Monoposto Championship Brands Hatch Indy, Saturday 30 April and Sunday 1 May 2011 1400 & 2 Litre

David Parkinson changes columnist role for reporter

Saturday

As Patrick Houston is presently on holiday I volunteered to do the report for this race. So there I was in the Paddock Hill bend grandstand for qualifying and already wishing I’d kept my mouth shut. There are a few of the drivers I don’t really know and I’m not sure of the cars for the ones I do know.

However it was Tristan Cliffe on pole by almost a second from Richard Purcell followed by Anthony Bishop, Kevin Mason and Malcolm Scott all driving Dallaras. Lee Cunningham was the first of the classic cars in his Van Diemen, but was later moved to the back. Seventh was newcomer Steve Patania , in a Dallara run by TopMarx/Richard Purcell, followed by Peter Venn in the fabulous Dave Dudley Anson. The most beautiful mono car of all time. Young Iranian Kourosh Khani was next up in the Formula Renault. Kourosh was described by Yunus, whose car he was driving, as a Formula Renault veteran. He was followed by Kevin Otway, Julian Cutler (in the yellow Nick Harrison 397 which he and his brother were looking after alone) and Jeremy Goodman. Jeremy in the Ralt which I also consider a nice looking car. Geoff Fern and Chris Hill were next in the first two of the 1400 class cars. Then it was Francis Phillips followed by Simon Lonnergan, Chris Anstruther, Antonio Imperi, Jim Timms, Tony Cotton, Lou Watts, Mark Schofield, Lennie Coleman and Janusz Rust, making his Mono debut, I think, in an Edgington Racing run RF95. Steve Cave in the 1400 JKS and Terry Clark were the final two qualifiers, though they had to have a lunchtime whizz round to get in their 3 laps.

I’m shamed by my ignorance but I know only twelve of the above drivers. I’m sure I would recognise a few of the others but can’t put a face to the name. I think we should do class photographs of all drivers at the beginning of the year. All drivers to hold a name plate. (I can't even manage that for the directors and there's only a few of them - asst ed).

At the race start it was Tristan off to a flying start but before he could get altitude the safety car was deployed after Jim Timms and Lou Watts had a coming together on the exit of Druids. I spoke to them both after the race with a possible idea of filling in the Sunday space with a possible duel. Oil cans at fifty paces or such like but both Jim and Lou agreed that it was a racing incident and it was forgotten. Though the damage to Lou’s car was such that it could not be repaired for the Sunday event. I think Julian Cutler, who was having some gear selection problems, was also delayed. At least, Tony Cotton, who was following Lou and Jim, said he thought he saw Julian limping a bit, but he wasn't sure. Tony Bishop also had some problems on this lap, dropping from third to 13th.

Richard Purcell retired whilst the safety car was circulating. He won the Hard Luck trophy last year and I’m beginning to think he’s set his sights on it again for 2011. Lennie Coleman was a non starter incidentally with a water pump failure. I didn’t see what happened but Lee Cunningham was circulating with a damaged front wing. When the safety car exited Tristan made an excellent start and was away with no challenge to the end of the race. Kourosh came a very creditable second with an improving Malcolm Scott picking up the last place on the podium. Kevin Mason was fourth followed by Peter Venn winning the classic race. In tenth place overall was Geoff Fern in the leading 1400 car. Chris Anstruther and Henry Fryer failed to finish the race in addition to the three already mentioned. Fastest laps by Tristan, Geoff Fern and Lee Cunningham. Without the damaged wing he might have given Peter Venn a race.

Sunday

Tristan Cliffe got pole with Malcolm Scott in second and Richard Purcell in third in the 2000 class. For the classics it was Peter Venn followed by Lee Cunningham and Francis Phillips. 1400 was Geoff Fern followed by Steve Cave and Chris Hill. There was a new and very pretty Dallara 395/6 (in F3 trim, whetever that means) run by James Simons. He said he couldn't make Saturday because of a wedding. Unfortunately he didn't start the race, having qualified midfield on this his first time out with us. Neither did Kevin Mason, who qualified 9th but blew up his engine. Unusually for Kevin he wasn't carrying a spare to slot in over lunch and wouldn't rebuild it in the paddock.

