RACE 11: Snetterton : 27 April 2012
report by Nicky Paul-Barron

Castle Combe on August bank holiday Monday is a popular race date, so to have 17 cars qualify for our formula classic race was a little disappointing. Maybe some had checked the weather forecast. Oh yes, wet wet wet. Standing on the bank at Quarry corner in the race, under the power cables, we didn’t know if we would succumb to an electric shock (our brollies were literally buzzing, and if we touched anything metal on them we got a shock) or trench foot.

Qualifying was just wet, rather than biblical and apart from Douglas Campbell (308 GT4), all got to the end of the session. Nigel Jenkins was to be our pole sitter from the expected Jim Cartwright (both 328 Grp4). Peter Fisk (328 Grp3) qualified third which is possibly his best performance to date. Welcome series returnee, along with dad Peter, was Richard Moseley in his 308 GTB. Richard Atkinson-Willes had enjoyed Donington so much he had come along for another go in his GT4, and it was good to see Pauline Goodwin out in her 328 GTB.

As the cars formed on the grid for the race start it began to drizzle on what was by then a fairly dry track. Then it rained and rained. Nearly all our cars had old P zero C tyres fitted. These super tyres are no longer available and everyone is trying to get to the end of the year on what they have left. The result is that most are worn to virtual slicks with little or none of the original tread. In these conditions they were quite literally out of their depth.

Jim Cartwright got the drop from the start but then lost it over Avon Rise into Quarry corner. Jim managed to rejoin, loosing less places than he might have. This left Peter Fisk in the lead, and a good job he did of it too. He was chased by Ben Cartwright, brother Jim and Nigel Jenkins recovering from a poor start. As the conditions deteriorated so the number of spins increased.

Towards the end of the race it had become frankly dangerous with several cars aquaplaning off at high speed. Next time you are at Castle Combe just think about spinning at Hammerdown or Folly or Westway at around 100mph. Ben Cartwright (three times), Peter Everingham and Nigel Jenkins all had this sort of experience, and there were lots of others at lower speeds. I am very happy to report that nobody suffered damage as a result – a miracle.

A very welcome chequered flag saw Jim Cartwright the eventual winner from Nigel Jenkins and Peter Fisk. All will have stories to tell from this, and there will be some interesting videos on you tube. To cap it all winner Jim then lost it on the cool down lap whilst waving to the crowd! I think we were better off under the power cables!