I thought I must follow Andrew Holman's excellent example and crack on with this report. Also there isn't the excuse of waiting for pics as cameras are not allowed at the Motor Industry Research Association Proving Ground nr. Nuneaton. Sadly this meant that we are unable to bring you pics of what we believe to be the World competition debut of the latest California, in the capable hands of Pauline Goodwin.

PG was one of 22 entries, the largest so far this season. This included Champion-elect Chris Butler - Champ at last! This is thoroughly deserved and many congratulations Chris. We well remember your first event at Harewood in 2003 and wrote then "more will be heard of this young man". At the other end of the PFHC experience spectrum Anthony Chadwick (son of Ian, sharing the 348ts) and Duncan Campbell (360 Spider) were making their Series debuts - welcome both. It was good to see Julian Playford (355) back for the first time after his off at Goodwood. Gooders was out in Lucy the Lusso for the first time this year. With the Haynes, Hitchmans & Marshalls, the Goodwins were one of four competing married couples in the same class which surely must be a record.

MIRA was once RAF Lindley and one of the features of airfields is that they have a micro-climate and weather conditions can be extreme and change rapidly. This was certainly the case on Saturday. First practice was damp with a big puddle on the racing line before the final corner. Richard Prior was quickest on 60.31 secs with Nick Taylor second on 60.65. This is interesting as these times are close, but Prior was on Toyo T1Rs, generally reckoned to be superb in the wet, but Taylor was on 1Bs, falsely reckoned not. The Goodwins in the oldest and newest tipi were just half a second apart with PG in front. Conditions were much the same for P2 with Prior quickest, but Andrew Holman (355) second, though with a slower time than Taylor's P1.

Over the lunch break Lorraine Hitchman told of her and husband Chris's 2,500 mile return trip to Maranello in his 355. They had a wonderful time and Lorraine got over the lack of luggage space by compiling a micro-wardrobe, all of which mixed and matched. She was also sporting a splendid Puma Ferrari clutch bag, acquired in Maranello. It's a good job Mrs Mineeff wasn't there! Colin Campbell confirmed that following Loton Park, he has been approached by Red Bull with regard to him joining their Junior Driver Programme. There was also some discussion about sheep and Alpacas, about which Colin is an authority. This was a little spooky as I googled MIRA and found this. For more MIRA googling, click here. I gather that this person is some sort of recruitment consultant. Wonder if she knows our own "Postcard" Ed Brown?

Over lunch it started to spit with rain then it absolutely hammered it down, or rather scythed it across as the rain was coming in horizontally, another airfield specialty. We were grateful for the Pirelli Gazebo, but need to indent for some sides next season. After P2, as is his wont, Gooders had abandoned Lucy by race control to check times. As it was raining I pinched her and drove her back to the pits. Here I could not find reverse and had to suffer the scorn and derision of my "friends" as they pushed us back into her place. However, I'm not bitter....

For R1 it was a teeny bit damp and the great bunch of fairies sat cowering and sniveling in the paddock. However Anthony Chadwick is a karter and led away and his time of 68.86 would put him ahead of more experienced hillclimbers, including his Dad. Mark Hargreaves was quicker on 68.31. Tracey & Charles Haynes ran through in their 328s. Then it was Colin Campbell's turn followed immediately after by the hard-charging and much faster Sean Doyle (GT4). It looked like Sean would catch the 246GT, he didn't but Sean closed to within 50 yds, sprinted up to the Clerk of the Course and blagged a re-run, saying he'd had to lift. The CoC gave way and Sean got another run despite the fact there was no red flag.....

Lorraine Hitchman and Wendy Ann Marshall followed in their 328s then Pauline Goodwin in the California. The car was quiet, looked good and the gearchanges were fab. She went through the speed trap fastest up to then at 93 mph and with a hint of oversteer on the exit of the "Esses" to take the lead from Sean by half a second (65.28). Pete Wilson and Ian Chadwick, both in 348s were both in the 76s, with Pete having the edge by six tenths. Between them came Jack Hargreaves on 71 in the family 308m.

The first of the "heavy hitters" was Nick Taylor in his 348GTC. The car looked much faster than those preceding and so it proved. 101mph vs. the mid 70s through the speed trap and huge speed carried into the Esses and Nick booting it out of the first right-hander. He took the lead by five seconds, recording a 60.17. However it was not to last for long. Richard Prior followed and demonstrated his great, natural car control. The ex Mike Spicer 355 was twitching on and off the edge of aquaplaning as it blasted through the waterlogged speed trap at 100 mph, snaking its way through the Esses and away.

