ROUND 15 : Curborough : 2 October 2011
by Graham Easter

Unlike some previous years in which our finales have been blighted by terrible weather, this year the day was bright which made for a great day. A number of championship positions were still to be decided - including the overall top three and the Classic Cup title.

Richard Prior (355) led overall up to this point with Nick Taylor (348GTC) second and Chris Butler (355) third, champions all. Nick was going to have to take max. points to pip Richard. Until the previous round Chris had a chance of taking the title, the first time for a long while that this was a possibility for a reigning champ (with the anachronistic additional 1% PEP handicap). That chance had gone by a few thousandths of a second at Shelsley but he could still pinch second. In the Classic Cup Sean Doyle (GT4) was in the lead but Mike Spicer (328) could still beat him, though it would be a tall order to get the necessary points here.

If all this wasn't complicated enough, there was Mad Dog Holman (355) to take into account and the Goodwin Factor, a double dose of it this time..... If it was dry Jon could be expected to win and take the max. points with his 458 Italia and Pauline had been quickest Classic at the Cürburgring double-lapper back in August. Other quick Classics included RA in his 328 "Rat Racer".

This meeting was scheduled to be just one lap but when I arrived I learned that due to the small entry the Clerk of the Course had pronounced it was to be a double-lapper. The normally easy-going Ferraristi were most unhappy and several protested. After a bit of negotiation we were back to a single lap. 27 Ferrari drivers were entered and this comprised about 40% of the total entry, so the organisers listened. Despite their easy going manner everyone was expecting and psyched up for a single lap and what with the championship yet to be decided the last minute change was just unacceptable. In the end there were to be three practice and two competition runs.

Practice was interesting in that Jon Goodwin took the best part of two seconds off his own record time with 33.20 secs. He also recorded 109mph over the finish line, some 14mph faster than a good 355, such is the power of progress. Andrew Holman was second, recording the first ever sub 35 second run in a 355. To achieve this, he "straight-lined" the Molehill to such an extent his inside wheels were up the side of it about a foot off the ground! Mike Spicer was quickest Classic on 36.61 but everything was very close with battles throughout the field.

Not only did our lot provide a lot of the on-track action, they also supplied the lunchtime cabaret. To mark the 25th anniversary season it was decided to park the cars to mark out '25' in the middle of the track. Unfortunately there weren't enough cars until someone told Gooders 'XXV' was 25 in Roman not extra strong lager. The crowd were highly amused as the cars came out and were directed into place. Normally it's fairly hard to get hillclimbers organised but they just made it during the lunch break and without a PHR parker in sight! Dave Clark scrambled up onto the breakdown wagon to take pics. There had been talk of cherry pickers, helicopters and even a hot air balloon, but none could be arranged in time or on budget (nil). There were more anniversary celebrations to come, but first we had the serious stuff to get through.

There were so many Ferraris they had to be sent down to the startline holding paddock in batches but another good thing about Curborough is that the early drivers can get back to paddock and stand by the finish line and check how the rest are doing.

One problem with this event was (as at Shelsley, same organiser) the cars hadn't been properly seeded (despite our organisers always offering this service). This removes one of the best features of speed events for the spectator in that the class should increase in outright pace as it makes it easier to follow the battles along the way and builds to a crescendo.

Tracey Haynes (328) recorded 40.73 on her first run, however she would improve substantially to 39.23 on her second. Julian Playford's (355) 40.07 first run would be his best. John Marshall had shown well in his GT4 at Shelsley and did so again at this totally different style of venue. His two run times were identical to one-hundredth of a second and Barrie Wood tells us his first run time of 37.84 was the best ever for an un-modified 308. Tony Attwood did well to get the little Dino round in 39.66 and Jack Hargreaves was in a close fought battle of 308s, his first run of 38.27 being his best in his Pininfarina car.

Sean Doyle (GT4) was another in the 308 battle with his second run time of 38.01 his best, despite a tank-slapper in the Molehill. Sergio Ransford's 308 was a bit behind the others, but he was fighting the 328 of fellow Tortoise Club member and long-term adversary Tracey Haynes. She will have been delighted to have beaten him as he's more Dr Evil to her rather than the nice Mr Pastry he portrays to the rest of the world. Barrie Wood and Brian Jackson, both in 308s, followed each other and Brian's first run (38.19) was a over a second faster than Barrie's, but then on the second runs Barrie improved to 38.33 and Brian did not, leaving just 0.14 secs between them at the end with Jack Hargreaves in between. All this meant there was just half a second covering the quickest 308s of Marshall, Doyle, Jackson, Hargreaves J & Wood. In the PHFC it doesn't matter which tipo you drive, there's always someone to play with!

