Sports/Saloon Car Championship – Rounds 9/10 Anglesey

ROSE & SPENCER SHARE ANGLESEY TOP SPOT

Paul Rose’s Saker had mastered the wet conditions in the first race to take victory, but after a broken driveshaft at the start of race two saw him collected by chasing cars, Joe Spencer’s Locosaki was a lights to flag winner.

Qualifying was wet from the start on Saturday but Spencer mastered the conditions and put his Locosaki on pole by 0.688secs over Garry Watson’s Westfield. “Brilliant, loads of grip and I loved it,” said Spencer. “I was off track three times looking for grip,” Watson countered. Paul Rose’s Saker headed the second row, “no dramas,” he confirmed. But he had a delighted Garry Wardle alongside in his Ginetta G50. “Really enjoyed that,” he said.

Danny Bird’s Pell Genesis was next quickest, with Steve Harris in the second Saker alongside. “I couldn’t see so did my laps and came in,” he explained. Seventh best was Chris Maries, out for the first time in the wet with his MK Indy. “It was wonderful, very pleased and the engine was beautiful,” he said. Oliver Thomas’ Subaru Impreza was next but struggled with vision too. “I was a good session but I steamed up,” he confirmed. Mike Hurst’s Seat Leon Cupra and Paul Rotheroe’s Citroen Xsara completed the top ten. “The car’s really going well now,” said Hurst. “I just built up a rhythm and took no risks, then got quicker at the end,” Rotheroe added after claiming class pole.

Paul Dobson’s Mazda RX7 was further down than expected in 11th. “The front splitter bracket broke so I stayed in when it was red flagged,” he explained. Back for a one-off with the second Locosaki was David Fuller, just edging out Richard Roundell’s Vectra for 12th, “everything felt spot on, so no heroics or dramas,” said Roundell.

“All was well” with Jamie Cryer’s Ginetta G20 and Piers Grange was “happy enough” with his Escort. Noise problems caused Steven Parker some pre session drama, but the changes made to the exhaust to comply also lost him power in his BMW Compact. Nicholas Bartlett’s BMW M3 headed the ninth row from James Aukland, making his first appearance of the season in his trusty Capri. “Incident free,” Aukland acclaimed.

The Honda’s of Steve Rowles (Integra) and Jason Hennefer (Prelude) were just behind. “I steamed up so came in as I couldn’t see,” said Rowles. “It was my first time in wet with this car, so an apprehensive start then it was Ok,” Hennefer added. Tim Foxlow was also cautious on his first Anglesey visit in his Escort Mk1. “Interesting, but I could hardly see, so pulled in too,” he said. Alistair Chilton’s MK was next with a disappointed Les Kirk a fraction behind. “Rubbish, I was like a mobile chicane,” Kirk admitted.

Graeme Laslett’s Lotus Elise was also struggling. “I was a mobile chicane, spun at the last turn and stalled, then Joe Spencer hit me when it was red flagged,” he explained. Ralph Underwood’s TR7 V8 and the Fiesta’s of Helen and Brian Allen completed the 27 car line-up.

RACE ONE

The conditions hadn’t improved by race time but everyone made the start.

Spencer and Watson not surprisingly sped away as the lights went out, but a 2.4 second lead after the opening lap was a surprise to Spencer too. “I had wheelspin but got the lead over Garry, then looked in my mirrors and he was missing,” he explained. “I didn’t have a bad start but there was oil down. I was tentative but could see Joe sliding, then he started to get away. I pushed on a bit and exiting the last turn the back whipped around and I was nearly into the pitwall,” Watson replied.

The oil had come from Maries’ MK. “It was OK then lost oil pressure on the grid, so I pulled a way gently but an oil pipe had split,” he explained. Wardle was therefore through into second, from Bird, Rose, the recovering Watson and Harris. “I had false started though and got a penalty for it,” Wardle admitted.

But having ousted Bird in to the Hairpin on lap two, Rose was soon reeling in Wardle. “I was alongside him going into the Hairpin and got him on the exit,” said Rose. While Bird continued to hold onto fourth, Harris had made it to fifth on the second lap, before pitting, “I was steamed up on the grid and it just got worse and I could hardly see,” he explained. Watson was therefore was back into fifth and closing, but behind him Rotheroe had Dobson and Roundell in pursuit. Front wheel drive was a real advantage in the wet, but when I caught backmarkers Dobson got alongside into Rocket. I was off line and both he and Roundell got me,” he admitted.

Parker had managed to distance himself in ninth, as Aukland and Cryer with Hennefer looking on had Rowles closing too. “It was all going OK and then I saw Paul’s headlights,” said Spencer. “It took a while to catch him though,” said Rose after surging ahead passed the pits on lap eight and building a seven second advantage in the remaining laps. Watson still made it to the podium too. “I got Bird on the fourth lap and then Wardle when he outbraked himself at Rocket two laps later, he said.

