SpAndrew Cliffe

Andrew sends some detail of what went on at Spa. Watch out for Andrew's report in A Prominent Weekly Magazine (which we will not plug as they promised us some tickets as prizes for their show in January and did not send them.)

Thurs Testing

Jim Timms absence is due to throwing a connecting rod through the block during testing on Thursday morning.

Prajesh Shah had engine bearing problems which is why he wasn't out. They found an Opel Garage with the necessary bits and fitted them but it
didn't cure the problem.

Friday Qualifying

Oliver Sirrell was deputising for Malcolm Scott who broke his ankle coming back from the pub on Thursday night. Everyone else scrambled under the locked gates of Spa, Malcolm climbed over it. Eight foot high fence. Oliver hadn't driven a Dallara before. He now wants one.

Richard had a fairly early in the session spin and was unable to get the car restarted. In the second session his misfire returned.

Morning F3 session dry. Second session damp but drying track. Initially most people opted for wets, but changed over to slicks.

Mono sessions, first dry then rained so no improvement towards the end of the session, merely a chance to explore how quickly grip drops off. Simon said it was scary. Second session was wet.

Jeremy Goodman fell off in the wet session, damaging front right side of his car - wishbones, upright, steering rack and front wing/nosecone. At least
it meant more drinking time.

Saturday

F3 race - Dry.

Jeremy Timms was racing on Mono spec rubber, the long straights and a safety car period meant it lasted the race. I think he surprised many, nice to see a Mono spec car finish in the top 10 twice.

Richard Purcell and Oliver Sirrell were fractionally late to join the grid so started from the pit lane and saved two laps of fuel.

Kevin Mason retired the car after its installation lap with a misfire.

Mark Harrison retired their car when oil pressure disappeared. Failed dry sump chain was mooted as the likely cause.

Graham Read escaped a fireball when the shroud that neatens the airbox to bodywork wore through a fuel fitting. Some people caught out by the
safety car and the green flags coming out when safety car had pulled in. The leaders were so far up the road that those 2/3rds of the way around the circuit were possibly a little confused.

Mono race - Wet to start with, gradually drying.

Race was half an hour early when the previous CSCC 1 hour race was called after 15 minutes, 2 safety car periods and 2 red flags. Had it run to timeit would have been damp with a dry line.

Peter Venn puts his win down to the speed he could carry through Eau Rougeand he was pulling out a big distance on the Jedis which then closed up overthe rest of the lap.

Nigel Davers was very close to passing Simon Davey up Eau Rouge but spun on the exit and thankfully avoided doing a Jacques Villeneuve.
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Sunday

F3 Race - Dry

Aaron Steele got the jump on Ze Hauser Brothers at the start. Safety cardeployed and he got a good restart as well. Pulling out a few seconds whichwas gradually whittled away, but he just held on to take the win.

Jeremy Timms came in 9th. 6 Brits in top 9.

With Kevin and Mark not playing, and Oliver Sirrell racing at Mallory Park, the order was Jeremy - Richard - Graham. Graham had a coming together with an unidentified red thing which meant a trip through the pits to poke and prod bits of rear suspension.

Mono Race - Dry

Peter Venn couldn't stay in touch between the Jedis of Dan Clowes and Marc Fortune. Marc needed an extra gear as could close up to Dan and several times passed him, but Dan then pulled ahead. Dax slowed when his rear undertray came adrift.

Simon and Nigel were passing each other all the time. Very good battle.

Chris Dittmann and Peter Bragg were dicing, both complaining of poor grip.

Steve Gibbings (Castle Combe regular) came unstuck at what was the Bus Stop chicane, with a badly damaged 1600.

Graham Dyson had a rear CV joint failure on the last lap.

Andrew Cliffe

Disclaimer: The above represents only the unofficial view of the writer and not of the Monoposto Racing Club in any way whatsover.