After these 308s came three 328s vying for the Classic Cup outright win. When she started competing, our Chairman told Pauline Goodwin he would retire if she ever beat him. Well after two runs round the 'Ring he was within 0.17 secs of pipe and slippers! RA recorded 36.56 on his first run, he tried a bit too hard on the second and was slower whereas PG improved to 36.72 despite being a bit lairy into the Molehill. She also set a new Series' Best ever first 64ft time of 2.19 secs. Mike Spicer was third to run in this group and ended up just 0.03 secs behind PG after R2. Shaun Smith recorded a 38.73 in his 328, an excellent time for a newcomer on this tight, twisty and very technical track.

Wendy Ann Marshall's 328 followed and was not firing on all cylinders, so would surely have beaten her best of 40.95. Pete Wilson (348tb) improved on his second run to 39.70 but Lorraine Hitchman (328) put in a cracking second run of 38.02 which took 2 seconds off her Personal Best and gave her 14th place overall. Richard Preece (348GTC) has had a very limited season and must have been pleased to get under 38 secs on his second run with a 37.79.

We had two excellent displays of top class sprinting with four quick, evenly matched drivers running one after another. On R1 Nick Taylor was first away and put in a personal best of 35.34 to take the lead of the class. On R2 he had a massive tank-slapper in the Molehill and the time was gone. On his first run MD Holman went smoothly round the fast bit, inside wheels thumping up the Molehill and outside wheels over the kerb after and kicking up dust everywhere. He had the tail well out in the top hairpin and spun! (click here). On his second he was a bit wilder in the fast corners and again sent dirt flying everywhere in the Molehill - 35.34 but not good enough.

Richard Prior was not so extreme but on his first run still had the tail out in the top hairpin but he caught it, going over the line in 35.06 seconds, on the limiter at 95mph and into the lead. On his second run he took the more extreme MD approach to the Molehill, was a bit wide out of the top but still broke into the 34s. As we have come to expect Chris Butler was tidier, did not take a bite out of the Molehill, also recorded 95mph over the line, but his 35.23 first run time just wasn't quick enough. He didn't assault the Molehill on his second run either yet did a 34.82! Prior and Butler with almost identical times with different approaches.

Chris Hitchman's first run time of 37.07 shaved a few hundredths of his PB from 2004 and Jeff Cooper in the first of the sonorous 360s did 37.76, a PB for him too. Peter Hitchman's second run (42.16) in the somewhat unsuitable (for here) 550M would be his best and next up we had Peter Rogerson in his 360. Peter's time was slower than P1 but he had a spin in P2 which always detunes you. He would improve to 41.36 on R2.

With nearly everyone assembled by the finish line we eagerly anticipated Gooders in the mighty 458 Italia. On R1 he astonished us by flicking down a gear in the middle of the fast left-right hander. Normally this would be a recipe for disaster but that combo of mattineti and Stoke bloke all worked beautifully together. He looked a bit wide out of the top to me but rocketed down the straight, crossing the line at 107mph. 33.46 seconds, easily taking the lead and the record but not as fast as in Practice! On R2 Gooders was smoother, chose not to change down in the fast bit and was clearly weighing up that "slow in fast out" stuff to get all that lovely horsepower down. His second run was slightly better - 33.44. Mark Hargreaves ran last in the shared family 308 and was yet another to get into the 308 38 Club with 38.79 on R2 his best.

So where did all that leave us and the championship? Gooders won the meeting and took max points. Taylor didn't so Prior was Champion; his great drive into the 34s gave him second overall and 17 points. Chris Butler was just third overall and third in the Championship. Sean Doyle was delighted to clinch the Classic Cup after some great drives, 17 points at Doune surely being his best. This was the start of a huge week for him as he was due to retire as a firefighter and pick up his pension at the end of it.

Finally, to round the year and the Championship off, MD had asked Pirelli if they would send a Pirelli girl. They were pleased to do so and the lovely Rachel duly arrived. She was charming and endlessly patient, posing with cars and drivers and presenting the prizes. One of these was a special presentation to Club Chairman Richard Allen, he being one of the instigators of the Series, a former Champion and the only one to have competed in it every year. There was no better way to end the year's racing. We look forward to the next.