Despite losing a couple of places Wardle was still delighted with fourth, as was Bird in fifth. “It was just nice passing the Saker’s at the start,” Bird admitted. Dobson eventually escaped from his earlier battle for a secure sixth, “decent progress, lots of sideways and had Roundell all over me for a while, but got away,” he said. Roundell was still seventh though, having gapped Rotheroe. “That was so good I just didn’t want it to stop,” admitted the Vectra driver. Parker followed Rotheroe home in ninth. “Richard went passed me through Church as if I was standing still, after that I was on my own,” said Parker.

Despite starting from the pitlane Thomas made it into the top ten four laps from home. “It wouldn’t start in assmebly and then Kirk spun on the second lap, Grange hit him and and then I hit Piers, but I was still catching at the end,” he enthused. Rowles had managed to oust the duelling Cryer and Hennefer and was catching Aukland when he pitted after 11 laps. “Jason got me at the Hairpin early on and I didn’t expect it, I got him back and Jamie Cryer and was busy with Aukland, when I spun. I wasn’t even going that quick. The back end just went so two slow laps and I pitted,” he explained.

Aukland finally settled in 11th, “I was plannng to go steady but that went after one lap and I nearly lost it. I was comfy in 10th too until Oliver got me at Rocket,” he said. Hennefer was next home from Cryer, “I was stuggling to keep up with those front wheel drive cars,” Cryer admitted. Fuller elected to start from the pitlane but climbed back to 14th, while Harris trundled to the finish taking Foxlow and Bartlett for 15th a lap from home. A great duel with Nick, loved it,” said Foxlow.

Laslett, Kirk, Underwood and Helen Allen completed the finishes. It was just dogged determination,” Helen admitted. Husband Brian and Mike Hurst both pitted after the opening lap as they couldn’t see, while Grange also retired when his throttle linkage broke.

RESULTS

1 Paul Rose (Saker RAPX) 18 laps in 21m12.550s (70.15mph); 2 Joe Spencer (Stuart Taylor Locosaki) +7.578s; 3 Garry Watson (Westfield SEW); 4 Garry Wardle (Ginetta G50); 5 Danny Bird (Pell Genesis); 6 Paul Dobson (Mazda RX7); 7 Richard Roundell (Vauxhall Vectra); 8 Paul Rotheroe (Citroen Xsara); 9 Steven Parker (BMW Compact); 10 Oliver Thomas (Subaru Impreza).

Class A: 1 Rose; 2 Wardle; 3 James Aukland (Ford Capri); 4 Steve Harris (Saker RAPX); no other starters.

Class B: 1 Watson; 2 Tim Foxlow (Ford Escort RSR); no other finishers.

Class C: 1 Spencer; 2 Bird; 3 David Fuller (Stuart Taylor Locosaki}; 4 Alastair Chilton (MK GTi); 5 Les Kirk (Fisher Fury); no other starters.

Class D: 1 Dobson; 2 Thomas; 3 Ralph Underwood (Triumph TR7 V8); no other finishers.

Class E: 1 Roundell; 2 Rotheroe; 3 Parker; 4 Jason Hennefer (Honda Prelude); 5 Jamie Cryer (Ginetta G20); 6 Nicholas Bartlett (BMW M3); 7 Graeme Laslett (Lotus Elise).

Class F: 1 Helen Allen (Ford Fiesta Zetec); no other finishers.

Fastest lap: Rose 1m17.959s (71.57mph).

SUNDAY QUALIFYING

The rain had gone and the track was almost dry which gave Rose the opportunity to secure pole, 0.735 secs ahead of Spencer. “We had a problem with the water sensor though and the ECU kept cutting out, but I got a good clear lap at the end,” said the poleman. “There were a few damp patches though and I was on a good lap when I put a wheel off at the Corkscrew,” Spencer added. Watson was third best, “still too much understeer and not enough grip,” he reckoned.

With visibility restored, Harris was next up, “OK just!” he said. While Dobson was back to normal pace too in fifth on the dry track, “simple and straight forward with slight understeer,” Dobson diagnosed as Wardle lined up alongside. Hurst too was back on form, “all good again and pleased it’s dry,” he said. “Kirk was up in eighth, “my mojo returned, so pleased as punch,” he reckoned. With new tyres on the Locosaki Fuller had a a good run too, “much better too and then I followed Joe’s example and hit Laslett’s Lotus,” he admitted.

Completing the top ten Foxlow could start learning the circuit. “Now I can see what I am doing I am much happier,” he said. Despite being dry now, Rotheroe also qualified well, heading the sixth row from Maries. “I found it a bit slippery on slicks though, didn’t seem as quick as I went either, “ he said. Maries had also fixed his oil pipe but kept a close eye on his gauges throughout the session.

Parker was “fine once I got used to the slicks and the track condition,” he said. But Cryer had a “moment” spinning at the Corkscrew before go quicker on his last lap. There was a 360 for Aukland at Rocket too, while Rowles found his Integra, “still all over the place.” Hennefer spun too at Turn One, “360 and same problem I had before, heat in the rear tyres,” he said.

Grange had the throttle link break again so was well down in 18th while Roundell was back with his feet on the ground after the previous day’s euphoria. “It wasn’t as good as I expected and I spun at Church too chasing Jamie,” he admitted. There were problems for Thomas too. “Terrible I had power steering fluid all over the screen,” he said. Bartlett headed the next row with Dave Chilton back in the family MK, “I think I chose the best day,” he said.

