The climax of the Castle Combe Circuit's 'Classic Week' takes place over the weekend of June 13 and 14, with the Rapid Racking Classic Carnival, a two day feast of the best historic motorsport.
After a week of classic events at the circuit, the weekend kicks off in grand style with the prospect of another emotive performance from one of the car/driver legends of the circuit in the 'Stars of the 70's touring carrace. Vince Woodman from Chipping Sodbury and his legendary Cologne Capri return to the scene of their tear jerking victory in the same race last year, which came 22 years after the car last ran at the circuit in its heyday.
Once again co-driven by Dan Cox from Bristol, the Capri comes fresh from an engine rebuild at Swindon Racing Engines. Cox will also be busy in Sunday's HSCC/HRSR By-Box Historic Saloon Car championship race in which he started and finished second overall, his Lotus Cortina also winning its class.
Joining him will be another West Country motorsport legend, Ted Williams from Nailsea. Williams has just added an Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT to his collection and will also be blooding th ecar in Saturday's COYS Top Hat Pre-66 saloons race.
Additionally, in the high profile 40 minute HSCC Guards Trophy GT race,Williams will be sharing his Chevrolet Corvette Stingray with his son, Mark.The car was severely damaged at Oulton Park last year and this will be its first run since the rebuild. At last year's race at Castle Combe, Williams senior finished second in class in the 5.3 litre machine, behind the mightyTVR Griffith 400 of Jamie Boot, which will again provide formidable opposition.
Chris Clarkson from Westbury on Trym has his Austin Healey 3000 in the sub 4 litre class.
Completing the classic part of Saturday's races are the Dunlop Oldies but Goldies Pre-60 GT and Touring cars, with variety from A40s to Mk1 Jaguars,the Pre-66 GT race.
Sunday's classic action begins with the HSCC Classic Formula 3 Championship, followed by the HSCC Historic Road Sports including Clevedon's Simon King in a Morgan Plus 4 and Dursley's Rachel Watts in a Lotus Elan.
The 70's Road Sports race has local involvement from Corsham's Simon Hewes in his Alfa Romeo, Richard Armstrong from Devizes in a Porsche 928,Swindon's Nigel Ashley in a Lotus Europa and Terry Kenyon from Wells in an Alfa Romeo GT Junior.
The BARC Classic Clubmans race has Richard Fry from Axbridge in his MallockMK8B and the HSCC Classic Racing Car championship, Ben Mitchell from Cirencester in his Merlyn MK20. Also from Cirencester is Westie Mitchell, championship leader of the HSCC Grandstand Motor Sports Historic Formula Fords. In this race last year, Mitchell came 4th, but after two outright victories and two second places already in 2009, will be hoping for a podium at the very least.
But the weekend is not just about classic and historic action. The circuit's own three championships have plenty of exposure too, with the Formula Ford1600 & Special GT championships out on both days, and the Saloons on Sunday.
Despite the intensity of the competition, one man has won all three rounds of the Formula Ford championship. Bratton's Ben Norton in the Wiltshire College Spectrum 011 therefore starts as favourite, with Saltford's Steven Jensen and Castle Combe's Andrew Jones chasing his already formidable points advantage. Ed Moore has to overcome his recent car problems whilst fellow Bradford On Avon resident, David Vivian, is just 3 points off the leading class B contender, Felix Fisher from Bridgwater.
Cirencester's Tom Margetsonhas a trio of third places in class C to give him a strong second place in his class battle.
Westbury's Shane Marshall returns to the Special GT championship with his title winning Jade 2 from 2008 and should be a match for Trowbridge's Andrew Shanley, the most consistent runner so far in his Radical SR3. Trowbridge's Mark Funnell deserves his overall championship lead in his giant killing but road legal Lotus Exige, but Melksham's Simon Norris was snapping at his heels last time in his ultra powerful Mitsubishi Evo.
Long time circuit supporter, George Douglas from Frampton Cotterell, has one of his occasional GT outings in a Martin BM9/10. The same local lads who fought for the Castle Combe Saloon Car championship last year are at it again in 2009, but this time in different classes.
William Di Claudio from Bromham, near Chippenham and Jason Cooper from Yatton Keynell, both lead their respective classes, Di Claudio having moved his Peugeot 106 up to the C class this year. Both drivers have taken three straight victories, but Cooper is one point ahead, courtesy of an extra fastest lap.
Di Claudio faces potentially stronger opposition, principally from the similar 106s of Yate's Nick Charles and Bristol's David Kift. Bristol's Nick Mizen will try to muscle in too in his MG ZR. At the front, the Lancer Evo of Gloucester's Laurence Kilby will be fast if it can overcome its reliability issues.
Class B meanwhile should be a contest between Ditcheat's Kevin Bird, Bristol's Mark Wyatt, Gloucester'sGuy Higgs in his new M3, Bridgwater's Tony Dolley and the unlikely MaestroTurbo of Cirencester's Jonathan Wills.
The weekend gets under way on Saturday with qualifying from 8.40, racingf rom 12.30. Sunday starts with qualifying at 8.40 and racing from 11.45. Admission prices on Saturday are £8 for adults, with OAPs £4 and children and Paddock transfer free.
Sunday's charges are £15 for adults, OAPs £7.50 with children 'FOC'. Paddock transfer is only £2.50. An advance two-day pass with free paddock access is available for £20, OAPs paying only £10.
More information available on-line at www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk built by Racecar
