No less than nine reigning champions feature in the Castle Combe circuit's opening meeting of the 2010 season on Easter Monday, April 5.
Spread between the circuit's three mega-popular championships for saloons,single seaters and sports cars, the champions of the 2009 season hail mainly from the West Country. The man with possibly the most difficult task is Ben Norton from Bratton in Wiltshire. He dominated the circuit's Formula Ford 1600 Championship last year and returns in the Wiltshire College prepared Spectrum to face even sterner opposition.
Arguably his biggest challenge is reigning Class B champion, Felix Fisher from Bridgwater, who moves to the same Class A with a Van Diemen RF00, along with his super-quick brother Josh, the 2008 overall champion in an 05 Van Diemen. Returning to the scene is 'Dragons Den' contestant, Robert Hall, in the locally run Swift Cooper. Hall will renew the battles he had in 2007 with Saltford's Steven Jensen who narrowly beat him to the Class B title.
This year, Jensen has signed with the highly rated Kevin Mills Racing team from Gloucestershire aboard another Spectrum. The Australian built machine is also the steed of choice for Bath's Oliver White, making his single seater debut after winning the 2009 Saxmax championship.
Yet more Class A opposition comes from Castle Combe's Andy Jones in his unique Ray and Josh Barnett from Shaftesbury in a Van Diemen RF00. Class B will be almost as fraught, as Bradford on Avon's David Vivian faces a new challenge from 16 year old Luke Cooper from Yatton Keynell, the younger brother of reigning saloon champ' Jason. Luke will dovetail his circuit racing debut with another year in the Super 1 British karting championship's Junior TKM series in which he finished 6th last year.
Meanwhile, Jason Cooper makes a move up from class D of the Saloon Car Championship, supported by National Mobile Windscreenes to Class C. His championship winning Fiesta is now replete with a 1.6 litre engine, ready to resume the battles he enjoyed in 2008 with his then Class D rival, Will DiC laudio from Chippenham, who moved to and won the C class last year with his Peugeot 106. Both will have to fend off the likes of Yate's Nick Charles and Bristol's David Kift, also 106 equipped. In the absence of Cooper, Olly Lewis should have Class D under control,though the rapid Peasedown pilot has some new local opposition including Bristol's David Rose in a VW Lupo and Weston Super Mare's Will Burns in a Fiesta. Up in Class B, Bridgwater's Tony Dolley defends his title with his 206 GTifrom Bristol's Mark Wyatt and his deliciously finished Astra.
Returnee TonyHutchings from Calne, the 2006 and 2007 outright champion, is back with his Audi TT, as is Gary Prebble, who digs out his Rover 220 which took him tothe 2002 championship. Prebble's return to the Rover allows him to simultaneously defect hisMitsubishi Evo to the new AJEC AWD Academy Saloon Car Cup. The four wheeldrive cars which previously dominated Class A of the circuit championshiphave the track to themselves in this innovative two class series.
The top class is for the unlimited machines such as the awesomely powerful Evos ofthe likes of Prebble and lap record holder and AJEC proprietor Laurie Kilby. Joining them in similar machinery will be Melksham's Simon Norris, who won a Special GT race outright with the car last year.
Class B, limited to 400bhp, includes Bath drivers Angus Gorringe and David Harries, providing some contrast with an Audi S2 and Impreza respectively. Driving the celebrity car, a Class B Evo 8, is Richard Nicholls of Japanese Performance Magazine, whilst the AAA safety car is something very special and may attract more attention than the race cars! The revised Castle Combe Sports and GT Championship, supported by Performance Sports Cars, will see a closing of the gap between the out and out sports racing cars and the road based vehicles this year as the former become limited to 2 litres. Simon Tilling from Vernham Dean defends his title in the Radical SR3, but has the likes of Trowbridge's Andy Shanley in his Prosport version to contend with. Josh Fisher, doubling up with his Formula Ford duties again, could be the strongest of all in his Mantis.
Modified Class champion Mark Funnell from Trowbridge has lightened his Lotus Exige to stay ahead of the rest, which is where he usually is if it rains. Bideford's Stuart Dixon is the Production Class man to beat from 2008 and2009, Castle Combe's Keith Sprules back trying to do just that with his Ferrari 360 Challenge. Ditcheat's Kevin Bird is another defector from thesaloon car championship in his powerful SEAT Leon.
A number of drivers from all three of the circuit's championships feature inthe Open Sports and Saloon Car race, an end of day ten lapper which includesthe Ferrari of Sprules and the SEAT Leon Cupra of 1997 saloon champion, Ilsa Cox. The Locost championship utilises self built 1.3 litre machines. Melksham'sMatt Cherrington, Bristol's Jason Gibbons and Cirencester's David Boucherare the local participants. Completing the 11 race programme are two races for the Toyota MR2 championship and one for the Alfashop Alfa Romeochampionship. Spectators have an opportunity to get close to the drivers and cars from theCastle Combe Circuit based championships with a track walkabout from 11-45.The cars and drivers from the three championships will be on show at Quarry,Westway and the grid, with spectators able to mingle with them on thecircuit. Monday's action starts at 8.45 am with qualifying, racing getting under wayfrom 12.30 pm.
Admission prices are yet again held from last year at £15 for Adults, £7.50for OAPs, £2.50 for Paddock Transfer, whilst accompanied children under 16are admitted free.
For further information, visit the Castle Combe Circuit website on www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk built by Racecar
