PADDOCK STORIES

• Always a problem at the first race is trying to get used to different driver/car combinations. Fred Moss was in one of last year’s Italia Autosport 355/Chs. Marc Gachoud, who finished an excellent fourth, had Serra’s 355/Ch, John Avery was in the ex Marco Attard Benetton-coloured 355/Ch and Phil Nuttall (a newcomer to the series) was in an ex Phil Burgen 355/Ch.

• The four 308GTBs had a bad day. Tony Winship didn’t bother starting as he felt his Pirelli tyres to be unpredictable, John Swift retired after practice with a broken valve spring, Andy Christopher’s engine never ran properly and John Taylor’s ex Simon Clark car had all kinds of maladies but having started 22nd on the grid he ran reliably to finish 12th in the race.

• Robin Mortimer’s two “O” class lads had mixed fortunes in their F355s. Richard Stevens at the mother of all spins in front of the large crowd in the pit area, whilst David Ingram-Hill drove well to finish 13th in only his second race.

• Good to see Pirelli supporting their new sponsorship effort by setting up a merchandising display outside the Club’s marquee. Their Adrian Meechan was in attendance and will be seen at most of the season’s races.

• Ian Hetherington’s F40GT practised for the GT race but in view of the wet conditions later in the day it did not take part in the race and spent its afternoon sitting in the impressive new Specialised Cars awning which only takes an hour or two to erect.

• John Seale was not popular with the Clerk of the Course after the race had finished and the observers had handed in their reports. He excluded him from the results, endorsed his license and fined him £50. He was found guilty of contravening MSA Regulation E.5.1.8 which states : “A driver must at all times drive in a manner compatible with general safety…..”

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