The biggest car race weekend of the year at the Castle Combe Circuit, the Dunlop Great and British Racing Festival, takes place over the weekend of June 24 and 25.Four of the UK’s biggest and best racing championships form the core of the action – the Mini Challenge, the AVO Ginetta Championship, the Radical Biduro Championship and the Radical Enduro Championship - further action coming from the circuit’s own highly popular and successful home championships.
The concept of the ‘Great & British’ Motorsport Festivals is to serve up entertainment for all the family, with a packed day of racing on the Sunday and no long practice sessions or gaps in the programme, just action from start to finish and a celebration of everything motorsport.
At the core of the package are four races for the hugely successful Radical Sports cars. The smaller SR4s, which amazingly are available in road going format, get two 20 minute runs in the Biduro Championship, whilst the Enduro races of 40 minutes duration cater for the larger engined SR3s and SR8s.
Radicals are some of the fastest sports racing cars around, Michael Vergers not only holding the Special GT lap record at Castle Combe in a Supersport version, but also the outright record at the daunting Nordschleife in an SR8. Expect them to be mighty over the fast sweeps of Castle Combe. Richard Ince is one of the front runners and is also contesting the circuit’s Special GT race.
The Mini Challenge is a race series based on the road going Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S built and race prepared by John Cooper Works, the people behind the original 1960’s Coopers.
Representing the West Country is 24 year old Edward Lovett, part of the Dick Lovett family of motor dealers. Edward has made the leap from Karting into the rather different environment of the Club class and currently lies 8th in the standings.
The AVO Ginetta Championship should be as closely fought as ever with the likes of Gavin Mitchell, Julian Barratt, Stewart Linn and Richard Austin all trying to find the edge in typical one-make sports car style.
A variety of modified saloon cars, some already familiar to Castle Combe spectators, adorn the field for the Track & Race Car Saloon Car Series.
Russell Humphrey and Mark Harrison from the National Mobile Windscreens Saloon Car Championship wheel out their Mitsubishi Evos, Humphrey likely to be race favourite given his usual level of competitiveness. Whilst rather less powerful, the Mini of Radstock’s Julian Howell will give many of the larger engined cars plenty to think about and if it’s wet, expect nothing less than a podium. A class win should be a mere formality for the super-quick Mini ace.
It will be interesting to see how these cars shape up against the regulars in the circuit’s own saloon car championship. The Castle Combe drivers will be limited by their road tyres and more restrictive regulations, yet their level of development is such that lap times should be comparable. Expect the likes of Nailsworth’s Keith Murray and his Audi A4 Quattro to hold up well, whilst the Class B runners will be in anticipation of the long awaited debut of the SEAT Ibiza Cupra of Trowbridge’s Tim Hanlon.
Ed Moore from Bradford on Avon backed up his claim as the ‘boss’ of the Melton Concrete Products Formula Ford 1600 Championship by winning the last round after an intense battle with Matt Rivett from Calne.
For the moment though, ‘boss’ in terms of points is Rivett, Moore having suffered from his three non scoring rounds at the beginning of the year.
Rivett knows the likes of Newbury’s Pat Blakeney, Saltford’s Steven Jensen and Chepstow’s Nick Jones are all there lurking at the pointed end of the championship, ready to pounce at any opportunity.
Bath’s Chris Acton should be back in charge of the Sarik Vacform Class C in his Reynard FF89.
Bath’s Guy Woodward has been the most successful savesometax.co.uk Special GT Class A driver this year, though the Jade Trackstar has had plenty of opposition, some rather unlikely when the conditions have been wet.
Trowbridge’s Mark Funnell has been one of the most impressive, taking his road going Lotus Exige to places far beyond its relatively humble origins.
Calne’s Steve Coen should finally debut his unique 350 bhp ADR in the big class, the amazing power output courtesy of a 1300 motorcycle engine!
The weekend gets under way on Saturday with free testing from 0840hrs, qualifying from 1130, racing from 1550. Sunday starts with a single Formula Ford qualifying session at 0850 with paddock walk and circuit coach rides from 0900 and the first race from 1030.
Admission prices on Saturday are £8 for Adults, with OAPs £4 and Children and Paddock Transfer Free. Sunday’s charges are £18 for Adults, OAPs £9 with Children ‘FOC’. Paddock Transfer is £5. An advance two day pass is available for £20.
More information available on the Castle Combe event line on 09003 405418 or on-line at www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk.
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