PIRELLI MARANELLO FERRARI CHALLENGE
RACE REPORT : ROUND 6 : CASTLE COMBE : 3 JUNE 2002

The series returned to Castle Combe for the second time this year and, after the depleted field at the previous round at Rockingham, a healthy entry of 21 Ferraris turned up in the busy paddock. The weather forecast was not too good but even the locals could not figure out which way the clouds were blowing and what was going to happen.

After a dryish start to the day the rain had started in time for the morning practice session and everyone decided to go out on wet tyres. Everyone, that is, other than the two local drivers, Mike and Graham Reeder, who clearly thought they had a direct link to the heavens. It did them no good at all.

Disappointingly two people missed practice altogether, both from the same team and both having to be rushed to hospital. Gary Culver's back problems were such that he finally decided to get things fixed, whilst Richard Stevens was worryingly rushed away with a blood clot in his leg. Happily both are now recovering at home (see Paddock Stories).

Not unexpectedly Oliver Morley put his 360/Ch on pole position but in second place, although some three seconds behind, was Alan Cosby's F512M, just ahead of Richard Smeeton (360/Ch), Les Charneca (355/Ch) and Graham Scott (355/Ch). Sixth on the grid, with his best qualifying position yet, was Duncan McKay, followed by Chris Catt (355/Ch).

Amongst the "O" class Mike Furness (328GTB) slithered around most effectively to take the best grid slot, ahead of Richard Allen (328GTB) and John Taylor (360 Modena).

And what of the Reeder Brothers? Their slicks were clearly the wrong equipment and Graham languished down in 14th on the grid, with Mike in 17th.

Post practice scrutineering brought the first of the meeting's dramas, when Alan Cosby's F512M was found to be a massive 79 kilos underweight. Called to the Clerk to the Course, he was removed to the back of the grid with an additional ten second penalty. Everyone, with the exception of pole-sitter Morley, therefore moved forward one slot on the grid.

By the mid afternoon race start the weather had changed several times, with showers wetting the track but strong breezes equally quickly drying it again. There was much last minute dithering about tyre choices. In the end everyone (other than "O" class for whom treaded tyres are mandatory) used slicks with the notable exceptions of Smeeton, the two Reeders, McKay and Catt. This was to have great significance for the race.

The start on a still wet track was untidy and the front row failed to get away cleanly. Scott squeezed into the lead at Quarry followed by Gamski (from 8th on the grid), the recovering Morley, Avery (from 12th on the grid), Charneca and Smeeton.

By the end of the first lap Morley was up into second and right on Scott's tail, with the two of them having already opened up a big gap to Gamski, and a squabbling Avery, Smeeton and Charneca.

At the front, however, things became fraught. Morley tried everywhere to pass Scott but the latter rebuffed all his attempts with ever more desperate weaving and blocking. This heavyhanded spectacle went on for several laps, with Morley forced on to the grass on some occasions. On lap 6 there was inevitably contact between them along the pit straight, which nearly saw Morley into the barriers.

Whilst all this was going on the track had noticeably begun to dry and those with slick tyres were beginning to move up. Smeeton closed rapidly on the leading pair and on lap 7, whilst they were still distracted by each other, nipped cleanly through to take an ever-increasing lead. By now, the largely dry track was playing havoc with wet-weather tyres. Scott's 355 looked almost uncontrollable and Morley was also in difficulties and began to drop back.

By lap 9 Smeeton was already 17 seconds in the lead but Graham Reeder had closed right up on the tail of Scott and, despite some weaving attempts, easily passed him to take over second place. Similarly, Catt was really flying on his slicks and on the penultimate lap passed Avery to take fourth place and on the very last lap closed up to the tail of Scott's 355 but there was inevitably no chance of getting past. Alan Cosby, on wets, had worked his way up to sixth place from his back of the grid starting position and in seventh came another who had taken a gamble on dry tyres : Duncan McKay, who had dropped down to 11th when the track was still wet, had moved up to seventh by the end and just squeezed Morley back into 8th position, the 360's tyres completely shot.

A delighted Richard Smeeton duly took his first ever PMFC win, having taken the seemingly risky gamble on dry tyres but a gamble which paid off handsomely. In the "O" class John Taylor took full advantage of the obligatory treaded tyres and finished 11th overall up from 18th on the grid with Mike Furness and David Back in the next places.

For his exceptionally quick and clean drive up through the field, Graham Reeder was named the Wilkinson Driver of the Meeting. His best lap time was nearly one and a half seconds quicker than anyone else. He deserved the accolade.

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Practice was very wet

Charneca put it on the second row

Best grid slot yet: Carrington was 10th

A select few took the gamble and fitted slicks

Gamski had a great start

The Scott-Morley lead battle

...which soon became unpleasant

...and allows Smeeton easily into the lead

O-class winner Taylor dives inside Ward

Those on slicks moved rapidly up the order

Back set quickest O-class lap time

Scott, Smeeton, Redder and Taylor enjoy the fruits of victory

pics by John Gaisford 01225 743400