PIRELLI MARANELLO FERRARI CHALLENGE

So, to Snetterton for the final PMFC Round of 2004; both championships had been decided already, Peter Sowerby clinching the ‘S’ Class at the previous Castle Combe round and Ted Reddick the ‘C’ class ages ago. However, Marco Attard could still take second place in ‘S’ from Phil Burton if he finished in front of him.

Terry Coleman was the sensation of qualifying, his last lap being nearly a second better than any of his others and giving him pole by nearly ½ second from Phil Burton, making it an all JMH front row. Sowerby and Attard were next up - all of the aforementioned in 360/Chs - with Ted Reddick (355/Ch) the quickest ‘C’ Class runner.

Burton made the best start and Sowerby too out-dragged Coleman and took 2nd place, but at the end of the first lap it was Coleman in the lead from Attard, Graham Reeder and Kevin Riley. Reddick was in the lead of ‘C’ Class with a 2 second lead over David Dove, and then there was a 12 second gap to Witt Gamski. Sowerby came round dead last with a damaged car.......so what on earth had happened?

It turned out that Sowerby closed right up on Burton in the first corner (Riches), dived up his inside in Turn 2 (Sear) and the two cars made contact, Burton retiring on the spot, but Sowerby able to continue with his damaged car. Witt Gamski had to take to the grass to avoid the incident.

John Proctor (360/Ch) passed Dove for 6th place on the second lap, then there were no changes in position at the sharp end for the next couple of laps, but Attard was inexorably closing in on Coleman, the gap down to 0.3 secs at the end of lap 4. Over the next couple of laps, he tried to pass him at the Bomb Hole and up the outside going into the Russell’s chicane, only to fall back each time on the Revett straight. On lap 7, he succeeded in getting past at Russell’s and led over the line, only for Coleman to get him back.

The next laps saw attempts on the inside of Coram and into the Esses, through all this Coleman kept his head, driving defensively, but cleanly and consequently picking up an advantage each time down the straight. However, Attard was not to be denied and on lap 11 he passed him on the inside of Coram. The move stuck, speed showed and Attard pulled away to win by 1.7 seconds.

Riley’s 360/Ch was misfiring horribly throughout the race, which he later suggested may have had something to do with the car catching fire at the Silverstone track day earlier in the week. He was passed by Reddick and Proctor on lap 5, during which Proctor also got past Reddick, who took yet another ‘C’ class win from Gamski, who at least had the consolation of class fastest lap.

Through all this Graham Reeder sailed through, running in third for the whole race and holding that place at the flag. Sowerby was 11th and dead last after the first lap incident, but soon began to charge. He was 10th on lap 3, 8th on lap 6, 7th on lap 8, 6th on lap 11 and 5th on the last lap and right on Proctor’s tail in Russell’s where regrettably the two came into contact, but Proctor kept the place.

This race was a fair summary of the 2004 PMFC as a whole, a small grid and very hard racing with physical contact, a race ending in anger and acrimony with protests flying about – and therefore the results are still provisional.

We pointed out in our season preview that the Series is at a crossroads - this is clearly still the case. It has been suggested that maybe the ability to dish out and take damage and have the wherewithal to pay for it represents some kind of macho statement. It is clear that many Ferrari racers have no time for this type of racing and formula classic offers something more in keeping with their tastes and pockets.

At the other extreme, British GT offers an easily accessible and possibly more glamorous alternative to the better-heeled, hardened competitor and one to which these modern competizione tipos are ideally suited, so the PMFC seems caught somewhere in-between. We await future developments with interest, especially following Series' backer Ferrari UK's takeover by the Factory.

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Coleman leads from Graham Reeder - who ended up third

Riley's misfiring 360 gradually dropped down the field

Attard tried everything and everywhere to get past Coleman.

but some moves...

...just didn't stick.

Coming through! Sowerby charges past Mike Reeder (yellow 355) and Gamski

Reddick had to give best to Proctor, but took an easy 'C' Class win

Attard finally got in front of Coleman

Last race, last lap, last corner summary of PMFC 2004

pics by Simon Cooke