I just see that Lennie Coleman qualified on Sunday. According to the Saturday results he didn’t start the race so I thought that he’d had the problem on Saturday. It’s harder than you think this reporting lark. Particularly on double headers where you tend to get the days mixed up. It’s also harder when you sort through the results sheets and find that you haven’t got the Sunday results paper. Pigging heck. From bad to worse. Patrick will never let me do this report again. Oh Joy. (Or maybe asst ed will make up some bits and pretend DP has written them then blame him when the drivers complain.)

Memory tells me that it was Tristan with a reasonably easy win with I believe Malcolm Scott having an energetic race with initially Kourosh Khani to finish in second. DNF, 3rd, 2nd with a brand new car is a decent start. I wonder where Malcolm will finish up? Third was Richard Purcell who managed to get the car to the finish line for only the second time this year.

Asst ed is now making the next bit up but he's trying to do it in my style. No chance. Anyway, it seems that Koroush had a bit of a coming together with Malcolm on lap 5. There didn't seem to be any damage to the car, but it was snatched and returned early. Steve Patania was originally following these 4, but lost several places on lap 4, and it's always difficult to make them back up again at Brands because it's so tight. Anthony Bishop and Graham Read completed the top 5 finishers.

Antonio Impieri had an interesting race. He qualified 10th but had a poor start and dropped by lap 4 to 15th. The prospect of reporting back to the Woodhouse boys after the race must have spurred him on, because he seemed to be making up a place a lap at one stage, and finished up 10th overall. There seemd to be a lot of fighting midfield. Tony Cotton lost 3 places on lap 7 to Antonio, Chris Hill, and Simon Lonnergan as he had a slow exit from Druids hairpin. Jeremy Goodman had a dreadful first lap, having skirted through the Druids gravel on lap one after a brake/brain malfunction, and was unusually outside the top 20. He fought his way back, and ended up 14th. I could see from where I was sitting that he had a terrific move on a green Dallara between Druids and Graham Hill bend, but the other car was a bit dirty in his driving and came out ahead. If I'd been Jeremy I would have punched him. Jeremy proved too clever and brave for him by running round the outside at Paddock Hill bend which was a move which made me catch my breath. The same green Dallara got past Simon Lonnergan on the last but one lap when the leaders came round. He gallantly moved over to let them by, and the green car pushed through behind. I think Simon must have had a separate problem as well because he slowed down in the last few laps.Terry Clark's problems must have largely gone away because he finished just behind Simon, and ahead of Jim Timms whose car wasn't badly enough damaged in Saturday's brush to stop it running.

The classic race was a bit of a surprise as Kevin Otway took the win from Peter Venn. Francis Phillips was third. Geoff Fern took the 1400 class win to complete the double from Chris Hill and Steve Cave. Chris Anstruther had a brilliant drive from 19th on the grid to 12th at the end, just off the classic podium. I didn't speak to him but I imagine Lee Cunningham was a disappointed man because he was running as high as 5th overall at one point, but in the last few laps he limped home slowly. I hope he returns because he could provide some extra excitement in what's already a very competitive class.

Henry Fryer had a bad Saturday with 2 batteries dying on him. He found a third and had a trouble free Sunday race to finish 21st ahead of 2 litre stalwart Mark Schofield and newcomer Janusz Rust.

Apologies for this report. There were many individual battles but by the time I’d put my glasses on to read the programme to find out who the two or three drivers were who were battling they’d gone. If I've made a mistake and upset anybody, that would be the bits asst ed has put in, so have a word with him, not me.

David Parkinson (and another)

Steve Patania in F3 spec F301

Terry Clark, Mark Schofield, Chris Anstruther and Tony Bishop

Julian Cutler had a "fit" problem. Unlike most of us he's too slim.....

Lee Cunningham and bent wing

Lap one, race 2, Jeremy Goodman. Insert your own thought bubble...

Immaculate398 of Malcolm Scott

Jeremy Goodman about to pass Tony Cotton.

Pics Norwich Photo/Andrew Cliffe