There’s a saloon and single seater extravaganza at the Castle Combe Circuit’s Spring Bank Holiday Monday meeting on May 29.
Reliving the days of ‘Formula Libre’ where almost any kind of car could compete in the same race, the circuit is holding two ten lap races for the Castle Combe Racing Open Single Seaters and Open Sports/Saloon Cars.
A variety of cars are eligible and anticipated, as the usual entry fee has been cut to a bargain price, encouraging drivers competing in other races that day to join in the fun and compete for the trophies on offer to the podium finishers.
In the Open Sports/Saloon race, the faster cars from the circuit’s National Mobile Windscreens Saloon Car Championship will be mixing it with the saloons and sports cars from the savesometax.co.uk Castle Combe Special GTs.
The single seater race will have an eclectic mix of Formula Ford, Formula 3, motorcycle engined cars and Formula Vauxhalls.
The circuit’s Melton Concrete Products Formula Ford 1600 championship is developing into a fascinating battle between former Pre ’90 champion, Matt Rivett from Calne and former outright champion, Ed Moore, from Bradford on Avon.
The pair have yet to complete a full race distance head to head, so the jury is still out on who can beat who in a straight fight from start to finish. Moore believes he is unbeatable when things go his way, proclaiming ‘the boss is back’ after his win at the last round. Rivett on the other hand has expressed similar confidence in his ability to beat Moore, so it will be interesting to see what transpires this time, especially as quick Worcester driver, Justin Dawkins is joining in with his Ray GRS05.
The supporting cast in this drama include the talents of Chepstow’s Nick Jones and Saltford’s Steven Jensen from the Gloucester based Kevin Mills team, Newbury’s Pat Blakeney, Stroud drivers Brian Soule and Paul Barnes, Bath’s Bob Higgins and Bratton’s Ben Norton. All of these drivers are incredibly evenly matched and any one of them could shine through.
Bath’s Chris Acton is the undoubted king of the Pre ’90 class and able to humble the modern runners, especially if it rains.
Experiencing how the other half lives is Castle Combe Racing Club organiser, Steve Burns, having a run in the Swift normally occupied by Alan Slater.
The National Mobile Windscreens Saloon Car Championship race turned into a battle of the fastest laps last time with Nailsworth’s Keith Murray and his 4WD Audi A4 Quattro neck and neck with Bristol’s Mark Wyatt in the more conventional Astra.
Surprisingly, it was the Astra which took the quickest lap, with Wyatt lowering his own record, less than a hundredth of a second faster than Murray’s best time!
Hopefully joining in the fun this time, are the likes of Atworth’s Robert Ballard in a Mitsubishi Evo RS7 and Tim Hanlon from Holt in his new SEAT Ibiza Cupra. Shepton Mallet’s Crispin Thomas is one of the few rear wheel drive exponents with his BMW M3 GT.
Calne’s Tony Hutchings is joint equal with Gary Prebble at the top of the points with his MG ZR.
Bath’s Guy Woodward has fellow Jade drivers as his strongest opposition in the savesometax.co.uk Castle Combe Special GT Championship race. The local solicitor in the Jade Trackstar took a closely fought win over Doug Setters in the Jade Sports Prototype at the last round after Bristol’s Tony Michael took an impressive pole position in the 2 litre Nemesis.
Corsham’s James Johnson and Calne’s Steve Coen have a pair of tiny ADRs, whilst Castle Combe’s Keith Sprules will be enjoying the comforts of his near road going Ferrari 355.
A variety of Monoposto races feature a diversity of single seaters and including local interest from the likes of Bristol’s Nick Anstruther in his Formula Vauxhall Junior, Stroud’s Jim Blockley, Ralt Rt3, Swindon’s Howard Seward, Toms Toyota and Bristol’s Andy Uttley in his Dallara F398.
Making a welcome debut is the 750 Motor Club’s Stock Hatch championship, catering for virtually standard hatchbacks up to 1600 cc. The huge entry includes Bath’s Amy Barker in a Saxo VTR and Anthony Cooper from Burnham on Sea in a Nova Gsi.
Monday's action starts at 8.40 am with qualifying, racing getting under way from 1.00 pm.
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 bt Racecar
