Lowe's High

This was definitely Peter Lowe's finest hour. He put his 308GT4 on pole position whilst others struggled in the drizzle and he led the race from start to finish. It was his first pole and first win.

A modest field of 14 Ferraris were entered but this was reduced to just 11 starters, with a couple of no-shows and after Andrew Christopher's 308 engine had failed during Friday testing. But the quality was good and the tight points situation in "S" class between Hetherington and Cosby ensured that both the 12-cylinder cars were very much present.

As Saturday's qualifying approached the clouds hung heavy and Peter Lowe, having correctly guessed what was going to happen next, shot out of the paddock and produced a quick time on his first lap before the heavens opened and the entire track was awash. Andrew Micheals (308GT4) set an equally courageous time in the by now fully wet conditions to put his car into second spot, ahead of the first "O" class driver, Gary Culver (F355), who obviously benefited from the treaded Pirellis which are obligatory in that class. The heavy metal was further down : Alan Cosby (F512M) spun several times and ended up down in eighth, whilst a surprising back-of-the-grid position was occupied by Ian Hetherington's F50 following electrical problems which shut down half of the car's 12 cylinders.

Sunday's weather was dry and bright and the Ferrari race was to be the first of the day, starting at exactly 12 midday.

Lowe took full advantage of his pole to disappear into the lead he was never to lose. Andrew Micheals was initially second, with Phil Nuttall (355/Ch) and Graham Reeder (355/Ch) next up.

Cosby's drive through the field suffered a set back on lap 2 when he spun and dropped well down the order - this perhaps being as a result of the differential problem which was to slow any further progress, although he nursed the car to the finish in search of those precious championship points.

Hetherington's F50 also made good initial progress up to fifth place but then slowed with another ignition failure and therefore he, too, was forced to coast to the finish to try to salvage at least some points.

At the front, however, Lowe was making no mistakes. Although initially chased by Micheals, the latter had to slow with oil pressure problems and therefore it was left to Reeder (who had passed Nuttall) to chase home the victorious Lowe car. Nuttall finished third, with David Ashburn's 355 Challenge slowing on the last lap with a water hose adrift, but still taking fourth.

Gary Culver gently stroked it home to win the "O" class and consolidate his lead in the class championship, with Richard Stevens (F355) finishing second and thereby moving himself into a similar position in the class championship. John Swift (308GTB) separated the two "O" class cars in eighth overall and Duncan McKay, having his first race in his newly acquired 308GTB, was the last remaining finisher.

Not one of the most spectacular of races but the delight of everyone that Peter Lowe had won his first race was clear to see.

The results mean that Gary Culver and Graham Reeder consolidate their unassailable positions at the head of "O" and "C" category respectively but in the "S" class the situation between Hetherington and Cosby remains unresolved! Come and see the next episode at Oulton Park on Saturday 26th August.