Formula Ford is in the limelight as the 2004 West Country motor racing season gets under way with the first meeting of the year at the Castle Combe Circuit on Saturday March 27.
The Melton Concrete Products Formula Ford 1600 Championship, the circuit's longest standing series, benefits from a number of changes for 2004. One of the most significant is its inclusion in the new national King of the Kents Championship. Competitors at Castle Combe will automatically score points in the national series and can elect to enter rounds at other circuits if they wish.
One local who will be doing just that and hoping to win both the Castle Combe and national championships is Ed Moore from Bradford on Avon. He has acquired a new Van Diemen RF01, which will run in a new Class A for 2004. This class caters for the new breed of 'high tech' cars which use the more modern 'Zetec' chassis whilst still retaining the original and traditional 'Kent' engine. Moore, has often been tantalisingly close to claiming a championship title and can be sure to be a front runner.
Amongst the local drivers out to prove there is life left in the traditional chassis will be Chippenham's Tim Reynolds. He has rejoined the Gloucester based Kevin Mills Racing stable and will be using a Swift SC92.
Stephen Jensen from Saltford has also acquired a Swift SC92, from Ed Moore, with which he is moving up from the Pre '90 class in which he finished second last year.
A variety of locals will appear in the Pre '90 class, now called Class C and backed by Semely based IT company Noveos. These include Bristolian Nick Lay, Corsham's Nigel Ward, Andrew Crapnell from Bradford On Avon, Andrew Miles from Faulkland, Bath's Chris Acton and Paul James from Chippenham, the latter run by Swift Cooper, based at Castle Combe.
Other changes to the formula are the revision of the points system which now pays down to 25th place and the requirement to drop one score from the nine rounds.
The circuit's other home grown championships will provide a good deal of the entertainment. The newly renamed National Mobile Windscreens Castle Combe Saloon Car Championship has a number of new cars this year including a pair of Peugeot 206s for Brian and Ilsa Cox. Bristol's Mark Wyatt is aboard the 2.0 litre Astra which Russell Humphrey pedalled to Class A victory last year and should be a strong contender for overall honours.The under 1400cc Class C has William Di Claudio from Chippenham in the Peugeot 106 XSi he has been building for over a year.
Class B sees the return of 2004 overall champion, Bridgwater's Tony Dolley in his Corsa and Midsomer Norton's David Mears in his Peugeot 205 GTi.
The Circuit's Special GT Championship backed by Krayem Design & Moonraker Forklifts has a number of new entries this year. The 2002 championship winning Stealth B6 GT of Bob Light appears in the hands of Tetbury's David Krayem and should be mighty.
Class B champion, Rupert Crook from Wootton Bassett, will contest the Jade Trackstar of Tony Sinclair, which won every race in 2003. The 3.5 litre Chrysler engined device will once again be matched against it's sister car in the hands of Mike Roberts with 3 litre Nissan power.
Other new entries include Christopher Lake from Devizes in a 2 litre Nemesis Vauxhall, Chippenham's Russell Spence in a Supersport SR3 in Class C and Chaz Ryles from Trowbridge in a Fisher Fury.
The Peter Best Insurance MGCC BCV8 Championship has plenty for the MG enthusiast, whilst the Porsche 924 Championship does similar things for the enthusiasts of that marque.
Italian car buffs have the joy of the Alfa Romeo Championship race and the Fiat Racing Challenge. Robin Jones from Oxford has his Uno running in the latter in support of the children's charity, Climb.
Saturday's action starts at 8.30 am with qualifying, racing getting under way from 1.15pm.
Admission prices are £10 for adults, £5 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 by Racecar
