed to spin his car in front of Wilson entering Graham Hill bend. This caused Wilson and Richard Allen to take avoiding action onto the grass. Further avoiding action was required by Moseley and Swift as the Mondial T returned to the track. Fortunately there were no further incidents and Culver finished a clear winner with Tim Walker second, leading home the Class 3 cars of Wilson, Everingham and Fisk. John Swift and William Moorwood won classes 2 and 3.

Race 2

Jim and Nick Cartwright were unable to remove all the gravel from Jim’s 328 in time which resulted in a start from the pit lane and one careful lap before retiring.

Again Culver lined up on pole with Wilson alongside him but as the lights went out it was Walker who made an excellent start and by the time he was round Druids he was in the lead with Culver close behind. Moseley again made an excellent start from the back gaining four places on the first lap. Wilson did not make the best of starts and on the second lap put his 328 into the gravel on the exit to Clearways and his race was over.

For 12 laps Walker had Culver stalking his every move and he showed us how a carefully placed car is very hard to pass on this circuit until finally he went a little wide on Graham Hill bend allowing Culver to get by with his slightly ailing car that had a cracked disc and a slipping clutch. Peter Everingham was not able to challenge the front two but had a comfortable 3rd places and behind him was was Myles Paulton had a good consistent race to come in 4th with his Group 4 328 GTS.

Peter Mosely continued to do well after his good start and finished as Class winner for Group 2 with Richard Fenny in his GT4 behind him and second in class.

In all a good race and thankfully full of clean clear racing. Gary Culver Picked up his second race win and Tim Walker his second Group 3 win and to this was added the RnR driver of the meeting award.

Steve Burns our race coordinator is a qualified Clerk of the Course and because of this he is allowed to watch the races from race control with all their multiple cameras. This explains why when he reaches Parc Ferme he seems remarkably well informed about what happened in the races. On this occasion he asked the Clerks viewing the race for their choice of driver of the day and their unanimous decision had been that it should be Tim Walker.

The next rounds are in July in our only foreign trip of the year at the summer ADAC run race weekend at Spa.