Underwood saved his best until last but Bird only managed one lap and was down in 24th. “I was flat out and it turned left at Rocket and I spun and same again in Turn One,” he explained. Laslett was in the wars too after Fuller hit him at Turn One and broke a track rod end. Helen Allen wasn’t far behind him while Brian completed the 27 car line up again.

RACE TWO

Spencer made another good get away, but with Laslett heading to the paddock before the start poleman Rose then broke a driveshaft as he left the grid, and was collected by Bird and Roundell, bringing out the red flags.

From the restart Spencer was adjudged to have been too eager and collected a penalty. He led out of Turn One, from Watson, Harris, Wardle, Dobson, Kirk and Hurst, before Maries surged ahead of Kirk through Church, having already demoted Hurst.

The top three quickly broke clear, while Dobson pursued Wardle for fourth, from Maries, while Kirk had Foxlow pressing him for seventh too. Dobson made it into fourth at the Corkscrew but couldn’t shake-off Wardle. But having fallen back from Kirk, Foxlow lost a further place exiting the final Turn on lap three to Hurst, before Parker and Fuller followed a lap later.

It was looking cut and dried at the front until Watson suddenly peeled off into paddock after five laps. “Something in the drive was making noises so I came in rather than trash it,” he explained. It was fairly easy for Spencer as he lapped all but second placed Harris with a lap to go. “I had been able to see Garry up into Rocket, after he had gone I just had to be careful through traffic,” he said.

“I just couldn’t go any quicker,” Harris admitted from a lonely second. Third however went down to the final corner, with Wardle having retaken Dobson two laps from the flag. “I was catching Dobbo in the corners under braking but got him again at Church. He still got alongside and we touched but I decided he wasn’t coming back again,” said Wardle. “I tried to get him back and attempted to follow Joe through when he lapped us, but it didn’t work,” Dobson admitted.

Fuller worked his way through to sixth before snatching fifth from Kirk on the last lap. “Les made it hard for me but I lined him up for a few laps and just went for it,” he said. “Just awesome with David, I made a mistake then he did and he got the inside through Church,” Kirk replied. Maries had been up to fifth but faded during the second half, I Just needed to finish really so backed off,” he explained. Hurst was then left in a solitary seventh, “they just got away and it’s hard to get back,” he reckoned. It was fairly lonely for Parker in eighth too, while Grange made steady progress and shook off Rotheroe after an early duel to retain ninth,

A delighted Foxlow completed the top ten, but more importantly took his first class win. “It was good in the mix but I had to be sensible,” he said. Maries finally came in 11th followed by Rotheroe. “I had kept up Ok but had vibration, after a good battle with Grange and Foxlow,” said the Xsara driver.

Rowles, Hennefer and Cryer spent much of the race fighting with each other, Rowles led the trio, but had to pit when his rear bumper came adrift after an earlier contact. “Not my weekend really,” he concluded. But from the trio Hennefer was the only survivor, as having finally broke the tow, Cryer’s race ended in a last lap disaster. “The cooling fan shattered and snapped the throttle cable, before a piece wedged between the drive pulley and block, all because I missed a gear. Up to then it was brilliant,” he said.

Chilton was next home and comfortably clear of a race long duel between Bartlett and Underwood. There were a number of changes before Bartlett got clear, “we kept changing and then he didn’t give it back,” said Underwood. Helen Allen finished a lap up on Brian, while Thomas retired 13th place after eight laps when it cut out and then restarted with vibration. Aukland also departed a lap earlier, lying 16th when his clutch went.

RESULTS

1 Spencer 18 laps in 21m26.178s (78.09mph); 2 Harris +20.525s; 3 Wardle; 4 Dobson; 5 Fuller; 6 Kirk; 7 Mike Hurst (Seat Leon Cupra); 8 Parker; 9 Piers Grange (Ford Escort Mk2); 10 Foxlow.

Class A: 1 Harris; 2 Wardle; no other finishers.

Class B: 1 Foxlow; 2 Chris Maries (MK Indy); no other finishers.

Class C: 1 Spencer; 2 Fuller 3 Kirk; 4 Dave Chilton (MK GTi); no other finishers.

Class D: 1 Dobson; 2 Hurst; 3 Underwood; no other finishers.

Class E: 1 Parker; 2 Grange; 3 Rotheroe; 4 Hennefer; 5 Bartlett; no other finishers.

Class F: 1 Helen Allen; 2 Brian Allen (Ford Fiesta XR2i); no other starters.

Fastest lap: Watson 1m08.942s (80.93mph).

Latest Points Positions : 1 Joe Spencer 88
2 Paul Dobson 86
3 Paul Rose 83 J 4 Piers Grange 68 J 5 Clive Dix 67 J 6 Steve Parker 66
7 Garry Watson 64
8 Paul Rotheroe 60 J 9 Steve Harris 53
10 Dave Harvey 52

Published by Peter Scherer for BARC NW, September 6th, 2016