You may not have made it to the British Grand Prix, but you can experience a taste of first class professional motor sport and all its paraphernalia at the Castle Combe Circuit's Dunlop Great and British Motorsport Festival, over the weekend of July 17 and 18.
An extended walk around the paddock to experience today's high level of presentation is something not to be missed. The transporters, equipment and motor homes would not have been out of place in Formula 1 a few years ago, such is the level of competition in championships such as those for production based saloon cars, Radical sports racing cars and the Minis, which make up much of the 'Dunlop' package. The television exposure which comes with it has no doubt encouraged teams and drivers to 'up their games'to please their sponsors.
At the heart of the weekend are four races for the Radicals. Two 20 minute 'sprints' and two forty minute 'endurance' races over the two days will see pit stops, driver changes and some famous faces. Probably the biggest character of them all is Ian Flux, a veteran of Formula 3, Touring cars and just about every other kind of racing you can think of. He is sharing an SR3 with Craig Currie in the Supersports class. Doing a sole driver stint in that class is the circuit's 2009 Special GT champion, Simon Tilling.
Two other regular Castle Combe GT drivers amongst the entry are Manhal Allos in his 2.6 litre SR8 and Norman Lackford in his Pro Sport.
A fascinating contrast between the original Minis and the new 'BMW' versions comes with three races for the latest cars and a pair of races each for the Se7ens and Miglias.
In the Se7ens are two drivers from Frome, Kevin O'Shea and Julian Proctor whilst in the Miglias is Gloucester's Owen Stinchcombe, the 2008 novice champion. The Autosport Young Guns is a championship for 16 to 19 year olds in Suzuki motorcycle engined single seaters. They get to have fun in three 20 minute races.Saloon car fans have the Dunlop Sport Maxx Production cup and the BMW CSL Cup. Astras have been the cars to beat in the showroom races, whilst M3s on slicks are the required equipment in the CSL races.
Whilst the high profile national championships have their own attractions, for the massive loyal band of spectators which make Castle Combe so unique, it's the progress of their favourite drivers in their own local championships which brings them back time after time.
None is more exciting than the Formula Ford 1600. Three drivers in particular have set themselves apart in the race for the title, with little to chose between them and circumstances rather than any major difference in talent, dictating their results.
Probably the fastest car/driver combination is that of Bratton's Ben Norton and his Wiltshire College run Spectrum 011B. Despite clocking times the others have struggled to match, he lies third in the standings going into this round and can ill afford any further non scores.
Despite the theoretical disadvantage of a class B car, Marcus Allen and his Swift SC92 have been stunningly fast all year and enjoy a 9 point overall lead from Bridgwater's Felix Fisher in his Van Diemen RF00.
Whilst this trio are exceptionally fast, a pair of locals continue their own battles and are always close enough to pounce if the outright leaders slip up. Castle Combe's Andrew Jones in the Ray and Saltford's Steven Jensen in another Spectrum can be expected to dice their way through the 15 minute race which rounds off Saturday's action.
A brilliant drive to 6th from the back of the grid last time showed Chippenham's Adam Higgins is well suited to his class B Van Diemen and will want to retain and improve his 4 point gap over Bradford on Avon's David Vivian in the Wiltshire College Swift.
Another Chippenham resident, Kyle Tilley, is the dominant force in class C, for cars built before 1990. He and his Van Diemen RF87 have a perfect score so far this year, matching that of Marcus Allen.
The Castle Combe Sports and GT Championship, supported by www.performance-cars.net has brought a tremendous variety of machinery to the circuit over the years and this weekend another awesome car makes its debut.
Former member of the circuit's medical team, Nadine Geary from Bath, is finally unleashing her 8.3 litre Dodge Viper into a race at her local circuit, having been a fanatical owner of scary machines for many years. A former Time Attack and speed event competitor, the nurse unveils the Janspeed developed machine in class C for production cars, where she will be pitted against the Caterhams of Keith Dunn and David Jones from Chepstow.
In the slightly more modified B class, Mark Funnell from Trowbridge has the Mitsubishi Evo of former saloon car champion, Gary Prebble, as extra competition for his Lotus Exige which leads the class points.
Up front, fellow Trowbridge resident, Andrew Shanley, has taken the last two outright wins in his Radical Prosport after some impressive battles with the likes of Josh Fisher in the Mantis and reigning champion, Simon Tilling.This time they all have a new contender in the form of Bradford on Avon's Guy Woodward, chairman of the organising club, the BARC. Woodward will be driving the Radical SR3 normally pedalled by Bath's Des Andrews.
After the humiliation of three under 1.8 litre class C cars qualifying at the front of the field and one of them finishing ahead of the best B class car, the 1.8 to 3 litre class in the circuit's Saloon Car championship, supported by National Mobile Windscreens has to re-establish itself this time out.
With the return of the powerful but fragile SEATs, there's a strong likelihood of a return to the traditional order. Ditcheat's Kevin Bird and the Leon of Stonehouse's Bill Brockbank could both be at the sharp end, whilst the championship leading Astra of Bristol's Mark Wyatt needs to regain the form it lost at the last round.
Meanwhile the intensely close C class has the usual protagonists virtually taped together. Reigning champion, Jason Cooper from Yatton Keynell, has had appalling luck and reliability with his Fiesta but at least took Hanlon's2002 lap record in June. Nick Charles from Yate was also under the old lap record and had the accolade of second overall which many saw as an outright victory, given the superiority of the lone A class car ahead of him.
Former champion, Will Di Claudio from Chippenham and Bristol's David Kift are two more quick 106 drivers with the MG ZR of Bristol's Nick Mizen providing some contrast.
Peasedown's Olly Lewis is hopeful of debuting his 106 in class D which will give Reading's Russell Akers in the Corsa something to think about.
The weekend gets under way on Saturday with qualifying from 08-45, racing from 12-15. Sunday starts with qualifying at 8-45 with racing from 10-30 till 12-35. After a break for lunch, the afternoon's racing re-starts at 14-05.
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, or free on all advance bookings. An advance two day pass is available for £20, OAPs paying only £10.
More information available on-line at www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk built by Racecar
