PIRELLI MARANELLO FERRARI CHALLENGE

It was straight into another foreign double-header just three weeks after the Spa races. Just as well that there was a bit of a gap to repair the various bodywork and mechanical mishaps which had blighted the Belgian event.

Continuing the recent trend of thin grids, just 11 PMFC cars made the trip, to be joined by three guest drivers to bolster up the grid a bit. Hans Hugenholtz, Michel Oprey and Johan Rolloos were all in 360/Chs and the first two, in particular, were well known Ferrari racers who had been around for many years. Hugenholz's Dad, of course, was the man who first created the circuit.

There was plenty of track time, with two 40-minute test sessions on the Friday and two 20-minute qualifying sessions on Saturday, each of which would establish the grid for the two races - with one race on Saturday afternoon and the second on Sunday.

As has been the trend this season the two front runners were Peter Sowerby and Marco Attard in their 360/Chs, and it was Attard who put it on pole just 0.2 seconds ahead of Sowerby. Then came a gap of over two seconds to Phil Burton's 360/Ch, with the similar tipos of Hugenholtz, Graham Reeder and Rolloos next. Quickest of the "C" class boys was Spa winner Witt Gamski, ahead of Ted Reddick still running-in his re-built engine, Mike Reeder and newcomer Alan Williamson who was driving Les Charneca's 355 for the first time.

The second qualifying session took place just over an hour after the first and again it was Attard and Sowerby who flew round trying to nick pole off each other. This time it was Sowerby who came out on top, with Attard sharing the front row and Hugenholtz and Reeder putting themselves on the second row.

Quickest "C" class was again Witt Gamski, with this time Les Charneca chasing him and Ted Reddick in third. Phil Burton ended up at the wrong end of the grid when, due to an electrical failure, his ABS ceased to work as he hurtled into the Tarzan hairpin and he disappeared at high speed into the gravel trap. This left him down in 11th place and the JMH boys with a lot of de-stoning work before the first race at 3.20 pm in the afternoon.

Race 1

Under sunny but breezy conditions the field formed up for the first race. As the red light went out Attard moved cleanly into the lead, with Sowerby and Hugenholtz tussling for second. Burton, Graham Reeder and Kevin Riley were nose to tail in the next three places. Gamski made good use of his "C" class pole and headed the others and even had a couple of 360s to protect his rear from the other "C" class runners.

On lap three Attard was still in the lead but being chased by Sowerby when the latter suddenly picked up a puncture and hit the tyre barrier a mighty blow. He retired on the spot, leaving Attard in a lonely lead. Hugenholtz had an equally safe second place but Burton and Reeder were hard at it in 3rd and 4th spot. Gamski continued to lead the "C" class from Ted Reddick, whose car was simply not able to keep the pace.

Then on lap nine we lost the leader Attard with an engine blow-up - quite a rare thing in a 360/Ch, but the damage was terminal and he would take no further part in the meeting. This gave the lead to Hugenholtz but as far as PMFC runners were concerned it was Burton who was now leading but he still had Reeder looking hard for a way past. At the finish less than a second separated them and in fourth spot came Kevin Riley's 360/Ch, although half a minute behind.

Gamski secured the "C" class win, his second after Spa, with Ted Reddick and Alan Williamson next up.

Race 2

It had rained overnight but the strong breeze had blown away the clouds and dried the track in time for the second race. Attard's car was obviously a non-starter but Sowerby's had been repaired from its previous day's contretemps with the barriers. There was further drama just before the start when Gamski's 355 broke a drive shaft on the green flag lap and he also would not take the start.

This time it was Sowerby who slipped into the lead and with no Attard and Burton (starting from 11th, remember) to oppose him he easily disappeared up the road. Riley, McCormick, Back and Oprey followed in their 360/Chs, whilst in the "C" class Charneca was in the lead by a few lengths, ahead of Reddick.

Graham Reeder did get past the first lap as he suddenly lost control of his 360 and whacked the barriers, but with points at stake for every finisher he decided to keep going in his battered car and managed to finish, albeit dead last, and still claim seven points.

Sowerby was sailing along at the front but impressively Burton had already moved into third from his lowly grid position, with Hugenholtz just ahead of him. The "C" class was providing the best scrap, with Reddick glued on Charneca's tail but simply not able to find a way past.

Sowerby thus took an easy win from Hugenholtz, with Burton being third on the road but second of the PMFC runners. Riley and Back were the next finishers, whilst in "C" class the dueling Charneca/Reddick pair shot across the line less than a quarter of a second apart.

With Attard scoring no points from the weekend and Sowerby having one DNF it was Burton who claimed the most points and he is just seven points being championship leader, Sowerby, with Attard and Riley tied for third spot but 22 points behind. A few unexpected results and anything could still happen in this championship. Amongst the "C"s Ted Reddick has pulled out an enormous lead and looks pretty uncatchable for the category championship

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Beer must be good in Holland

'C' Class winner Gamski in amongst the 360s early on

Guest driver Johan Rolloos gets all crossed up

Sowerby had a big "off" after a puncture

Attard had a miserable weekend - a fire then an engine blow-up

Burton had to work hard to take the PMFC win from Graham Reeder

Kevin Riley took third in PMFC in R1

Alan Williamson finished on the 'C' Class podium in his PMFC debut

4th and a 5th were Bo McCormick's reward for his weekend's work

Graham Reeder whacks the barrier in R2

PMFC regular David Back leads guest Michel Oprey

Burton rushes through the field with Hugenholz following

Charneca and Reddick raced hard to the flag in R2

After his traumas in R1 Sowerby took an untroubled win in R2

pics by Paul - Fotografia Corse & Dirk de Jaeger