Porsches and Minis are the contrast at the Castle Combe Circuit’s next Bank Holiday meeting on Monday May 1 but it’s the local Formula Ford Championship where much attention is focused on the duel between two drivers.
A pair of race wins at the Easter Monday meeting have propelled lap record holder Matt Rivett to the top of the points chart of the Melton Concrete Products Formula Ford 1600 championship, with his arch rival and former champion, Ed Moore from Bradford on Avon languishing at the bottom, having failed to finish a race this year.
Rivett and Moore were neck and neck in the first race last time with nothing to choose between them. Unfortunately, engine failure for Moore’s Van Diemen deprived everyone of a cracking finale to the closely fought battle, also eliminating Moore from the second race too, his only consolation being a single point for fastest lap.
Rivett went on to dominate the second race and is already looking in a strong position. Nevertheless, Chepstow’s Nick Jones from the Gloucester based Kevin Mills team scored two second places last time and is only 5 points adrift.
Newbury’s Pat Blakeney is also well in contention, having claimed fastest lap in the second race at Easter, finishing a superb 5th from the back of the grid in his Vector.
Then there is a group of drivers who are so closely matched any of them could shine through. Saltford’s Steven Jensen, Stroud drivers Brian Soule and Paul Barnes, Bath’s Bob Higgins and Bratton’s Ben Norton are all within tenths of a second of each other, making for the closest racing possible.
Bath’s Chris Acton continues to defy the laws of physics with his elderly Reynard, again easily winning the Pre ‘90 class last time and right on the back of the aforementioned group.
It’s a four wheel drive versus two wheel drive battle in the National Mobile Windscreens Saloon Car Championship. So far its one all, but the 4WD brigade grows with every meeting.
Another convert is Atworth’s Robert Ballard who has a potent Mitsubishi Evo RS7 to replace his Astra and will be looking to challenge the likes of Nailsworth’s Keith Murray in the Audi A4 and Gary Prebble with the outdated but still very quick Rover Turbo.
Former champion, Tim Hanlon from Holt will be hoping to debut his new SEAT Ibiza Cupra after early season teething troubles.
Bath’s Guy Woodward will be looking to beat his team mate in the savesometax.co.uk Castle Combe Special GT Championship. The Jades are currently the fastest devices at the Wiltshire circuit, but Woodward’s car is now slightly outdated compared with the latest Nissan engined example from lap record holder Tony Sinclair. Nevertheless Woodward took a strong second at the last meeting despite having no brakes for the last few laps!
Bristol drivers Tony Michael and Thomas Richardson are doing a good job sharing their Nemesis and Westfield cars at alternate meetings.
The Michelin Porsche Open series has two races for a variety of Porsches split between classes based on the cars weight and power output. Traditionally super dominant is Richard Chamberlain in his awesomely powerful 993. Portishead’s Keith Butcher is the local representative and finished 4th last year in his 996 GT3 RS.
Slightly less outrageous is the Michelin Porsche Club Championship. This caters for production Porsches with relatively few modifications, divided into three classes, with all ages and types scattered throughout.
Mini racing is something of an institution at Castle Combe, so the Dunlop shod Mini Se7ens and Miglias will receive their usual warm welcome from the crowds, keen to witness their amazing slip-streaming antics.
Finally, the Dunlop Tuscan Challenge features a wide variety of TVRs, including the ferociously powerful Tuscans themselves as well as the latest Sagaris and older Tasmins.
Monday's action starts at 8.40 am with qualifying, racing getting under way from 11:50am.
Admission prices are £15 for adults, £7-50 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
