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Monoposto ChampionshipSnetterton, 1600/1800, 5&6 April 2008

Five Mono1800s arrived at Snetterton and experienced a weekend that could have been scripted by Agatha Christie with the title 'The five little (politically incorrect word) boys.

Saturday's Qualifying went well enough, others were having the drama. Peter Bragg took pole but the time, several seconds slower than his time in October told of how slippery the damp cold conditions were. Jim Timms was a second slower, ahead of Geoff Pashley in his immaculate, newly acquired Van Diemen RF83. Patrick Huston's multi-coloured Swift would start alongside Geoff with Doug McLay's smart yellow 2004 Mygale SJ04 a few places further back.

Saturday's 1800 Race. With a strong Northerly wind blowing from the Arctic and traversing the North Sea en route to Snetterton, Saturday's weather was predictably unpredictable. Snow sleet and hail showers arrived with little warning, one of the heavier showers arrived when most of the field were in the assembly area. The better organised teams changed to wets, the results table showed that they made the correct choice. Jim Timms changed to wets and lead from start to finish. The surprise is that he was only 0.36s ahead of Geoff Pashley at the finish.............read on.

The start was always going to be difficult because the slick & wet shod cars were going to leave the grid at different rates. It became dangerous when Adrian stalled the Gem on the third row of the grid. In the resulting chaos the 1800s has two major incidents. To avoid the Gem, Geoff Pashley veered right, interlocking wheels with Patrick who was sandwiched against the concrete pit wall. Geoff's right rear wheel then rode over Patrick's left front throwing the back of the RF 83 about a metre into the air and causing it to turn left. Doug was less fortunate, unsighted by spray and other cars, he saw the Gem late and a combination of cold slicks, cold brakes and a cold wet track caused him to slide into the back of the Gem at about 60mph. This eliminated both the Gem and the Mygale on the spot. Patrick was pleasantly surprised to find the left front wheel still attached and amazed when Geoff and his RF83 reappeared and were both fit enough to take the restart.

During the brief race, red flagged when Chris Anstruther was stranded on the exit to Sear, all the slick shod cars spent some time second in class and some time investigating the slippery green areas adjacent to the track. Geoff Pashley's recovery drive is remarkable especially when it was discovered that the impact of the car's landing had cracked the bellhousing for two thirds of its circumference. Rear Suspension loads are taken through the bellhousing in the RF83. Unfortunately, this damage caused Geoff to withdraw the car from Sunday's race. Geoff also set fastest lap, 1:26.894s. After all this drama, it is mundane to report that Peter finished third in class several seconds ahead of Patrick.

Sunday's Qualifying, it was still very cold but there was less wind, overall conditions were slightly worse than Saturday putting those who chose wet tyres at a slight advantage. Doug and Paul had rebuilt the Mygale overnight one can only be impressed by the strength of the Mygale and its driver and the quality and quantity of its spares package. Unfortunately, their efforts were not rewarded, the cooling system must have been damaged in the accident and after a few minutes use, the car stopped with a cooked engine. Jim Timms took pole with a time 0.2s faster than Patrick with Peter's slick shod car several seconds slower.

Sunday's Mono1800 Race. Three Mono1800 cars went to assembly, the battery in the Jim Timm's Van Diemen failed and his engine stopped as soon as he left assembly, he was pushed off the grid. Peter Bragg got little further, his engine stopped at Riches on the green flag lap. And so there was one; when he realised that there was no competition, Patrick took his less than perfect Swift for a gentle run in the Sunday afternoon sun.

Snetterton Race, Mono1600

Nine entries made the Mono1600 class the most popular class in this race. Ian Millward with his distinctive Van Diemen RF80 and Richard Evans in a Lola T644 were welcome additions to the regular competitors.

Saturday's Qualifying

As anticipated Geoff Fern took his customary pole position. Ewan Sergison had struggled to get his Swift ready for the meeting but encouragement from Stephen Brooks did the trick. The car was very smart but lacked development. Problems included fuel supply (a pump designed for injection, supplying a carburettor setup) but when it was running cleanly, it showed its potential by setting second fastest time in class. Further development was needed if it was to last for race distance. Tony Davies was another with problems, but these were relatively straightforward, a battery lead failed after four laps. David Parkinson was showing off his freshly rebuilt knee (keyhole surgery, still with the plasters, the surgeon is probably still in shock at David’s ideas about convalescence) as well as a freshly rebuilt Reynard, now in smart blue livery. It was proving to be an effective combination finishing fourth in class but not quite as effective as Peter Knipe's Quest. But Peter's session finished with a small engine fire when a small but essential bolt fell out of the carburettor. Young Chris Anstruther was driving the sole 8v Vauxhall in the field. The decals on it, fittingly in black, said David Leslie. Brian Jones completed the list with his Swift Formula Renault.

Saturday's 1600 Race

As far as the editor knows, the 1600 competitors managed to avoid the dramas that occurred at the initial start.

The restarted race naturally used the original grid positions, which meant that there were several Mono1800 competitors between Geoff Fern and Wean** Sergison. Ewan was up to the challenge and went in pursuit. Both Mono1600s were helped by being on wet tyres. Eventually Ewan caught Geoff and passed him on the outside at Coram, not a move for the fainthearted. Ewan had sorted his fuel pressure problems with a mechanical pump but this was leaking oil, he was relieved & very pleased when the race was finished a few laps early with a red flag.

Tony Davies had overcome his lowly grid position (thanks to only having four qualifying laps) and drove through the field to third in class. Both David Parkinson and Pete Knipe went well even though the first results sheet decided to ignore David's efforts. Ian Millward was the final finisher, Richard Evans and Brian Jones having retired on the first lap while it was Chris Anstruther's spin at Sear that bought out the red flag. Ewan Sergison set the fastest lap 1:24.328s.

Sunday's Qualifying

Overnight development meant that there was a more settled approach to Sunday's qualifying. Geoff Fern was still on pole just 0.3s ahead of Ewan with Tony Davies exactly a second slower than Geoff. Some six seconds slower and on slicks came David Parkinson followed by Peter Knipe, Chris Anstruther and Ian Millward, Brian Jones completed the field.

Sunday’s 1600 Race.

A real surprise: the sun shone and the race took place in good conditions, if you were a driver, still a bit chilly for the spectators.

The anticipated battle between Geoff Fern and Ewan Sergison came to an end on lap 4 with a neatly parked Van Diemen on the inside of Coram. An overjoyed Ewan cruised to an untroubled class win. Two wins and constructive development work, Ewan had a very productive weekend. Twelve seconds further back, Tony Davies, David Parkinson and Peter Knipe had the sort of excellent race that Snetterton can produce, they finished in that order, covered by less than two seconds. Chris Anstruther had a more successful outing in the orange Van Diemen Vauxhall, Richard Evans was pleased to bring his Lola home 6.5s later and Brian Jones was the final finisher in a decimated 1200/1600/1800 field.

Patrick Huston