Sports/Saloon Car Championship – Oulton Park Rounds 7-8

PREVIEW

A short sharp season comes to its conclusion this weekend, when the final double-header takes place at Oulton Park.

In the last rounds at Oulton Paul Woolfitt’s Lotus Exige was a double winner, the first driver to win two races this year. But this weekend Woolfitt will be up against the Saker trio of Paul Rose, Steve Harris and David “Scrappy” Clark. Rose having won the opening Cadwell Park round, before Fun Cup duties kept him away. Also in class A is Fun Cupper Andy Bicknell, who debuted his Ginetta G50 at Cadwell with a class win in the second race.

It’s four out of six wins for Luke Armiger’s Vauxhall Tigra in class B, including an overall win at Donington. His only failure was when a driveshaft went in race two at Cadwell. Paul Dobson started in July with a win and a second overall at Cadwell, netting class wins in his Locost Mazda. But after his practice clash with Jon Woolfitt at Donington, he’s been struggling. Woolfitt has had three podiums, after changing to his Spire for this season. The rest of Class B is made up of Tim Foxlow’s Escort RSR Mk1, which had a good run last time out after a troublesome Donington and Robert Wakelin who debuted at Donington too, with his newly built Peugeot 205.

Class C has been struggling for numbers, so it’s good to see four starters. Danny Bird’s Spire is unbeaten in the class and has had three overall podiums too. He’s up against Bruce Carter’s MG Midget and Gary Warburton’s Mini Miglia, as well as Chris Grimes who will be paying tribute to the late Les Kirk, with the trusty old Fisher Fury.

Class D has a full quota with Garry Wardle’s Porsche 911 GT3 the pacesetter. He’s had four class wins and was third overall in both Donington races. Allan Davies’ BMW ran strongly when he came out at Donington and Andrew Smith took a class win last time out in his VW Beetle. Oliver Thomas has been missing so far this season in his Subaru Impreza, while Mike Nash was back in action in the last rounds at Oulton with his Seat Supercopa. David Jones is entered in his Ford Focus again, rather than his Honda S2000 and Riccy Walker is out in his JCW Mini, having made his race debut at Cadwell.

No one has got near Jamie Cryer’s Ginetta G20 in class E, so having just missed out on the title in 2018, could this be his year? He’s had two top six finishes overall too. He has more competition than most, as Connor Modro is out in his Ford Focus and the Honda’s of Kevin Smiles, Chris Maries, Ian Bruce and Ben Griffiths will be in contention. Rob Phillips is entered with his Clio, along with Peter Koukoulas’ MR2 and Brian Allen’s Puma. Jamie Martin, whose daughter Olivia will be in the Junior Saloons has his Golf Gti, but is a reserve, as is Griffiths.

Guy Carter’s Honda CRX won both races at Cadwell and Donington in class F, but it was a double win for David Green’s Honda Civic last time out. They have Graeme Smith’s Mazda MX5, Richard Roundell’s BMW 116 shopping car and Helen Allen’s Fiesta Zetec up against them, along with the return of XR Challenger Jason Hennefer with his XR3i.

Qualifying is at 9.30am for 20 minutes, with race one 11.45 and race two 15.05, both for 20 minutes plus a lap.

Peter Scherer