Mallory Park Sunday 22nd May 2022 The Entry and Qualifying.
In contrast to the ferocious heatwave of 2021, this time the sun was there but so were some clouds, making the 2022 event much nicer. An intrepid band of WSSCC competitors made the trip for the Classic and Modern Motorsport Club run meeting. In the paddock we had our first sight of Andrew Barron’s Rover BRM (basically an MG XF under the skin, but renamed to honour the BRM Chassis used to house the Rover Gas Turbine experiment at Le Mans in 1963 & 65 driven by the legends that were Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart) Also new was Darren ‘Daz’ Owen who had a very pretty and very potent spaceframe Ford Escort with 2.4 Duratec engine. Darren, who is well known for his exploits in other cars, was having only his 3rd race with this car, and we have to thank Deri Davies for recommending him to us. Darren recounted the story. ‘I was on holiday in the area and dropped into a Butchers shop in Aberystwyth, which turned out to be Deri Davies shop! We got talking about racing’ he said ‘Why don’t you join the club! So here I am’. Also seen for the first time this year in Class BT was Colin Dunn, (Clio) after sorting out some wiring issues and a dodgy connection, he was at least ready to race. Andrew Williams was using Jason Peards Honda in between getting his own Clio going. Jason broke his leg in a road car accident, so hopefully, he is on the mend. Tyrone Dowsell (Clio) and Verity Banks (Ford Fiesta) completed the Class BT runners. Local lad Todd Garner’s 1.6 Renault Clio was the fastest car in Class BS ahead of Wayne Spiller and Gareth John.
There were several CMCC runners and one of their BMWs coated the track with oil, which put paid on any mega last laps attempts! Darren ‘Daz’ Owen was on pole! The BMW E36 of CMMC member Gavin Dunn was alongside. Todd Garner was 3rd & also Class BS pole winner, with Wayne Spiller 4th Gareth John was on row 3 with CCMC runner Vic Hope alongside. On row 4 it didn’t take Colin Dunn long to get back in the swing and he took the BT Class Pole with CCMC runner Ken Angell alongside.
Andrew Williams (Class BT Honda TypeR ) was on row 5 with CCMC runner Matthew Johnson for company.
Row 6 was an all WSSCC Class BT affair with Tyrone Dowsell (Clio) ahead of Andrew Barron (Rover BRM). Verity Banks was the last BT runner.
The race (WSSCC round 3) – Rolling start – 15 minutes at 12.05
So the pace car lead the pack around and it was Darren in the Escort that emerged as the leader with the BMW E36 of CMMC member Gavin Dunn in 2nd place. However, Darren’s tenure in the lead was short-lived, for although he set the FTD at 50.401 on the way, he only lasted 5 laps in the lead and then drifted down and then out of the race on lap7, but had done enough to earn himself the ‘Driver of the Race Award! Verity Banks was already out, having stopped at the end of the first corner! So the BMW E36 of CMMC member Gavin Dunn took over the lead he was not to give up. Local lad and WSSCC Class BS points scorer Todd Garner was in 2nd and had wisely chosen to use his Joker! Gareth John tried hard to catch Todd but admitted he could not catch him. Behind Gareth, Wayne Spiller drove his Flame-spitting Mazda hard and kept Gareth honest, finishing only 2.36 seconds behind at the end! CMMC members Ken Angell and Vic Hope (Honda Type R) had a great race in 5th & 6th place. Class BT cars made up the rest of the finishers, with Colin Dunn taking the BT win, ahead of Andrew Williams (Honda Type R) (Two Hondas in the top 10 – and 3 Clios -somebody may read that and weep!) Tyrone Dowsell (Clio) and Andrew Barron (Rover) were the final finishers!
The race (WSSCC round 4) – Rolling start – 15 minutes
In the lunch interval, we had lost Gavin Dunn and Andrew Barron but had re-gained Verity Banks, so it was only 10 starters that made the grid but it showed there can still be some great racing. So the pace car lead the pack around and it was Todd Garner on Pole with Gareth John 2nd and Wayne Spiller 3rd CMMC members Ken Angell and Vic Hope looked set for another classic dice ahead of the Class BT runners of Colin Dunn (now playing his joker) Andrew Williams, Tyrone Dowsell and Verity Banks. Darren Owen in the Escort started last. From the lights, Todd Garner took a lead he was never to lose. Gareth John kept him in sight for a while but then had Wayne Spiller keeping him honest. Darren Owen made up to 3rd by lap 4 but then pulled off again. (He said it was nothing serious and he hoped to join us again at Donington Park!) CMMC members Ken Angell and Vic Hope had another great race, whilst Colin Dunn made the most of his joker but Andrew Williams kept him in sight. Tyrone Dowsell was 3d in BT whilst Verity Banks got some mileage out of the Ford Fiesta. So the race ran to a close and Todd Garner made it a full race win! Not only that, but he also took the Class BS 1st in Class award and also ‘Driver of the Race’ award, and a special Winners trophy from the event organisers. Just as well his dad bought a big family SUV!
With Todd & Colin using their Joker cards, the points will make some interesting reading!
All the results are on https://www.tsl-timing.com/file/?f=SPECIAL/2022/222091wss.pdf