Round 11 – Snetterton

With the Championship heading towards a crucial stage the drivers ventured east to the ever popular Snetterton circuit for what would be a busy weekend of MG racing. With wet weather forecast there was a more than the usual level of tension around the paddock. Grids at Snetteron are always good but a number of new drivers were out and a splendid total of 41 cars were entered.

Class B & F

The MG Maestro’s and MGF’s were first out to practice and on a very wet track it was no surprise to see the front row of the grid taken by the F’s of Ian Evans and Mick Weidner. On row 2 were the Maestro’s of wet weather ace Paul Naish and Jamie Perry. The Maestro of current Championship leader Nick Evans was back in 8th place and had a difficult race ahead.

The weather improved a little and on a drying track it was Naish’s Maestro who led until the end of the opening lap when he spun off into the gravel at Russell corner. His spin promoted Ian Evans’s MGF into the lead from Nick Evans who had made great progress from the 4th row. Nick Evans took the lead on the 3rd lap but all eyes were on Perry who has moved past Ian Evans into 3rd place and was chasing the Maestro of Kevin Bull. Perry got past Bull on the 6th lap and when Nick Evans ran wide onto the wet grass at Coram he gratefully accepted the lead and went on to take a well deserved win after most impressive drive. Ian Evans took Class F honours by a huge margin of 52 seconds from Philip Cook.

Class A

The Class A grid was boosted by the appearance of Historic Formula 2 March driver and Midget preparation specialist Dave Gathercole in the ex-Kelly Mercer 1500 Midget. The very wet track suited the MGB of Roy Clarkson who took pole from the 1500 Midgets of Chris Pollard and Gathercole.

Gathercole made a superb start and soon moved into what looked like a race winning lead but on a very wet track anything could happen. Wet weather aces Paul Naish and Harry Sinclair were fighting hard for 2nd place, these two were some way ahead of Gary Smith, Lorraine Clark, Chris Pollard and Jim Baynam all of whom suffered a variety of spins and grassy excursions. At the flag it Gathercole who took the flag after an excellent drive in treacherous conditions from Naish and Sinclair. In a close run to the line, Pollard took 3rd place from Smith and Clark, the three Midgets crossing the line covered by less than a couple of lengths.

Round 12 – Thruxton

With an apparent Indian summer two days before the meeting it was a foggy start to the day at the fastest circuit in Britain. As it turned out, summer was over as the rain started three races into the meeting.

Class A

As the first cars of the day to venture out on to the circuit the Bs and Midgets just disappeared in to the murk of the morning for qualifying. With fifteen minutes available to set the fastest time the drivers were quick from the off. Pole position fell to Jim Baynam with a great time of 1:40.612 in his MGB which, according to his lap timer, he set on about his third lap. The next five grid positions were occupied by Midgets making the first three rows Baynam (pole), Dave Gathercole, Lorraine Clark, Gary Smith, Christopher Pollard and Paul Naish.

As the cars came out of the collecting area the Championship contender Gary Smith had a transmission problem and was push started and had to start from the pit lane. With the red lights changing to green all the cars made good clean starts to and made the charge round Allard into the first tight right hander at Campbell. It was Baynam that held on to the lead but Gathercole, Clark, Naish and Rae Davis, having made a good start, were all close, trying to get past or capitalise on any mistakes made. The fight continued in a similar vain until lap six. Naish slipped in to second position but then had a problem and retired. The slowing car allowed Clark to pass Gathercole and try to overhaul Baynam. However, as they took the chequered flag it was Baynam who took the win with Clark just 0.030 of a second behind. This close pair were followed through by Gathercole and Davis in their Midgets with the MGB of Jonathan Kimber in fifth position and another Midget of Phil Trott making up the top six.

Gary Smith retired from the race on lap nine and with Lorraine Clark finishing in second she now has the advantage in the lead for the Class A Championship. It is all to play for in the last race at Donington Park.