Chris Hitchman (355) followed. It then started to rain really heavily. Andrew Holman still managed 97mph through the trap on his way to a 61.79 which would be fourth. Chris Butler was slower than MD on 61.95. By now a gale was raging and it was as much as I could do to hold my brolly up against it. Poor Julian Playford (355) was next out and recorded a 70.76, which due to the turn of events was to be his best time. At first it looked like the shy and retiring Doyle had shot himself in the foot as, if anything, it was wetter than for his first run. However, he stopped the clock on 65.72, a second faster.

Next up, undergoing a baptism of flood, was Duncan Campbell in his satin black 360 Spider. The run was quick and clean and he had no problems on his way to a 69.38. Then came Jon Goodwin in the venerable Lusso. His was a sublime run in difficult conditions in the old girl and his time of 64.18, would have given him second place points despite a still overly-harsh PEP. Peter Hitchman (550M) was much more cautious, but this would still be his best run.

The rain stopped, but the track was still streaming wet as John Marshall took his run in the 430 Scud. He did 98mph through the speed trap and looked to be on the verge of locking up the razor sharp front brakes when slowing down for the Esses. The car accelerated away fast from the left -hander, pluming spray and hinting at wheelspin. 61.74 and third.

At the start of the second runs it was dry and breezy and with even some bright sunshine glinting off a rapidly drying track. Anthony Chadwick still kicked up some spray, but improved to 68.28 which would put him a very creditable 14th. Mark Hargreaves spun exiting the Esses. Tracey (nice lines) Haynes improved by half a second to 66.54 and 11th. Hubby Charles knocked 4 seconds off to 71.96 and Mark Hargreaves by 5.75 secs to 65.25. Colin Campbell improved by 7½ secs, so it looked like the Red Bull was kicking in. The marshals had left a big gap this time before letting slip Doyle. He improved substantially to 64.54 and eighth place, a very good result for a GT4 at this power venue. This beat both Hargreaves' but was to be one place behind Gooders overall, on PEPs and in the Classic Cup.

Lorraine Hitchman improved (70.56), as did WAM, hugely (77.92). PG did to 62.91. Pete Wilson knocked the best part of 4 seconds off to record 68.12. Jack Hargreaves was pushing hard, but was still tidy to improve by 5¾ seconds to beat his Dad and come ninth - a very good result in his first season. The other Father & Son race was won by pleased Dad Ian Chadwick who chopped 8½ seconds off (68.12) to pinch it by a tenth and a half.

Nick Taylor had to grab a big handful of opposite in the Esses and recorded a 59.59. It later transpired that he'd had an even bigger moment in the first corner which was to prove crucial. Then it began to spit with rain. Richard Prior was running in "stealth" mode, both door number plates having fallen off! He tried to carry far too much speed into the right hand Ess and spun. Soon after there was a cloud burst and it seemed certain those following had no chance. Nevertheless they charged on with Chris Hitchman putting in a very accomplished drive and actually improving by over 3 seconds to 66.18 and 10th place. I am sure Chris would finish higher in the order were he to drive more regularly.

MD said on his run visibility was awful and he felt the meeting should have been stopped, but this made what happened next even more extraordinary. Chris Butler carried a load of speed into the Esses and, although the run did not look particularly fast, it was an astonishing 59.77!

At this point the rain got so bad Fiona Taylor and I sought the shelter of a nearby MIRA garage. Peering out through the gloom, we saw Douglas Campbell actually improve to 67.27 despite the weather. Gooders splashed round in Lucy over 6 seconds slower, Peter Hitchman 5. John Marshall was over 7 seconds off his first run time. I asked John if he caught Peter, but he said: "No, I came onto the big straight and Peter was just over half way up it.  At first I was really surprised to see a car ahead, then I realised that the whole track was covered in standing water. I had to slow down quite a bit but the car was intermittently aquaplaning all over the place". This gives us a first hand account of the conditions out there.

So Richard Prior got his first outright win in a 355 and the 20 points. Taylor's second run gave him second o/a and 15 points, with Butler third o/a with 17 points. Prior was jokingly accused of "Schumacher Monaco" tactics, but the eternity it had earlier taken to recover a conked-out single-seater was far more to blame than the delay caused by his spin. RP delivered when it mattered with a gutsy and skilful drive and thoroughly deserves his victory.

The next day they would make the short hop to Curborough for more sprinting, which everyone seems to enjoy.

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