FERRARI formula classic

• Great start to the season, wasn't it? We all wondered which tipo will eventually become the favourite of the series, once things begin to shake out. Not everyone can have a Competizione Daytona so it looks like it's going to be between 328s and the later Mondials which are heavier but have a few more bhp. Be interesting to see which becomes favourite tool for the job.
  
  
• Richard Allen was fortunate to escape with little damage when a rear hub sheared on the last lap. The car is regularly used for hillclimbing where violent repeated standing starts are de rigeur - a textbook cause of drive line failure. Maybe the other FHCC boys should have a few bits crack-tested. Displaying the acute mechanical sensitivity and analytical ability of all top racing drivers RA reported "I thought it had jumped out of 4th so I changed up and floored it".
  
  
• At the other end of the age and experience curve, 19-year old Marco Pullen made his circuit debut. He enjoyed a race-long dice with John Dobbo, eventually getting the better of him despite spinning off at Redgate on oil dropped by the GT4. Marco's mum said that if he bent it it would mean no pocket money for a very long time.
  
  
• Racer A, realising that his MOT (needed for scrutineering) was out of date mentioned the problem to Racer B. "Tape your registration number up and use mine" said Racer B, and that is how you can use one MOT Certificate for two Ferraris. So, who had the taped up number plates, dare we ask?
  
  
• Nicky Paul-Barron made a storming classic debut qualifying third, finishing second and winning his class. He was also moaning that "Rosie's" front right height was 0.279" too high and he could feel it. Just proves that (a) once a racer always a racer and (b) once a tart always a tart.
  
  
• The Swift 308 was popping and banging a bit, thought to be due to the carburettor de-modifications to bring it in line with the classic regs when compared with PMFC regs. He reckoned it was some 6 seconds slower than it could have gone which, hang on, would have put it on pole. Let's hope he gets this sorted so that we can really see this venerable duo fly.
  
  
• Would you believe - the only non-starter - the perfectly standard 308 GTB of Tristan Simpson. In his very first foray in Ferrari racing the clutch packed up in qualifying and the car was left in the paddock when the rest formed up on the grid. A spare was a couple of hours away but there simply was not enough time to get it all fixed. Next time, Tris, it'll all go better!

Anderson demonstrates some wrist action	Mmm, nice!	Gooders wasn't taking it seriously at all	Which way should the bananas go?
Cottingham tries it on with the Series Co-ordinator	"It says here we DON'T stop for 2 hours after the first lap"	Eccles & Bluebottle, or David Wild & Richard Allen	Overnight damp brought a bit of a slippery track

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Richard 'Simtek' Chester took 2nd in class in his Daytona

Three wheels on RA's poor old wagon

"Well of course, in MY day" - Marco Pullen humours a passing Old Racer

Some of Dobbo's oil on Marco's 308 - wonder if he wants it back?

NP-B proudly displays one of the lovely Schedoni trophies

Hillclimber's tent

Racer's tent

pics by Paul/Fotografia Corse, CMdigicams & Graham Easter