Race Report - Round 13 - 2002 Pirelli Maranello Ferrari Challenge - Club Racing Series'

PIRELLI MARANELLO FERRARI CHALLENGE
REPORT : ROUND 13 : DONINGTON : 1 SEPTEMBER 2002

The penultimate round of the Challenge was part of the Italian Festival at Donington. This included races and demonstrations for a whole bunch of Italian machinery - some classy and classic but some of them best left in the back streets of Naples. There was, however, a wonderful collection of Abarths as part of the World Meeting of this evocative marque.

A good entry of 24 Ferraris was received, including nine 360/Chs, and there were a number of newcomers, as well as old faces in different cars.

The entry was headed by the 360s of Gary Culver, Oliver Morley and Richard Smeeton whilst newcomers in similar tipos were Gordon Riddell (run by Stewart Roden) and Phil Burton and Terry Coleman (run by SCS). Robert Carrington had his first outing in the ex-Simon Bartholomew 360/Ch and Mark Cale and David Ward were in their usual cars.

The "C" class (for 355/Chs) would probably be the domain of Robin Ward but Chris Catt and Tony Jones were there to keep him honest. In the sparse "O" class John Taylor's 360 Modena would undoubtedly clean up in front of the only other two entries - Mike Furness and Richard Allen in 328 GTBs.

The weather for the 15 minute Sunday morning qualifying session was glorious and the time sheets quickly showed that Culver and Morley would occupy the front row, ahead of Smeeton with Ward next, the quickest of the "C" class. Riddell (who has only raced once before) ended up in a superb fifth position ahead of another newcomer, Terry Coleman. Catt and Ted Reddick were second and third quickest in the "C" class and then came the third newcomer, Phil Burton in his 360/Ch.

Unfortunate non-starters were Alan Newton, who comprehensively demolished his 355 in practice the day before, and Richard Stevens for health reasons. By the time of the three o'clock start the warm weather had brought out a large crowd of spectators and the Ferrari hospitality on the inside of Redgate Corner was full to bursting with a lovely display of road-going Ferraris brought along by Club members.

There was eager anticipation and a little bit of trepidation about the first rush into Redgate Corner with fierce rivals Culver and Morley on the front row as well as a number of inexperienced men in quick cars. In the event it all passed without incident and Culver just squeezed ahead of Morley when the flag dropped, who even had a cheeky Robin Ward go past him for a brief period on the first lap. Smeeton slipped into fourth ahead of Catt, Jones, Riddell, Burton and Coleman.

At first it looked as though Culver was edging out a lead from Morley but the latter gradually hauled him in and, in an audacious manoeuvre, passed Culver going into Redgate. Culver came right back and re-took the lead as they disappeared down Craner Curves until Morley repeated the attempt at Redgate the next time round. This time the manoeuvre stuck and he managed to keep Culver behind.

Whilst all this was going on at the front Smeeton had overtaken Robin Ward for third place and Riddell also closed on Ward and snatched fourth place from him on lap 6. Behind these there was a furious battle between Catt, Jones, Burton, Coleman and Cale. Time and again they rushed into Redgate two abreast but Catt managed to hang on to the lead of this group with Jones trying everything he knew to get by. Unfortunately on the last lap Coleman tried a little too hard to get by the 360/Ch of Burton just in front of him. The two cars touched and both newcomers were stranded in the gravel trap with minor dents to their cars but a lot more experience to their names.

In the meantime Cale was being reeled in by a tight group consisting of David Ward, Carrington and Powell (355/Ch) and Ward slipped cleanly through and promptly left the others trapped behind Cale. Behind there was yet another tight group led by Mike Reeder's 355/Ch, who had Les Charneca's similar tipo climbing all over him and he eventually got by on lap 8.

The delighted winner of an excellent race was Oliver Morley, who led across the line when it mattered, just an eye-blink ahead of Culver. Smeeton was 13 seconds in arrears with Riddell, Ward (the "C" class winner) and Catt following in the next three places. Throughout all this John Taylor had an easy run to an "O" class victory but behind him Mike Furness and Richard Allen, as has happened before, fought a great dice until Allen was forced into the pits with excessive engine temperatures. He returned to the fray but finished last, some three laps down on the leaders.

A great race and all three Championship class winners have now emerged with one race still to run, at Snetterton on the weekend of 5/6 October. Culver becomes the 2002 Maranello Champion, whilst Robin Ward takes the Ivan Bishop Trophy and John Taylor the Pirelli Cup for the "O" class cars.