Paddock Stories - Rounds 9 & 10 - 2005 Pirelli Maranello Ferrari Challenge - Club Racing Series'

<% theSection = "club_racing_series" %> Paddock Stories - Rounds 9 & 10 - 2005 Pirelli Maranello Ferrari Challenge - Club Racing Series' - Ferrari Owners' Club

PIRELLI MARANELLO FERRARI CHALLENGE

PADDOCK STORIES: ROUNDS 9 & 10: BRANDS HATCH - 23-25 SEPTEMBER 2005

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The GP circuit was in use, which most competitors regard as the best in the UK although by modern day standards the track width is relatively narrow and, apart from at a couple of spots, it is difficult to create a passing manoeuvre that will stick without jeopardy. The gravel trap at Paddock Hill Bend is a notorious graveyard for cars that have been taken too close to the edge, a threat that was to affect the Ferraris in both sets of races as well as many of the other cars racing during the weekend.

This was the race meeting that saw the very first A1 Grand Prix, the so-called World Cup of Motorsport created by Sheikh Maktoum – or, more correctly, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum. This formula has national franchises where the drivers' identities are supposed to be subsumed by their nationalities. Seems odd for such an individualistic sport “Who won?” “Brazil.” “Yes, but who won?” Also these “identical cars” formulae are often riven by problems such as complaints about a perceived lack of equality on one hand and the frantic search for a racer’s edge on the other. Wonder how long it’ll last?

On Saturday evening, at the request of Brands Hatch, we provided a couple of Ferraris for the guests at the A1 GP Ball to gaze at. The cars chosen were the sparkling red Ferraris of Gary Culver (328GTB from the classic series) and David Dove (representing PMFC with his 360 Challenge). They gave a nice touch to proceedings and did no harm at all for the prestige of our two series.

There were a few ex-PMFC racers at Brands. Rod Carman drove his 360 and Ian Khan was sharing his gruff-sounding Porsche GT3RS with Tim Sugden. David Ashburn was running a very professional-looking GT3 Cup Porkie team. In Race 2 as soon as the safety car went into the pit lane after its second appearance, David buried his throttle foot and spun into the gravel at Clark Curve, thus bringing the safety car out once more!

There was consternation in the Charlie White camp before Race 2 when he injured his hand, not once but twice. In a moment of derangement he had tried to clean his 355’s clutch while the engine was running ! A badly sliced finger necessitated an urgent ambulance journey to the other side of the circuit and the medical centre. After having had the finger patched up, Charlie was released into the paddock again and immediately got the same injured hand wedged between his car’s brake caliper and a wheel, causing further bruising, but Charlie pluckily carried on and competed in the race. Anyone got a copy of “ill coccinellesco libro della macchina”?

Ted Reddick’s F355, which had posted a DNF on Saturday with the instruments providing conflicting information on the oil pressure. Everything was checked over by Mark Leighton afterwards and all found to be all OK, apparently faulty sender units in the oil pressure system were telling fibs.

Gary Culver and his immaculate 360/Ch out-performed many more exotic and ostensibly faster cars during the weekend. Whereas most of the non-PMFC opposition work out of hugely impressive pantechnicons with truckloads of mechanics, the Culver team do superbly well in the safe hands of chef d’equipe David Preston whose tools are housed in a no-nonsense white van. There are no lavish awnings and there wasn’t a plastic floor tile or tub of potted plants to be seen anywhere. [Jack Brabham was right again – Ed].

Tony Willis of Ferrari GB (the name Ferrari UK having been nabbed by a tractor manufacturer!) presented the PMFC prizes and bottles of Laurent-Perrier champagne to the winners, including the Wilkinson ‘Ferrari Driver of the Meeting’ crystal tankard to Gary in recognition of his brilliant performance.