The Castle Combe Circuit’s most coveted championship title is to be decided at the Wiltshire track’s penultimate meeting of the season on August Bank Holiday Monday.
The final two rounds of the Melton Concrete Products Formula Ford 1600 Championship will be fought out at the Lux Traffic Controls Raceday, with local driver, Chippenham’s Tim Reynolds, heading the points table.
After one of the hottest championship contests, Reynolds leads his title rival, Pat Blakeney, by eight points, but with a potential 62 available, there are another 7 drivers who could, theoretically, still beat him.
In reality though, the battle is very much between Reynolds and Blakeney, though a coming together between them could put Chepstow’s Nick Jones or possibly Stroud’s Paul Barnes into the equation.
Intriguingly, Reynolds, Jones and Barnes are all team mates in the hugely successful Kevin Mills Racing Team from Gloucester, yet the rivalry is so intense it’s unlikely they will be assisting each other too much!
From Reynolds’s point of view, two finishes, just behind Blakeney, should be enough to give him his first title, so tactical driving could well be the team orders.
Bratton’s Ben Norton has already clinched Class C for Pre ’90 cars in his Swift FB89 and is not completely out of contention for the overall title.
Saltford’s Steven Jensen and Castle Combe’s Andy Jones have endured difficult seasons and will be looking for smooth runs to round out their year.
The remaining wild card is Bradford On Avon’s Ed Moore, a likely outright winner in his Van Diemen RF01, but realistically out of contention to retain his championship title, having missed a few rounds this year. After walking away with the last race though, he could well rub salt into the wounds of his rivals as the local Formula Ford year draws to a close.
Much of the remainder of the programme has an Italian flavour to it. As well as two races for Ferraris, the Alfa Romeo championship and the Fiat Racing Challenge add to the Latin element.
Local drivers include Graham and Mike Reeder from Pewsey in the Pirelli Maranello Ferrari Challenge. Graham currently lies 3rd in the series in his 360 and is always fast at Castle Combe. Colin Campbell from Gloucester is in the Ferrari Formula Classic with his 246 GT and Jason Greatrex from Cardiff is always a potential winner in his Uno.
Nailsworth’s Keith Murray tied up Class A of the National Mobile Windscreens Saloon Car Championship long ago in his Audi A4 Quattro, but the quest for the overall title will probably remain until the final round in October.
The former hillclimb and sprint ace has a slender one point lead over class C leader, Russell Poynter-Brown, who effectively has no competition in his class.
Bristolian Mark Wyatt is still the man most likely to beat the Audi with his gorgeous Interceptor Astra 2.0 litre, beating him to pole last time, but again missing out at the start.
Weston Super Mare’s Steve Turvey has no such traction problems with his Subaru Impreza, claiming second in the last race.
Bristol’s Terry Thorne is gradually easing his unique Focus RS up the results each time, whilst the Astra of Atworth’s Rob Ballard needs to recover some of its early season form. Bath’s Michael Richardson debuts one of the increasingly popular BMW M3s.
‘Mad’ Tony Macwhirter from Cardiff has the speed, but will need two trouble free finishes in the Corsa to claw back his points deficit in Class B. Westbury’s Tony Pharo is one point ahead of him in the ex-Tim Hanlon 205 Gti.
The Castle Combe Special GT championship saw Bath’s Guy Woodward take another outright victory last time in the Mowbray Woodwards Jade Trackstar, leaving him 7 points clear of Dodington’s Derek Gore at the head of Class A.
Salisbury’s Nigel Mustill has added yet more variety to the grid with his new 5.7 litre Opel Omega V8 Star, the mighty machine winning class D on its debut last time. The Ferrari F355 of Castle Combe’s Keith Sprules will have its work cut out from now on.
The Ford Fiesta championship race completes the programme.
Monday's action starts at 8.35 am with qualifying, racing getting under way from 1.00 pm.
Admission prices are £12 for adults, £6 for OAPs, £2-50 for paddock transfer, whilst accompanied children under 15 are admitted free.
For further information, visit the Castle Combe Circuit website on www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk built by Racecar
