The traditional season ending Melton Concrete Products Formula Ford 1600 Carnival rounds off the year at the Castle Combe Circuit on Saturday 4th October, with a young West Country driver looking to make history.
Having already won the circuit’s 2008 Melton Concrete Products Formula Ford Championship, Josh Fisher, from Bridgwater, is hoping to become the first person to win two championships at the same circuit in the same year.
Fisher’s task in the savesometax.co.uk Castle Combe Special GT Championship is a tricky one as he has a four point deficit to Westbury’s Shane Marshall, the reigning Class B champion from 2007.
To take the title, Fisher needs to win his class and set the fastest lap, a task he has found comparatively easy in this his debut season in a sports car, a relatively underpowered Mantis Supersport. Additionally, Fisher has to hope that reliability comes into the equation, as Marshall has won Class A on every outing this year in his Chrysler powered Jade.
Bath’s Guy Woodward could have some say on the outcome, the veteran able to push Marshall when his own Jade is working to his liking.
Theoretically also in with a chance is Trowbridge’s Mark Funnell, just 6 points adrift of Marshall despite non-scoring at two rounds. Like his overall rivals, his class is already in the bag, so the Exige driver can only do his usual best and hope that Marshall and Fisher hit trouble.
Also to be decided is the National Mobile Windscreens Saloon Car Championship, with two local youngsters from the smallest class within four points of each other.
Chippenham’s William Di Claudio has the mathematical advantage and has already experienced the pressure of a championship showdown, assisting his Turnpike Racing team-mate, Tony Hutchings, to his second title last year by winning Class D with his Peugeot, so denying Hutchings’ main opponent.
This year, the 106 has had new opposition in the form of rookie Jason Cooper from Yatton Keynell, the 19 year old wringing the absolute maximum from his Fiesta and establishing himself as a wet weather maestro. However, despite Cooper’s recent hike in engine power, his points deficit means he will need Di Claudio to finish lower than 6th, an unlikely occurrence unless mechanical reliability plays its part.
Bristol’s Nick Mizen has already clinched Class C with his MG ZR, but Yate’s Nick Charles has been the fastest man on the track recently in his rapid 106.
Class B is still to be fought over by Bristol’s Mark Wyatt, the Astra driver just one point ahead of Bridgwater’s Tony Dolley in the Peugeot 206.
Cheltenham’s Laurence Kirby has the glory of a stunning new lap record with his Lancer Evo 8 with competition from the likes of Melksham’s Simon Norris and 2008 Class A winner, Barry Squibb in their similar cars.
As if that were not enough, there is the final round of the Melton Concrete Products Formula Ford Championship. Whilst the overall and class titles have been decided, there are still some places to be sorted further down, notably the battle for second place in Class A between Bratton’s Ben Norton and Castle Combe’s Andrew Jones, Norton just one point ahead. It’s a similar situation in class B, between Bradford on Avon’s David Vivian and Warminster’s Jonathan Hoad, Vivian having the single point advantage. Younger Fisher brother, Felix, tied up his Class B crown long ago and will be focusing on outright victory this time.
Many of the other drivers will also be racing just for fun and as a pre-cursor to the season ending Carnival where teams from England, Ireland,Scotland and Wales also uphold their country’s honours.
Saltford’s Steven Jensen, the 2007 Class B champion, is getting on top of the new Swift Cooper, Chippenham’s Tim Reynolds has one of his occasional outings in the Kevin Mills Racing Swift, Bath’s Chris Acton debuts his new Ray GRS08, Nelson Rowe from Wotton Under Edge has his Van Diemen RF99 and Chepstow’s Nick Jones makes a comeback in the Pre 90 class in a Van Diemen RF89. Having his last ever race is veteran circuit racing school instructor Roly Hamblin from Bristol.
Yet more interest to this action packed finale comes in the form of four more races, mainly for classic saloons and sports cars. The biggest entry is for the 40 minute Classic Sports Car Club’s Swinging 60’s enduro, Frome’s Andy Vowell up against stiff Sprite opposition in his Triumph Spitfire. Bristol’s Joe Phillips has his MGB in Class C.
Castle Combe Racing Club’s Steve Burns from Chippenham, shares Mike Eickmeyer’s Porsche 911 SC in the 40 minute Zircotec Future Classics race, Malmesbury’s Anthony and Edward Cooper out in a Nova GSi in the CSCC Tin Tops section of that race. Completing the busy day is the Jaguar Saloon Championship race.
Saturday's action starts at 8.40 am with qualifying, the Tour de Combe cycle race getting under way at 12.15 pm and the first car race at 13.00.
Admission prices are £12 for adults, £6.00 for OAPs, £2.50 for Paddock Transfer, whilst accompanied children under 16 are admitted free.
For further information, visit the Castle Combe Circuit website on www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk
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