|
The third round of this year’s championship was at the super fast Tibshelf circuit in Derbyshire. In dull overcast conditions Saturday’s practice would see the circuit relatively quiet all day. Perhaps drivers realised that what they did here today in the dry, would be of little relevance when the very heavy rain forecast for Sunday did finally arrive. Sunday again started off overcast and dry, but many drivers who had driven North during the morning told of driving up through heavy rain. It was dry for the official timed practice but light rain had made the track slick by the time it came to heat one. Lee Wakelin was the best of it with a 16/317. Matt Baker lifted that to a 17/300 in heat two, whilst Chris Simons found a slow 17 in the next heat. Tim Wood raised the anti in heat four with a 19/313, and Mark Green raised that again in the last heat with a 20/513. Between rounds the rain began to increase in intensity and any driver without a time must by now have been having doubts about qualifying. Heat one was quiet and only two drivers appeared for heat two as the rain became heavier. Heat three was much the same as small puddles began appearing on the corners of the circuit.
In now heavy rain no one from heat four decided to trouble race director Keith Davies. Heat five saw five drivers out on circuit, Dave Dixon who had missed out in round one used all his experience to put in a super drive in very wet conditions to book himself an open final spot with an 18/312. Round three saw the track now partially waterlogged and just staying out there had become a task. Tony Clowes was the best mustering eight laps before succumbing. Andy Mollett turned in a very creditable 15 laps in the nest heat, whilst Chris Simons 16/312 was even better. Ian Campbell in heat four made his attempt for the A final but came up just short with a 17/317. Chris Heath on an SOB run was the best of heat five but his time was short of what he needed. If we thought the rain had been heavy up until now, it decided that it was time to show us exactly what heavy rain was and within minutes sections of the track were reduced to having only a single racing line. Several drivers decided to call it a day and so we were reduced to three finals. Andy Mollett was first home in the C final with 34 laps, Tony Clowes was second and Rob Coleman third. The B final saw five drivers make an attempt and it was Andrew Hastings with a superb 57 laps who won it. Martin Thurston was second and Phil Jones third. With the rain yet again increasing in intensity and the track becoming even more waterlogged no fewer than eight drivers decided to put in an appearance for the A main final. For the first 10 minutes Andy North looked to be the man to beat but sadly for him the rain “got him” and he was out. Of the remaining drivers I think everyone had some time off the track and in the pits. In the end it was Richard Hicklin home first on 74 laps, Pete Hastings second on 72, and Tim Wood third on 58.
Congratulations to everyone who made an attempt to race in the rain lets hope the weather rewards us for the Wombwell meeting on the 3rd of June. See you there Phil Carr - PRO |
|||
|
Copyright BRCA |
