<% theSection = "club_racing_series" %> Race Report - Races 3&4 - 2008 Ferrari formula classic - Club Racing Series' - Ferrari Owners' Club
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Club Racing Series'

       

PIRELLI FERRARI formula classic
RACE REPORT: RACES 3&4: SNETTERTON - 4 & 5 MAY 2008
Report by John Swift

Pullen 1 Culver 1
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Race One
Twenty cars assembled in fine weather just after 2.30pm. Pullen was the quickest away and led pole-man Culver into Riches for the first time. Hot on their heels were a fast starting Tomlin and Nicky P-B, who in turn were being hounded by Honnor and a threesome consisting of Mountain, Taylor (Mondial t) and Whitman.

On lap 5 Culver took over the lead from Pullen, while scrapping fiercely over third place was the hot quartet of Tomlin, N P-B, Honnor and Mountain. A lap later, Honnor, having pushed his 308’s nose in front of the other three, out-braked himself into the Esses, spun and stalled. He churned the engine over on the starter but, in the devilish way of 308s, it infuriatingly refused to fire up.

By mid-race Pullen had edged ahead for a lap while Tomlin caught the spinning bug and pirouetted from 3rd to 5th. He did the same thing on the following lap, this time ending up in 7th, just ahead of the usual jousting pair of Moseley (R) and Swift in their well matched 308GTBs.

The lead was now changing constantly to the delight of the large crowd of spectators. Culver led for two laps, then it was Pullen, then back to Culver . . . The two cars were almost welded together and one wished they could have bottled it up for their grandchildren to enjoy in the future.

Of the others, Fenny retired his GT4 on lap 10 while Fisk was driving the wheels off his Mondial QV, taking lots of rumble strip and creating clouds of dust as he did so. Despite his energetic driving he couldn’t quite keep up with Benaroya in his slightly later Mondial t convertible.

On the last lap, when it mattered, Marco Pullen was a car’s length ahead of Gary and to his great joy he took the chequered flag. The desperate struggle of the 308GTBs, between Richard Moseley and your reporter, continued unabated until the very last corner. Richard, his eyes no doubt glued to his mirrors, spun at Russell and generously handed over 7th spot to the old blue car, some 10 seconds ahead of Nick Taylor, who had been hampered by a slipping clutch towards the end.

It had been a sensational contest and one felt the PFfc race alone had been well worth the crowd’s admission fee. Nicky Paul-Barron took third, some 45 seconds in arrears as well as a first in Gp2. David Mountain impressed with his 4th position and we have him marked as a future podium winner.

Gary Culver set the fastest lap of the race (1:22.089 – a new Gp3 lap record) and Nicky Paul-Barron was the quickest Gp2 driver in 1:24.975.

R1 - RA had a race-long battle with Whitman, but the veteran hillclimber prevailed
David Hathaway - 328GTB
David Mountain proved
that a GT4 can still
be highly competitive
Fred Honnor DNF, but did much better in R2
Geoff Neal - 328GTB
Peter Fisk - Mondial QV
Nick Taylor - Mondial t
Mountain again in the ex-Chris Rea car
Winner Marco Pullen acknowledges the flag

Race Two
Due to an accident in an earlier race, R2 of PFfc started some 15 minutes late. Sadly Pullen’s car had to be withdrawn – a leaking seal on the crankshaft was found to be getting more serious.

It was hot and sunny, and the crowds even bigger than Sunday’s. When the lights were extinguished it was Paul-Barron who got into Riches first, with Honnor in second and then pole man Culver. Then it was Whitman, Tomlin, Richard Moseley, Swift and Peter Moseley.

N P-B valiantly held on to the lead for the next eight laps. Culver had demoted Honnor to third and there was rarely more than a foot or two between Nicky’s rear bumper and Gary’s front spoiler. By lap 7, new Club chairman Richard Allen exercised his authority ahead of his Comp director, and yours truly had also been passed by Moseley Snr.

On lap 10, Culver found a way past N P-B and, once ahead, began to put some space between the two cars. Whitman was having a good race in 4th, a couple of seconds behind 3rd placed Honnor, and was keeping the thrusting Tomlin at bay.

Hathaway fancied his chances at getting past Swift at the entry to the Esses, went in too fast, and bounced onto the grass, the attempt having failed. However his tribulations were not over as on the last lap he ran out of fuel but just managed to stutter over the line to complete the race.

The chequered flag greeted Gary Culver who crossed the line some 6 seconds ahead of Gp2 winner Nicky Paul-Barron. Honnor took a fine podium finish with his 308GTB while Whitman was a deserving fourth just behind. Culver’s quickest Gp3 lap was 1:23.473 whilst Paul-Barron clocked the fastest Gp2 time in 1:24.230.

Reflecting on this race meeting, it had been one of the best in the short history of the PFfc. There had been no damage to the machinery and the sporting spirit - fiercely competitive but without any dangerous aggression – was exactly what we want. Add to this the glorious weather and you had all the ingredients of a perfect weekend.

R2 - Jenkins' 308 shows the scars from an encounter with Hathaway's 328
R2 - Swifty
R2 - John Marshall - 328 GTB
R2 - Peter Moseley drove both races this weekend
Compton-Goddard had
a bit of an off...
...but recovered and
re-joined the fray
Whitman and Tomlin
at it again
NP-B ahead of Culver
and Honnor, who took an excellent third
William Moorwood - GT4
Richard Moseley (308GTB)
was sixth...
...two places ahead of
Peter (328GTB)
Peter Fisk hangs
it all out...
R2 - Cars were thin on the ground
...as does Chris Wilson .
Richard Allen was seventh
NP-B came home second
Gary Culver won
once again
   
pics by Simon Cooke. To buy hi-res prints go to his website

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Race One
 
Pullen takes an early lead
Tomlin ahead of Paul-Barron. Positions were reversed at the flag
Didier Benaroya's Mondi t cabriolet
Now Culver in front of Pulllen
Ben Cartwright (328GTB) concentrates
Culver and Pulllen neck-to-neck
John Watts' GT4
Benaroya hounds Cartwright
Race Two
R2 - Spicer took the lead...
Paul-Barron leads Honnor
and Culver
Swifty heads this unruly bunch
Culver defends his
Honnor (sorry)
...after a misuderstanding with Reeder, who spun and retired
Tomlin makes smoke