Oulton Park to host rounds 5 & 6 09 Sep 20

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Sports/Saloon Car Championship – Oulton Park Rounds 5 & 6

DAVE SIMPSON TROPHY PREVIEW

Unusually it’s September and this weekend’s visit of the CNC Heads Sports Saloons to Oulton Park, will be the first this season at the home track.

Hopefully the high rate of casualties from Donington last time out has been sorted and everyone will be fit for racing again. Ric Wood is due out again in his Swedish Touring Car Kia Optima, debuted in the first race at Donington with a win. He has two rivals in class A, with both Paul Woolfitt’s Lotus Exige and Piers Grange’s Ford Escort Mk1 RSR, both casualties in the first of the Donington races.

Jon Woolfitt’s Spire didn’t even make the start of race one at Donington, after substantial damage when Paul Dobson’s Locost lost it at Redgate. Dobson repaired his Locost, but an engine failure and resultant off caused considerable damage too. On the other hand it was a great weekend for Luke Armiger. His “built in a shed” Vauxhall Tigra won the second race at Donington after chasing Wood to the flag in the first.

Tony Ellis was delighted with Mazda rotary powered Gemini Elva and will be looking for another stirring race this weekend, while both Rob Wakelin and Tim Foxlow will both be looking for improvement. Wakelin was out in his Peugeot 205 for the first time at Donington and had a great duel with Connor Modro’s Ford Focus.

Foxlow had a good opening race too with Grange and Jamie Cryer, but car problems saw him heading home early, after he departed the scene at Starkeys Bridge. For the first time this season Danny Bird’s Spire will have company in Class C, with Dave Harvey’s Stuart Taylor Locosaki due out for a seasonal debut.

There are nine entries in class D. where Ian Burrows is due out for the first time this season in his Toyota Celica. Oliver Thomas’ Subaru Impreza and Mike Nash’s Seat Supercopa were both withdrawn from the Donington entry, but will hopefully be out this weekend. Garry Wardle is due out in his ex Carrera Cup Porsche GT3, after a promising Donington, while the experienced Mark Burton is out again in the ex Playstation Academy Nissan 370. Ralph Underwood’s TR7 V8 had problems at Donington too, so it’s wait and see for this weekend, while Andrew Smith’s VW Beetle had problems too but ran well in both inside the top six. Bob Claxton is due in his VW Golf Gti along with Riccy Walker, who debuted his ex Mini Challenge R56 JCW at Cadwell.

There are 10 to choose from in class E, with Cryer’s Ginetta G20 leading the way. The Clio’s of Rob Phillips and Angus Eddowes, missed Donington but are due on the grid this weekend. Modro gets stronger and stronger and should be near the head of the class and Ian Bruce’s Honda Civic Type R had a good Donington, having sat out the Cadwell rounds. Chris Maries is back with his Civic too and David Jones is trying again with his Honda S2000, having withdrawn after qualifying at Donington, due to handling problems. Peter Koukoulas continues with his Toyota MR2 and Brian Allen completes the class in his Ford Puma.

With Class F front runner Guy Carter absent with his Honda CRX, the class is fairly wide open. Choose from Graeme Smith’s Mazda MX5 or David Green’s Honda Civic, but both Richard Roundell’s shopping car BMW 1 series and Helen Allen’s Fiesta Zetec will be out there too, along with Colin Flynn’s Mini Cooper.

The prestigious Dave Simpson Trophy will be competed for in the first race. The aim is to win your class by the greatest speed differential, assuming there are at least three starters in the class. Unfortunately with only two starters in Class C, last year’s winner Dave Harvey will not be going home with the trophy!

Qualifying in 9.40 until 10.00 with race one at 11.55 and the second at 15.30 both 20 minutes plus one lap.