Class B & F

The qualifying for the Maestro, Montegos and MGFs produced a very close grid again, with the top six cars being separated by just over a second. Nick Evans put his Maestro on pole for Class B closely followed by James Perry and Andy Campbell, again in Maestros. The first Class F MGF was that that of Ian Evans – fourth on the grid overall. Paul Naish (out for the second time after his run in the Class Midget), Nick Golhar and John Devine made up the top six Class B qualifiers while further down the overall grid Michael Weidner, Peter St Barbe, Darryl Davis and Philip Cook made up the Class F runners.

The rain set in as the cars left the collecting area and the race declared as a wet one. In the slippery conditions Campbell made the better start and led as they came round for the first time but was very closely followed by pole sitter Evans, Perry, and John Devine who came up from seventh on the grid. The first of the Class F cars was Ian Evans who slipped to eighth position. The top five places remained constant for eight of the ten laps with all cars nose to tail until Evans pulled a passing move on Campbell and took the lead which he was to hold to take an overall victory and the Class B win. After Evans it was Campbell, Naish, Perry and Cole who made up the top five places overall and in Class B with Ian Evans taking the Sixth overall and the Class F win. With St Barbe and Weidner taking second and third in Class F.

An elated Simon Brynne was pleased to finish the race having started at the back of the grid in his Maestro, he enjoyed his race making up ten places to come in tenth. The unfortunate John Devine ran out of luck on the third lap while laying in fourth had to pull in to the pits and retire after a nut came lose and he lost his windscreen wipes – a wet Thruxton is not good when you cannot see where you are going!

Round 13 – Donington

After a certain amount of pre-event drama, the Donington race went very well and although the grids were a bit on the small side we put on two tremendous races. Nick Evans wrapped up the Championship at Thruxton but Class A was still up for grabs although Gary Smith’s zero score at Thruxton had put Lorraine in a very strong position. It was one of those days when you just felt that anything could happen.

Class A

Class A were first out to practice on a damp and very greasy track that was made undriveable when an oil line broke on Kelly Isherwood’s MGB dumping oil all over the circuit. Dave Amphlett took his first ever pole from Gary Smith with Harry Sinclair and Dave Gathercole on the second row. Lorraine and Paul Naish were on row 3 with Phil Trott and Jim Baynam on row 4. The weather brightened up and the track was dry for the race.

Dave Gathercole stormed away from the start to lead into Redgate from Gary and Lorraine, Jim Baynam had moved up to 4th behind Lorraine after getting a perfect start. It was all very close but there was mayhem at the Old Hairpin when Gary and Lorraine had a heavy coming together, Baynam was held up in the drama and Dave Amphlett moved up into 2nd place. Lorraine recovered well to finish 10th but Gary retired with heavy damage. With Dave Gathercole well out in front the action was between the MGBs of Dave A and Jim Baynam, Who swapped places at least once a lap for the next 11 laps but Jim Baynam managed to hold on to take 2nd place from Dave Gathercole. In a race which Jim described as one of the best he’s ever had.

Class B & F

The Class B/F cars practised straight after Class A, they had a really difficult time with the track resembling an ice rink after the earlier oil spillage. Nick Evans took pole from Jamie Perry with Paul Naish and Andy Campbell on row 2. Row 3 was MGF territory with the lurid green car of Malcolm Gammons just ahead of Ian Evans. It was good to see BTCC race winner Jim Edwards joining in the fun in a Maestro. Darryl Davis was out in the white MGF that failed to finish at Thruxton, he qualified last and was out to prove a point in the race.

Nick Evans was first into Redgate but Jamie Perry led at the end of the first lap from Nick Evans, Ian Evans and Andy Campbell. Jamie lost the lead to the MGF of Ian Evans and those two swapped places for the next 5 laps before Ian dropped back with a problem. It was a fantastic race with all of the top 5 cars leading the race at some time or other. While all the action was going on at the front it was easy to miss the amazing progress of Darryl Davis who was driving the wheels off his MGF. After a stunning race, Jamie Perry took a hard fought win from Darryl with Nick, Andy and Jim Edwards not far behind.

Two great races to finish off what has been another successful season.

Congratulations to the following 2001 Championship winners: