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The UK's
leading tuning specialist for "A" series engines
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Miniworld Action
Day at Castle Combe - 29/09/07
The team headed to Castle Combe
once again for the annual Miniworld action day, a day of non competitive circuit
action organised by Miniworld magazine. The
Hire Car was pressed into action for the day with a second seat installed to
provide high speed passenger rides around the fast Castle Combe circuit.
The team would be raising money for the Kent Autistic Trust ( http://www.kentautistic.com/
) by providing members of the public with “taxi rides” around the circuit in
exchange for a donation to the charity.
 The
day dawned wet and overcast with little immediate prospect of improvement,
consequently the Hire Car was switched onto a full wet setup as it was prepared
for action. As the circuit opened
for the first session the Hire Car blasted out of the pit lane as the first car
onto the circuit. The poor weather
kept a number of vehicles off the circuit as they waited for conditions to
improve, with little traffic on the circuit the Hire Car was able to circulate
at speed and provided the hardy spectators with some impressive action. As
the day wore on the conditions improved and the circuit began to dry out, the
Hire Car was consequently adjusted throughout the day to suit the prevailing
conditions and by the end of the day was on a full dry setup.
The Hire Car was on circuit in every open session during the day
returning to the paddock only to refuel, swap passengers, change setup and
general check-overs. The Hire Cars reliability throughout the day was impressive,
the car running strongly from the first session to the last and consistently
being the fastest and most committed car on the circuit.
 The
passenger rides provided enable people to experience the experience of a flying
lap from the comfort of the passenger seat, the speed being altered to suit the
individual passengers requirements (although all requested flat out!).
The effect this has on people has to be seen to be believed – every
single passenger exited the car with a wide grin on their face!
Some people were specifically seeking a ride in the Hire Car as it was
“the most impressive car on the circuit” and “clearly pushing harder”
than the other cars providing taxi rides. Spectators
also noticed the Hire Cars impressive on track performance with many coming into
the paddock to have a closer look at the car on its brief visits to the teams
awning.
 As
the chequered flag fell to bring the day to a close the Hire Car returned to the
paddock for the final time – first car onto the circuit and one of the last
off it! The event was highly
successful from the teams point of view with the Hire Car providing a superb
advertisement for the team and proving to be the main source of entertainment on
circuit, this had the knock-on effect of drawing people to the teams awning
where further information could be found about the team and its sponsors.
The team will be back at Castle Combe next year for more of the same!
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BARC
Festival Of Speed at Lydden Hill - 08/09/07
The
team made the short journey to Lydden Hill to take part in the annual Lydden
Festival Of Speed. Once again
bright sunshine blessed the event and a large crowd gathered to watch the days
diverse programme of motorsport.
Dunlop
Motorsport News Saloons Qualifying
 Once
again the Clubman featured a new development part for testing as the team
continue to wring ever more performance from the venerable Mini, the part had
performed well in workshop test conditions but this would be the first on track
test. The Clubman completed a
number of exploratory laps to bed in the new tyres and to check that the new
part was functioning as expected. Satisfied
all was well the Clubman picked up the pace and fired in a succession of quick
laps before returning to the paddock early to allow the team to prepare for the
hire Cars impending session. The
Clubman had performed faultlessly in the session and had grabbed a sensational
pole position in a field that included some far more powerful machinery!
DMN
Saloons Race 1
Rolling
start were the order of the day and the Clubman lead the field around on the
green flag lap, as the lights went out to start the race the Clubman was passed
by a Megane that used it’s power advantage to blast past the Clubman.
The Clubman slotted into 2nd position behind the Megane and
set about regaining its position at the head of the field.
The Clubman closed the gap to the Megane and began to exert pressure on
the yellow and blue machine. The
duelling pair gradually edged away from the rest of the pack as they pushed each
other ever harder and the lap times fell.
The
Clubman continued to harass the Megane as it sought a way past, the move would
need to be decisive as the Megane held a straight line speed advantage over the
Clubman. Sure enough, when it came
the pass was clinical, the Clubman dived up the inside of the Megane into the
hairpin and held the inside line all the way down the hill and into Paddock
where the Megane had no choice but to yield.
As
expected the Megane fought back and sought to retake the lead, however, the
Clubman was equal to everything that the Megane could throw at it and the
challenge faded. The Clubman
streaked across the line to take the chequered flag and a superb outright race
win!
DMN
Saloons Race 2
The
second race proved to be a stark contrast to the first, between the races the
team had found a problem with the Clubman that meant it would be unable to
compete on an even footing. With
damage to the front suspension it was touch and go if the Clubman would be fit
to take part at all. The green flag
lap was used to assess the wellbeing of the car – if the car proved undrivable
it would be returned to the paddock and would play no part in the race.
The
Clubman was passed fit to race but it would not be able to defend its positions
in its customary stoic manner. As
the lights went out the Clubman pulled off the racing line to allow the field to
pass safely. The Clubman continued
to circulate at the rear of the field in order to collect the championship
points gained for a finish. To ease
the strain on the front suspension the Clubman completed the race without using
its brakes! The drama wasn’t over
however as on the final lap the Clubman was tagged by a lapping car and span
before recovering to take the flag and some valuable points.
Tin
Tops Qualifying
The
Tin Tops field was mixed with a grid of sports cars and saloons to provide an
impressive field. The Hire
Car headed out into the qualifying session with new front tyres and used the
early part of the session to scrub in the new rubber.
As the session wore on the Hire Car picked up the pace and posted a time
that would see it line up mid grid and at the front of its class.
Tin
Tops Race 1
As
with the DMN races the tin tops would take a rolling start, as the lights went
out the hire Car charged into the first corner hot in pursuit of those ahead.
Soon battle was joined with a black Astra and the hire car was filling
its mirrors on all sides as it swarmed over the machine ahead.
After a number of feints the Hire Car scythed past the Astra under
braking for the hairpin and made good its escape.
The
pair immediately ahead (a Golf and a Proton) were having their own scrap and
consequently they were slowing each other down – the Hire Car needed no
further incentive and joined the fray.
As the cars jostled for position the Hire Car was able to despatch the
Golf and set about the Proton. As
the laps wound down the Hire Car sought a way past but the Proton managed to
take the chequered flag ahead of the Hire Car by the slimmest of margins.
The Hire Car however took a class win and a superb 3rd place overall.
Tin
Tops Race 2
 The
second race proved to be a continuation of the first with the Hire Car and the
Proton fighting tooth and nail for position from lights to flag, other cars
tried to join the dogfight but they fell by the wayside as the duelling pair
continued their tussle. The Proton
initially held the advantage but the Hire Car found a way passed its more
powerful opponent. The Proton
fought back and retook its position as the epic battle continued.
As ever the Hire Car redoubled its efforts and once again challenged the
Proton for position as the two cars circulated side by side each seeking the
decisive advantage. Once more the
Hire Car edged ahead and fended off the Protons immediate counter.
The
battle raged for the entire duration of the race with the outcome in doubt until
the cars crossed the line nose to tail at the end of the race with the Hire Car
proving victorious.
The
team can once again be proud of its achievements, the Clubman took a superb pole
position and an equally impressive outright race win as well as salvaging some
useful championship points from a challenging second race.
The Hire Car once again excelled itself and punched far above its weight
to take two class wins and finish as the first saloon home in the second race.
Both cars also proved again just how popular they are with the spectators
as people flocked to see the cars in the paddock after being enthralled by the
giant killing performances on track.
The team will now prepare the cars for the next round of the Championship
which will also be at Lydden Hill.
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BARC
Dunlop Motorsport News Saloons at Brands Hatch - 12/08/07
The
team headed to Brands Hatch for the sixth round of the Dunlop Motorsport News
Saloon Championship. For this
meeting the Indy circuit would be used along with rolling starts. The work for the team started before the cars had even
arrived at the circuit with a late night gearbox rebuild for Bill Richards
Racing customer and fellow DMN racer Gemma Morris.
The Clubman would be wearing a harder compound tyre than ideal as there
were no tyres of the correct compound available in Europe! This would impact the performance of the car but the extent
of this impact wouldn’t be known until qualifying.
Qualifying
The
Clubman headed out onto the circuit into what would be a very busy qualifying
session with a large grid and eclectic mix of cars.
The harder compound tyres were taking a long time to come up to operating
temperature and this compromised the Clubmans qualifying session.
By the end of the session the Clubman has recorded a time that would see
it line up mid grid amongst a closely matched group of cars.
Race
1
 The
cars headed out onto the grid and held station for a tribute to Barry Barnes, a
DMN racer who sadly passed away recently. Barry's
car performed a parade lap whilst the crowd stood and observed a minutes silence
in memory of Barry.
As
the cars fired up for the rolling start the first spots of rain began to fall on
the circuit – all the cars were fitted with slick tyres so conditions were far
from ideal! The field crossed the
line tightly packed and headed into Paddock Hill Bend for the first time with
the grip levels a complete unknown! Everybody
made it through safely and the race began to settle down with the Clubman hard
on the heels of a Fiesta. The
harder tyres were struggling to cope with the damp conditions but the Clubman
retained its combative edge and soon passed the Fiesta and a Seat that was
struggling in the damp.
The
Clubman then set about closing down the car ahead – another Mini! The gap closed and soon the Clubman was crawling over the
bootlid of the Mini ahead, as the laps wound down the battle raged with the two
cars nose to tail throughout the entire lap.
Several times the Clubman pulled alongside the Mini but was unable to
find a way past. As the chequered
flag fell the two cars flashed across the line separated by less than a tenth of
a second with the Clubman just being beaten by the Mini (although this was
powered by a BRR engine!)
Race
2
The
second race saw a dry track and clear blue skies overhead, after failing to get
enough temperature into the tyres during the first race the team took a gamble
and replaced the nearside front tyre with the spare (which was of the correct
compound). This would mean running
on mismatched compound on the front of the car but would provide extra grip
through the right hand corners (the Indy circuit is mainly right handers).
 Once
again the rolling start was trouble free and the field streaked towards Paddock
tightly bunched, the Clubman managed to despatch the Mini into the first corner
and consolidate its position on the run up to Druids.
In the opening melee the Fiesta had found a way past both the Mini and
the Clubman and now led the class. The
Clubman responded to the challenge and was soon on the tail of the Fiesta.
The two cars lapped nose to tail until the Clubman sliced passed to take
the class lead. The Fiesta
responded and took the fight back to the Clubman, the two cars once more
separated by fractions of a second. The duel continued with a brief interlude as a recovering
Megane passed the Fiesta and Clubman in turn.
With the Megane out of the way the battle was rejoined with the Fiesta
once more searching to find a way past. The
two cars fought tooth and nail, the Fiesta holding a straight line speed
advantage but the Clubman countered this with superior handling and greater
speed through the corners – the tyre gamble had paid of handsomely!
The Clubman took the chequered flag ahead of the Fiesta to record an
impressive class victory.
The
team can once again be satisfied with their weekends work, a class victory and a
second in class is a great return for what looked like being a very difficult
weekend with the tyre issue.
Adversity once again brought out the best in the team and the work put in
both in the paddock and on track was richly rewarded.
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Dunlop
Motorsport News Championship & Tin Tops Challenge at Lydden - 29/07/07
The team returned to Lydden Hill for the latest
round of the Dunlop Motorsport News Championship and BARC vs CSCC Tin Tops
Challenge. The slick shod Clubman would once again be competing in the DMN
Championship races whilst the Hire Car would act as team captain for the BARC
team in the Tin Top Challenge.
Tin Tops Qualifying
The weather forecast predicted rain throughout
the day but there was no sign of this as the Hire Car headed out for its
qualifying session. A very busy session made judging the traffic crucial to
gaining a good time. The Hire Car eventually worked itself a suitable gap and
began to up the pace recording several quick laps in succession and taking
advantage of some rare clear air. As the session wore on traffic once more
became an issue and the Hire Car returned to the paddock having set the 3rd
fastest time!
Tin Tops Race 1
 A
good start saw the Hire Car briefly grab 2nd place from one of the front row
BMW's, however the larger cars greater power was decisive and it was able to
retake the position. The Hire Car valiantly hung on to the leading pair refusing
to give up the chase despite the power deficit. Despite this early burst of pace
the Hire Car was soon under attack from a Proton Coupe that began snapping away
at the tail of the Hire Car. An enthralling battle began with the nimble Hire
Car fending off the Protons attempts to pass. Eventually the Proton scraped past
the Hire Cars defences and took the position. As ever the Hire Car immediately
fought back and took the fight to the Proton, under braking for the hairpin the
Hire Car retook the position but was unable to make the move stick as the Proton
accelerated out of the corner. The Hire Car held on doggedly to the flag to take
4th overall and a class win.
Tin Tops Race 2
Another good start saw the Hire Car run side by
side with the proton into the first corner but the larger car was able to hold
position and the Hire Car settled into 4th position. This position was soon
under threat as an Astra latched on to the tail of the Hire Car and began to
exert pressure. The Hire Car successfully defended its line and repulsed all
attempts by the Astra to pass, the Astra eventually fell back after a brief trip
through the gravel trap at the Devils Elbow. With the threat to its position
removed the Hire Car had a quiet run to the flag to collect another 4th place
and its second class win of the day.
DMN Qualifying
The Clubman headed out into qualifying with
gathering clouds overhead a few light spots of rain in the air, fortunately
however this would come to nothing and the circuit remained dry throughout. Once
again traffic would prove to be crucial in the session with a large number of
cars on the circuit finding a clear lap would be crucial. The Clubman worked its
way into clear air and made full use of the open road claiming a stunning pole
position against some very powerful opposition.
DMN Race 1
 From
the rolling start it was asking a lot of te Cluban to hold onto its lead
against the bigger engined cars ranged against it and on the run to the first
corner the Clubman was passed by a Peugeot 205 and a Peugeot 306. The Clubman
retaliated immediately and ran side by side with the 306 up into the hairpin
where the Clubman regained the position. However, the duel was brought to a
standstill as the red flags were brought out to allow the recovery of another
car that had left the circuit. The race would be restarted with the Clubman
once more leading the field.
As with the first start the 205 managed to
outdrag the Clubman to the first corner, this time however the Clubman
successfully fended off the 306 and ended the first lap in 2nd place. The 306
wasn't finished and began to attack the Clubman seeking to use its power
advantage to find a way past the more agile car. The Clubmans defence of the
position was resolute and the 306 was never given an opportunity to make a move
on the Clubman. The two cars took the chequered flag in quick succession with
the Clubman leading the pair across the line to take 2nd overall and a class
victory.
DMN Race 2
Starting from 2nd on the grid the Clubman once
again held off the 306 on the run to the first corner whilst the 205 took full
advantage of pole position to lead the race. The Clubman and 306 resumed their
battle from the first race with the more powerful car once more striving to find
a weakness in the Clubmans defences. This again proved a futile task as the
Clubman repulsed every attempt to make the breakthrough. Finally the 306 made a
mistake and span out of contention leaving the Clubman with a sizeable advantage
over the now 3rd placed Integra.
 With
the pressure relieved the Clubman set off in pursuit off the race leading 205
and lap by lap began to close the gap. It wasn't long before the Clubman was
filling the mirrors of the 205 as the gap faded to nothing. The 205 had the
power advantage but the Clubman was superior through the corners and began to
attack the 205 with vigour. The two cars circulated separated by fractions of a
second as each sought the advantage, the Clubman managed to get alongside the
205 on several occasions but the more powerful car just held on to its lead. The
battle continued as the duelling pair encountered backmarkers and lapped them,
each car seeking to use traffic as the chance to make a decisive break. Both
cars were able to slice through the traffic and narrowly avoided contact with a
wayward backmarker as the battle continued. The chequered flag fell with the two
protagonists still nose to tail after an enthralling battle at the head of the
field, the 205 held on to take the win with the Clubman again taking 2nd overall
and a class win.
The team had a superb weekend with the Hire Car
taking a brace of class wins and the Clubman matching this achievement and
having the added bonus of a superb pole position. With superb racing throughout
the day and in particular the second of the DMN races the team once again showed
that the Minis can successfully take the fight to more powerful opposition
around the tight Lydden Hill circuit and in doing so provide some fantastic
entertainment. The team can now look forward to the next round of the DMN
Championship at Brands Hatch
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SEMSEC
at Lydden Hill - 02/06/07
Lydden Hill was once again the
venue for the Bill Richards Racing teams weekend exploits.
The circuit was bathed in glorious sunshine in a stark contrast to the
deluge that had engulfed the circuit earlier in the week!
Qualifying
The Mini headed out for the
qualifying session sporting some new engine components that had been fitted for
this meeting as a ‘field test’ prior to being cleared for large scale
production. As ever the early part of the session was used to give the
car a shakedown and to get the tyres up to operating temperature.
Once happy that all was well the Mini increased its pace and began to
turn in some fast lap times as it found clear air and avoided falling foul of
the traffic on the busy circuit.
With some quick times in the
bag the Mini spent the remainder of the session providing some coaching to
another driver by observing their lines through the corners and then leading
them around the circuit for a number of laps showing them the lines and braking
points. As the session drew to a
close the Mini returned to the paddock having set the fastest time and claiming
pole position!
Race 1
 The
Mini lined up at the front of the grid alongside a spaceframed Starlet and
immediately ahead of a pair of Caterhams – fast starting cars with a power
advantage over the Mini. As the lights went out the Starlet immediately pulled ahead
of the Mini with one of the Caterhams following the Starlet through, however the
Mini successfully fended off the second of the Caterhams and went into Chessons
in 3rd place. As the
cars reached the end of the first lap the Mini had successfully caught the
Caterham ahead and was beginning to apply the pressure.
It wasn’t long before the Mini pounced and snatched 2nd
position from the Caterham with a well executed pass.
The Mini now set off in pursuit
of the race leading Starlet that had managed to build an advantage over the rest
of the field whilst the Mini battled with the Catherham.
In clear air the Mini proved to be the fastest car on the circuit and
soon closed down the Starlet. The
Mini hounded the Starlet and looked for an opportunity to pass the spaceframed
machine, eventually the pressure told and the Mini passed the Starlet to take
the lead of the race. The duel
wasn’t over however as the Starlet fought back and retook the race lead as its
power advantage gave it the edge in a straight line.
The lead soon changed hands
again with the Mini once more snatching the advantage as the two cars continued
their tussle. As before the Starlet
fought back and once again used its superior power to pass the Mini and grab
back the lead of the race. The Mini
took this in its stride and redoubled its efforts once again passing the Starlet
at the hairpin with a well executed manoeuvre.
The Mini was then able to take advantage of the traffic encountered to
extend its lead and pull away to take the chequered flag and a well deserved
victory.
Race 2
 The
Mini lined up on Pole position once more with the Starlet alongside although
this time the Caterham threat failed to take the start.
As the lights went out the Starlet once again powered away from the line
and took the lead, the Mini slotting into a comfortable 2nd place. The Mini was soon hot on the heels of the Starlet as the two
protagonists continued their epic duel from the first race.
The leading pair were in a
class of their own and pulled out a large gap over the rest of the field as they
drove each other onwards.
Lap after the lap the Mini
ducked and weaved behind the Starlet as it attempted to find a way past but the
Starlet held its line and used its superior power to maintain the advantage over
the marauding Mini. Several times the two cars were side by side as the Mini
strove to make a decisive move but the Starlet just held on to its slender
advantage. The two cars flashed across the line to take the chequered
flag separated by a tenth of a second after a superb cleanly fought duel that
lasted from lights to flag with the two cars never being more than a few car
lengths apart.
The
team can be very satisfied with their weekends work, the Mini taking Pole
position, fastest lap, a race win and a second place as well as providing useful
feedback on the components being tested. The
Hire car also performed faultlessly again in the hands of Geoff O’Nion who
once again turned in a solid performance throughout the meeting.
Also of note were the performances of Tristam Barden and Mary Grinham in
BRR fettled machinery – each of them setting their own personal best lap times
around the Lydden Hill circuit.
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BARC
Dunlop/Motorsport News Saloon Championship at Brands Hatch - 06/05/07
The weekends second day of
racing at Brands Hatch would see the Clubman in action as part of a full grid in
the DMN championship. Once again
the popular championship would see an impressive array of cars lining up to
claim the spoils around the Brands Hatch Indy circuit.
Qualifying
 The
Clubman headed out onto the circuit as part of the huge field, it was
immediately clear that traffic would play a major part in the session!
As the session continued the Clubman fought its way through the traffic
to set some impressive lap times – these times were even more remarkable in
light of the fact that the Clubman had no clutch!
As the session continued a number of incidents brought out the yellow
flags and thus denied the Clubman the opportunity to improve its times –
although the Clubman was lucky to avoid these incidents as twice cars left the
circuit whilst directly ahead of the Clubman.
Despite the clutch failure the Clubman qualified well up the grid and
immediately ahead of a pair of Imprezas!
Race 1
With the clutch fixed the
Clubman headed out for the race full of confidence.
Rolling starts were the order of the day and the first of these saw the
Clubman holding position against the hard charging Imprezas.
The tussle with the Imprezas continued over the opening laps of the race
and was soon joined by a Clio. The
Clubman impressively held off the Clio for a number of laps and looked to have
the edge over the French car. The
battle wasn’t over however and the Clio made contact with the rear of the
Clubman tipping it into a spin and dropping it down the order.
 With
two Minis now ahead of the Clubman the fight was truly on!
Having recovered from the spin the Clubman began to claw its way back
through the field whilst also fending off two Cosworths that were recovering
from their own dramas. The first of
the Minis was quickly caught and passed as the Clubman continued its charge. The sheer power of the Cosworths saw them pass the Clubman
but soon the Clubman had the final Mini in is sights. With the race entering its final laps the Clubman was closing
down the Mini ahead but the gap looked ominously large.
However, in this instance luck favoured the Clubman and the Mini was
badly baulked by a back marker – this allowed the Clubman to close the gap in
the space of a few corners. Once on
the tail of the Mini the Clubman was able to sweep past and retake the class
lead and ultimately the class victory.
Race 2
The first race had seen some
great battles but these were nothing compared with what was to come.
From the very first lap of the second race the Clubman was embroiled in
an epic battle as part of an eight car group all squabbling for position – the
group included the two Imprezas, a Lancia, the Clio, an ex-DTM (German Touring
car) Mercedes, a Cosworth, the Clubman and its yellow peril Mini adversary.
The whole group circulated nose to tail with passes for position within
the group on every lap. As ever the
Clubman excelled itself in the close quarters dogfighting – even passing the
DTM car under braking for the Druids hairpin!
The David vs Goliath struggle continued as the two cars each played to
their advantage – the DTM car powering ahead on the straights with the cheeky
Clubman out braking the larger car into the slow corners.
 As
the race continued the epic struggle showed no signs of abating and the Clubman
gained another position as it passed the Clio.
The yellow peril then sliced past the Clubman to take the class lead on
to see the Clubman retake the position at the very next corner.
The two cars continued to swap position lap after lap until the Clubman
was able to make what looked like a decisive break away from the pursuing Mini.
However, as with the first race the outcome wasn’t decided by the two
protagonists but by a back marker (the same back marker as the first race!) –
this time it was the Clubman that fell victim and the yellow Mini was able to
duck through and take the place on the final lap and took the flag with the
Clubman fractions of a second behind.
The
team can again be very pleased with the performance of the Clubman – the
qualifying position was stunning given the lack of clutch and the race
performance proved once again that the Clubman is a very competitive package
around Brands Hatch. The second
race in particular was a fantastic spectacle with incredibly close wheel to
wheel racing between a wide variety of cars, as with the first race it was a
pity that the result was decided by a back marker rather than the two
protagonists that had provided such enthralling racing..
A class win and a second place give the Clubman some useful points in the
Championship.
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SEMSEC
/ BARC Tin Tops at Brands Hatch - 05/05/07
The team headed to Brands Hatch
for a busy weekend of racing, Saturday would see the Hire car in action in
SEMSEC and BARC Tin Tops races whilst the Clubman would be on circuit for the
Dunlop Motorsport News Saloon Championship on Sunday.
The Clubman would normally run in the SEMSEC races but the team took the
decision to preserve the Clubman for the Sunday DMN races and use the Hire car
in its place.
SEMSEC Qualifying
The Hire Car headed out onto
the Indy circuit for qualifying in a mixed field of Saloons and sports cars with
cars from a number of different classes and championships forming a very mixed
grid. After some initial sighting
laps the Hire Car picked up speed and began to set some meaningful lap times.
The session was trouble free and the Hire Car was able to take advantage
of the good conditions to qualify 2nd in class.
BARC Tin Tops Qualifying
The Tin Tops race was to be the
first leg of a BARC vs CSCC Tin Tops challenge, the Hire Car was the nominated
captain for the BARC team! The
qualifying session followed on immediately from the SEMSEC session so the Hire
Car was already on the pace for the Tin Tops qualifying session.
With little traffic to worry about the Hire Car was able to improve on
its time from the SEMSEC session and would line up 4th on the grid
for the race.
SEMSEC Race
 As
the lights went out the Hire Car launched off the line but immediately had to
take avoiding action as a car ahead had stalled and remained stationery on the
grid! The evasive manoeuvring cost
the Hire Car a number of places as others took advantage of the situation.
The Hire Car was soon in hot pursuit of those that had got ahead and
gradually closed down the Mini ahead. Having
caught the Mini the Hire Car made a swift pass and began to pull away.
As the race continued the Hire
Car was caught by the Mini behind and the two cars engaged in an enthralling
battle with the positions changing continually as they encountered traffic. With the Hire Car once again regaining the upper hand the
fight for position was joined by a third Mini!
The three Minis circulated nose to tail jostling for position as the
leading sports cars began to lap the field.
The Hire car was able to successfully defend its position to the end of
the race despite a late scare when it was almost collected by an errant Integra
that had had an off at Paddock! The
Hire Car was the first of the Minis across the line after a very hectic race.
BARC Tin Tops Race
After completing the SEMSEC
race the Hire Car was refuelled and checked over in double quick time in order
to be sent out for the Tin Tops race. A
great start saw the Hire Car immediately gain a position to run 3rd
overall – a feat that impressed the circuit commentators who had been
expecting the bigger cars to pull away from the diminutive battler.
As the race unfolded the Hire Car continued to be a thorn in the side of
the more powerful machinery and was setting some impressive lap times.
Disaster struck however when a Fiesta tried to pass the Hire Car on the
entry to the Druids hairpin – contact from the Fiesta damaged the Hire Car and
resulted in several lost positions. The
Hire Car rejoined the fray although the wheel arches soon parted company with
the rest of the car as the Hire Car stormed back into contention.
However the Hire Cars race was soon over as further contact (this time
with an Audi TT) resulted in damage that would see the Hire Car returning to the
paddock before the flag.
The first day of the weekend
showed once again that although the Hire Car may not be as powerful as the
Clubman it is still more than capable of taking the race to the opposition.
In the SEMSEC race the Hire Car was the quickest Mini despite running on
treaded tyres and proved to be an able substitute for the Clubman.
The Tin Tops race ended in a disappointing retirement due to the damage
sustained but further highlighted the Hire Cars ability to battle with more
powerful machinery on the tight confines of the Indy circuit.
With the Hire Car back in the awning the team could look forward to the
Clubmans races the following day…….
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SEMSEC
at Lydden Hill - 14/04/07
The
start of the SEMSEC season saw the team heading once more to a sun drenched
Lydden Hill. The Clubman would be
joined in the days races by the Hire car in the hands of Geoff O’Nion as part
of a large entry of Minis.
Qualifying
– Sports and Saloons Championship
 The
session started with the Clubman performing the now familiar task of getting the
tyres up to temperature during the first few laps of the session. With the tyres bedded in the Clubman upped the pace and
sought to find a gap in the traffic to get a clear lap in. A busy circuit ensured that this was no easy task but the
same problem existed for all the competitors so it was up to the Clubman to make
the most of the opportunities presented. Finding
a gap the Clubman put in a scorching lap to earn itself 3rd on the
grid.
Race
1 - Sports and Saloons Championship
 The
Clubman rocketed off the line as the pole sitter was swamped by the faster
starting cars behind, the Clubman slotted into 2nd place behind an MG
as the opening lap came to a close. With
the leading pair edging away the Clubman began to attack the MG ahead, after a
few laps of exploratory moves against the MG the Clubman struck and passed the
MG under braking for paddock bend. Once
in front the Clubman began to open a gap to the pursuing MG that was now under
attack from a V8 Escort.
With
the Clubman leading the race the Escort increased its pace in an attempt to
close on the Clubman – within a short period the Escort was menacing the back
of the Clubman. It became a battle
of brute power against guile and agility as the more nimble Clubman fended off
the advances of the larger machine. With
the Clubman controlling the race and seemingly heading for the win disaster
struck with a repeat of the previous weeks problem – a drive shaft failed
cruelly robbing the Clubman of victory and handing the race to the Escort.
The Clubman returned to the paddock to allow the team to carry out
repairs in time for the second race of the day.
Race
2 - Sports and Saloons Championship
With
the Clubman repaired the second race promised to be an exercise in damage
limitation as the Clubman would have to start from the back of the grid.
As the lights went out the Clubman flew off the line storming past 4 cars
on the run to the first corner. Eager
to make progress as soon as possible the Clubman continued to attack throughout
the first lap and as it crossed the line for the first time it was up to an
incredible 6th place!
  The
Clubman continued to attack with vigour and passed a spaceframed Mini before
dispatching a spacframed Starlet as it continued its charge through the field.
Now running in clear air the Clubman set about closing the gap to the
leading pair – the MG and the Escort. As
the leading pair fought their own battle the Clubman was able to close them down
and join the fray, the three cars circulating nose to tail.
The Clubman continued to harass the MG and on the final lap the pressure
told as the MG ran wide on the exit of a corner and went off the circuit
allowing the Clubman to take the position.
The MG’s departure from the circuit also wrong footed the Escort and
the Clubman pounced in an instinctive move that caught the Escort unawares. The Clubman dived passed the Escort under braking for the
Hairpin and made a break for the chequered flag.
The Escort has no time to respond to the Clubmans cheeky pass as the Mini
stormed around the final corner to take the chequered flag and another
thoroughly deserved race win!
The
Clubman came good once more after another disappointing setback during the first
race of the day. The team once
again worked wonders to return the car to fitness between the races and allow it
to take another highly deserved victory after a superlative drive from the back
of the grid. The team will now work
on a permanent solution to the driveshaft issue in time for the next race
meeting.
In
addition to the Clubman exploits the team can also be rightfully proud of a
number of other racers – nearly half the grid were using cars that have been
through the Bill Richards Racing workshops!
Of particular note was the four way scrap for position between the minis
of Tristam Barden, Allan Rawlings, Gemma Morris and Geoff O’Nion (the latter
in the BRR Hire car and putting in his best performance to date)..
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BARC
at Lydden Hill - 07/04/07
The
team headed to a warm and sunny Lydden Hill for the first round of the Dunlop
Motorsport News Saloon championship and the second round of the BARC Tin Tops
championship. With the Metro still
undergoing its engine transplant racing duties were left to the two Minis.
Qualifying
- Dunlop Motorsport News Saloons
The
Clubman headed out onto the circuit for its first qualifying session of the
season and spent the early part of the session bringing the tyres up to
temperature and checking the car over as there had been no time for pre-season
testing. As the session progressed
the Clubman picked up the pace and began to put in some quicker lap times.
Towards the end of the session the Clubman picked up a worrying vibration
and returned to the paddock for a checkup prior to the race.
The times set during the session were good enough to put the Clubman 2nd
on the grid!
Qualifying
– Tin Tops
With
the Clubman back in the paddock the Hire car headed out onto the circuit for its
qualifying session. As in the
previous Tin Tops race the gird was a mixed bag of slick shod saloons, Tiger
sports cars and the treaded tyre shod Tin Tops.
The Hire car managed to find plenty of clear air during the session and
successfully avoided getting bogged down in traffic.
An incident free session saw the Hire car lining up as the fastest of the
Tin Tops.
Race
1 - Dunlop Motorsport News Saloons
 As
the lights went out the Clubman rocketed off the line and snatched the lead from
the pole sitting Peugeot 205, the leading pair made a swift break and quickly
established a gap to the chasing pack. After
successfully defending the lead over the opening laps the 205 powered past the
Clubman along the main straight. As
ever the Clubman fought back and as battle was joined disaster struck!
The Clubman broke a driveshaft and was forced to retire from the race, it
did however make it back to the paddock to allow the team to start work on the
repairs needed to get the car ready for its 2nd race.
There was a further twist to the race as the 205 also retired with
mechanical problems leaving the way clear for a Mini 1-2
Race
1 - Tin Tops
A busy
opening lap saw the Hire car fighting for position with a large gaggle of cars
and this continued throughout the opening laps of the race. Gradually the field settled down and the Hire car began to
make progress. After successfully
passing a BMW the hire car tagged on to the rear end of one of the Tigers, the
duelling pair soon caught and passed a Golf.
In the process of passing the Golf the Tiger had left itself exposed and
the Hire car pounced to take the position.
The Tiger immediately went on the offensive and tried to regain the
position. The Hire car valiantly
defended for a number of laps before the Tiger was able to find a way past. As ever though the Hire car fought back and the two cars were
still separated by mere inches as they crossed the line at the end of the race.
The Hire car was the first of the treaded tyre shod saloons home.
Race
2 - Dunlop Motorsport News Saloons
 With
the repairs completed the Clubman was able to take part in its 2nd
race of the day, hoeever, it would have to start from the back of the grid as it
failed to finish the first race – achieving a good result from such a lowly
grid position was a daunting task. Once
again the Clubman flew off the line as the lights went out and successfully
passed three cars on the run to the first corner!
The Clubman continued this blistering charge throughout the opening lap
and by the time it completed its first tour it had passed six cars!
After dispatching a number of other cars the Clubman set about closing
down the leading trio. The Clubman closed down the Peugeot 205 that held third place
and slipped its way past the more powerful machine with a deft manoeuvre.
Once clear of the 205 the Clubman set about reducing the deficit to the
leading pair (both of which were Minis!).
As the
laps wound down the Clubman reeled them in the gap reducing lap by lap – would
there be enough time for the Clubman to catch them?
With the laps running out the Clubman latched onto the tail of the second
placed Mini and audaciously drove around the outside of it coming out of
Chessons and onto the Dover Slope – a superbly executed passing manoeuvre that
left the Clubman hot on the heels of the leader. Once again the Clubman wasted no time and scythed past the
Mini and into the lead! With a
clear track ahead the Clubman began to open up a gap to the pair of Minis behind
that were still embroiled in their own battle.
The Clubman took the chequered flag in style having produced a truly epic
performance to win from the back of the grid – a superb result against some
very quick opponents.
Race
2 - Tin Tops
 The
second Tin Tops race started in much the same way as the first with the Hire car
hanging tenaciously onto a group of Tigers waiting for a chance to take
advantage of any minor error. As
before one of the Tigers ran wide allowing the Hire car to pounce and take the
position. The Tiger again fought
back and the battling pair swept passed an ailing Focus as they closed down the
group of Tigers ahead. The Hire car
joined a five car battle for position but this time lost out as the Tiger
sneaked past to retake its position. The
Hire car snapped away at the heels of the Tigers but couldn’t find a way
passed before the chequered flag fell. Once
again the Hire car was the first of the Tin Tops to take the flag.
Whilst
the first race ended in disappointment for the team with the uncharacteristic
retirement of the Clubman they recovered in style with the Hire car taking two
class victories and the honour of being the first of the Tin Tops home in each
race. The
Clubman also redeemed itself with a simply stunning performance in the second of
its races. A
win from the back of the grid is a superb result and the car also recorded its
fastest ever lap around the Lydden Hill circuit.
Bill received the Motorsport News driver of the day award for his superb
drive – an award voted for by the Lydden Hill Marshals.
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BARC
Tin Tops at Brands Hatch - 24/03/07
The
teams first outing of the new season was at an overcast and distinctly chilly
Brands Hatch. The only car in
action for the team was the hire car which would be competing in the BARC Tin
Tops championship round. With the
Clubman and Metro still undergoing their winter overhauls the hire car took its
turn in the limelight.
Qualifying
The
hire car headed out to qualify as part of an amalgamated field with a mixture of
Tin Tops (saloons on treaded tyres), Tigers (Caterham style sports cars) and
Saloons on full racing slicks. The
large field meant that getting a clear lap would prove difficult but as ever the
hire car made light work of the situation and qualified in the middle of the
pack.
Race
1
 Rolling
starts were the order of the day and the hire car got a superb run across the
line and down to Paddock Hill Bend slicing past several cars in the process.
This opening surge was followed up with a superb battling performance as
the more powerful cars behind tried to retake their lost positions.
The hire car performed wonders holding of a slick shod Cosworth for
several laps before finally succumbing to the sheer power of the turbo charged
leviathan. With the Cosworth now
past the hire car 2 Tigers and an Alfa Romeo lined up behind the hire car trying
to emulate the Cosworths passing manoeuvre – it proved a futile task however
as the hire car gradually edged out a gap to the pursuing combatants and crossed
the line in a superb 12th place overall and the first of the Tin Tops
home.
Race
2
 Once
again the hire car got a good start although this time it was unable to make the
stunning gains of the previous race. Once
the hire car had successfully negotiated a busy opening lap it set about the
serious business of closing down the Tiger ahead. Within a few laps the hire car had closed onto the Tigers
tail and was snapping away looking for a way past, the Tigers defensive driving
slowed the pair down and allowed an Alfa and Golf to join the fray.
The 4 cars ran nose to tail each trying to seek a telling advantage as
the time wound down, lap after lap they circulated nose to tail as each sought
an advantage. The battle raged
until the flag fell with the hire car coming home 12th successfully holding off
the Alfa and Golf but failing in its heroic attempts to pass the Tiger.
The
season got off to a great start for the team with the hire car performing
faultlessly throughout the day and bringing home 2 class wins (and also being
the first of the Tin Tops home in each race – not to mention finishing ahead
of some of the Tigers in each race!).
The team can now look forward to the next event at Lydden Hill which will
see the Clubman in action for its first outing of the season.
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Sam
Smith's pictures from the Italian Job 2006 - 26/02/07
Sam Smith and Jodi Mathews took their fuel injected Mini for a
3,500 mile round trip on the 2006 Italian Job Rally. Before the off, Bill
Richards Racing had fitted a Piper Camshaft and tweaked the suspension. They are
pleased to say that the car didn't miss a beat at all on the trip. It is
pictured here on the world famous Col de Turini.
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 Back
to top
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The
day dawned wet and overcast with little immediate prospect of improvement,
consequently the Hire Car was switched onto a full wet setup as it was prepared
for action. As the circuit opened
for the first session the Hire Car blasted out of the pit lane as the first car
onto the circuit. The poor weather
kept a number of vehicles off the circuit as they waited for conditions to
improve, with little traffic on the circuit the Hire Car was able to circulate
at speed and provided the hardy spectators with some impressive action. As
the day wore on the conditions improved and the circuit began to dry out, the
Hire Car was consequently adjusted throughout the day to suit the prevailing
conditions and by the end of the day was on a full dry setup.
The Hire Car was on circuit in every open session during the day
returning to the paddock only to refuel, swap passengers, change setup and
general check-overs. The Hire Cars reliability throughout the day was impressive,
the car running strongly from the first session to the last and consistently
being the fastest and most committed car on the circuit. 
The
passenger rides provided enable people to experience the experience of a flying
lap from the comfort of the passenger seat, the speed being altered to suit the
individual passengers requirements (although all requested flat out!).
The effect this has on people has to be seen to be believed – every
single passenger exited the car with a wide grin on their face!
Some people were specifically seeking a ride in the Hire Car as it was
“the most impressive car on the circuit” and “clearly pushing harder”
than the other cars providing taxi rides. Spectators
also noticed the Hire Cars impressive on track performance with many coming into
the paddock to have a closer look at the car on its brief visits to the teams
awning. 
As
the chequered flag fell to bring the day to a close the Hire Car returned to the
paddock for the final time – first car onto the circuit and one of the last
off it! The event was highly
successful from the teams point of view with the Hire Car providing a superb
advertisement for the team and proving to be the main source of entertainment on
circuit, this had the knock-on effect of drawing people to the teams awning
where further information could be found about the team and its sponsors.
The team will be back at Castle Combe next year for more of the same!
Once
again the Clubman featured a new development part for testing as the team
continue to wring ever more performance from the venerable Mini, the part had
performed well in workshop test conditions but this would be the first on track
test. The Clubman completed a
number of exploratory laps to bed in the new tyres and to check that the new
part was functioning as expected. Satisfied
all was well the Clubman picked up the pace and fired in a succession of quick
laps before returning to the paddock early to allow the team to prepare for the
hire Cars impending session. The
Clubman had performed faultlessly in the session and had grabbed a sensational
pole position in a field that included some far more powerful machinery! 
The
second race proved to be a continuation of the first with the Hire Car and the
Proton fighting tooth and nail for position from lights to flag, other cars
tried to join the dogfight but they fell by the wayside as the duelling pair
continued their tussle. The Proton
initially held the advantage but the Hire Car found a way passed its more
powerful opponent. The Proton
fought back and retook its position as the epic battle continued.
As ever the Hire Car redoubled its efforts and once again challenged the
Proton for position as the two cars circulated side by side each seeking the
decisive advantage. Once more the
Hire Car edged ahead and fended off the Protons immediate counter.
The
cars headed out onto the grid and held station for a tribute to Barry Barnes, a
DMN racer who sadly passed away recently. Barry's
car performed a parade lap whilst the crowd stood and observed a minutes silence
in memory of Barry. 
Once
again the rolling start was trouble free and the field streaked towards Paddock
tightly bunched, the Clubman managed to despatch the Mini into the first corner
and consolidate its position on the run up to Druids.
In the opening melee the Fiesta had found a way past both the Mini and
the Clubman and now led the class. The
Clubman responded to the challenge and was soon on the tail of the Fiesta.
The two cars lapped nose to tail until the Clubman sliced passed to take
the class lead. The Fiesta
responded and took the fight back to the Clubman, the two cars once more
separated by fractions of a second. The duel continued with a brief interlude as a recovering
Megane passed the Fiesta and Clubman in turn.
With the Megane out of the way the battle was rejoined with the Fiesta
once more searching to find a way past. The
two cars fought tooth and nail, the Fiesta holding a straight line speed
advantage but the Clubman countered this with superior handling and greater
speed through the corners – the tyre gamble had paid of handsomely!
The Clubman took the chequered flag ahead of the Fiesta to record an
impressive class victory. 
A
good start saw the Hire Car briefly grab 2nd place from one of the front row
BMW's, however the larger cars greater power was decisive and it was able to
retake the position. The Hire Car valiantly hung on to the leading pair refusing
to give up the chase despite the power deficit. Despite this early burst of pace
the Hire Car was soon under attack from a Proton Coupe that began snapping away
at the tail of the Hire Car. An enthralling battle began with the nimble Hire
Car fending off the Protons attempts to pass. Eventually the Proton scraped past
the Hire Cars defences and took the position. As ever the Hire Car immediately
fought back and took the fight to the Proton, under braking for the hairpin the
Hire Car retook the position but was unable to make the move stick as the Proton
accelerated out of the corner. The Hire Car held on doggedly to the flag to take
4th overall and a class win.
From
the rolling start it was asking a lot of te Cluban to hold onto its lead
against the bigger engined cars ranged against it and on the run to the first
corner the Clubman was passed by a Peugeot 205 and a Peugeot 306. The Clubman
retaliated immediately and ran side by side with the 306 up into the hairpin
where the Clubman regained the position. However, the duel was brought to a
standstill as the red flags were brought out to allow the recovery of another
car that had left the circuit. The race would be restarted with the Clubman
once more leading the field.
With
the pressure relieved the Clubman set off in pursuit off the race leading 205
and lap by lap began to close the gap. It wasn't long before the Clubman was
filling the mirrors of the 205 as the gap faded to nothing. The 205 had the
power advantage but the Clubman was superior through the corners and began to
attack the 205 with vigour. The two cars circulated separated by fractions of a
second as each sought the advantage, the Clubman managed to get alongside the
205 on several occasions but the more powerful car just held on to its lead. The
battle continued as the duelling pair encountered backmarkers and lapped them,
each car seeking to use traffic as the chance to make a decisive break. Both
cars were able to slice through the traffic and narrowly avoided contact with a
wayward backmarker as the battle continued. The chequered flag fell with the two
protagonists still nose to tail after an enthralling battle at the head of the
field, the 205 held on to take the win with the Clubman again taking 2nd overall
and a class win.
The
Mini lined up at the front of the grid alongside a spaceframed Starlet and
immediately ahead of a pair of Caterhams – fast starting cars with a power
advantage over the Mini. As the lights went out the Starlet immediately pulled ahead
of the Mini with one of the Caterhams following the Starlet through, however the
Mini successfully fended off the second of the Caterhams and went into Chessons
in 3rd place. As the
cars reached the end of the first lap the Mini had successfully caught the
Caterham ahead and was beginning to apply the pressure.
It wasn’t long before the Mini pounced and snatched 2nd
position from the Caterham with a well executed pass. 
The
Mini lined up on Pole position once more with the Starlet alongside although
this time the Caterham threat failed to take the start.
As the lights went out the Starlet once again powered away from the line
and took the lead, the Mini slotting into a comfortable 2nd place. The Mini was soon hot on the heels of the Starlet as the two
protagonists continued their epic duel from the first race.
The leading pair were in a
class of their own and pulled out a large gap over the rest of the field as they
drove each other onwards. 
The
Clubman headed out onto the circuit as part of the huge field, it was
immediately clear that traffic would play a major part in the session!
As the session continued the Clubman fought its way through the traffic
to set some impressive lap times – these times were even more remarkable in
light of the fact that the Clubman had no clutch!
As the session continued a number of incidents brought out the yellow
flags and thus denied the Clubman the opportunity to improve its times –
although the Clubman was lucky to avoid these incidents as twice cars left the
circuit whilst directly ahead of the Clubman.
Despite the clutch failure the Clubman qualified well up the grid and
immediately ahead of a pair of Imprezas! 
With
two Minis now ahead of the Clubman the fight was truly on!
Having recovered from the spin the Clubman began to claw its way back
through the field whilst also fending off two Cosworths that were recovering
from their own dramas. The first of
the Minis was quickly caught and passed as the Clubman continued its charge. The sheer power of the Cosworths saw them pass the Clubman
but soon the Clubman had the final Mini in is sights. With the race entering its final laps the Clubman was closing
down the Mini ahead but the gap looked ominously large.
However, in this instance luck favoured the Clubman and the Mini was
badly baulked by a back marker – this allowed the Clubman to close the gap in
the space of a few corners. Once on
the tail of the Mini the Clubman was able to sweep past and retake the class
lead and ultimately the class victory. 
As
the race continued the epic struggle showed no signs of abating and the Clubman
gained another position as it passed the Clio.
The yellow peril then sliced past the Clubman to take the class lead on
to see the Clubman retake the position at the very next corner.
The two cars continued to swap position lap after lap until the Clubman
was able to make what looked like a decisive break away from the pursuing Mini.
However, as with the first race the outcome wasn’t decided by the two
protagonists but by a back marker (the same back marker as the first race!) –
this time it was the Clubman that fell victim and the yellow Mini was able to
duck through and take the place on the final lap and took the flag with the
Clubman fractions of a second behind. 
As
the lights went out the Hire Car launched off the line but immediately had to
take avoiding action as a car ahead had stalled and remained stationery on the
grid! The evasive manoeuvring cost
the Hire Car a number of places as others took advantage of the situation.
The Hire Car was soon in hot pursuit of those that had got ahead and
gradually closed down the Mini ahead. Having
caught the Mini the Hire Car made a swift pass and began to pull away. 
The
session started with the Clubman performing the now familiar task of getting the
tyres up to temperature during the first few laps of the session. With the tyres bedded in the Clubman upped the pace and
sought to find a gap in the traffic to get a clear lap in. A busy circuit ensured that this was no easy task but the
same problem existed for all the competitors so it was up to the Clubman to make
the most of the opportunities presented. Finding
a gap the Clubman put in a scorching lap to earn itself 3rd on the
grid. 
The
Clubman rocketed off the line as the pole sitter was swamped by the faster
starting cars behind, the Clubman slotted into 2nd place behind an MG
as the opening lap came to a close. With
the leading pair edging away the Clubman began to attack the MG ahead, after a
few laps of exploratory moves against the MG the Clubman struck and passed the
MG under braking for paddock bend. Once
in front the Clubman began to open a gap to the pursuing MG that was now under
attack from a V8 Escort. 
The
Clubman continued to attack with vigour and passed a spaceframed Mini before
dispatching a spacframed Starlet as it continued its charge through the field.
Now running in clear air the Clubman set about closing the gap to the
leading pair – the MG and the Escort. As
the leading pair fought their own battle the Clubman was able to close them down
and join the fray, the three cars circulating nose to tail.
The Clubman continued to harass the MG and on the final lap the pressure
told as the MG ran wide on the exit of a corner and went off the circuit
allowing the Clubman to take the position.
The MG’s departure from the circuit also wrong footed the Escort and
the Clubman pounced in an instinctive move that caught the Escort unawares. The Clubman dived passed the Escort under braking for the
Hairpin and made a break for the chequered flag.
The Escort has no time to respond to the Clubmans cheeky pass as the Mini
stormed around the final corner to take the chequered flag and another
thoroughly deserved race win! 
As
the lights went out the Clubman rocketed off the line and snatched the lead from
the pole sitting Peugeot 205, the leading pair made a swift break and quickly
established a gap to the chasing pack. After
successfully defending the lead over the opening laps the 205 powered past the
Clubman along the main straight. As
ever the Clubman fought back and as battle was joined disaster struck!
The Clubman broke a driveshaft and was forced to retire from the race, it
did however make it back to the paddock to allow the team to start work on the
repairs needed to get the car ready for its 2nd race.
There was a further twist to the race as the 205 also retired with
mechanical problems leaving the way clear for a Mini 1-2 
With
the repairs completed the Clubman was able to take part in its 2nd
race of the day, hoeever, it would have to start from the back of the grid as it
failed to finish the first race – achieving a good result from such a lowly
grid position was a daunting task. Once
again the Clubman flew off the line as the lights went out and successfully
passed three cars on the run to the first corner!
The Clubman continued this blistering charge throughout the opening lap
and by the time it completed its first tour it had passed six cars!
After dispatching a number of other cars the Clubman set about closing
down the leading trio. The Clubman closed down the Peugeot 205 that held third place
and slipped its way past the more powerful machine with a deft manoeuvre.
Once clear of the 205 the Clubman set about reducing the deficit to the
leading pair (both of which were Minis!). 
The
second Tin Tops race started in much the same way as the first with the Hire car
hanging tenaciously onto a group of Tigers waiting for a chance to take
advantage of any minor error. As
before one of the Tigers ran wide allowing the Hire car to pounce and take the
position. The Tiger again fought
back and the battling pair swept passed an ailing Focus as they closed down the
group of Tigers ahead. The Hire car
joined a five car battle for position but this time lost out as the Tiger
sneaked past to retake its position. The
Hire car snapped away at the heels of the Tigers but couldn’t find a way
passed before the chequered flag fell. Once
again the Hire car was the first of the Tin Tops to take the flag. 
Rolling
starts were the order of the day and the hire car got a superb run across the
line and down to Paddock Hill Bend slicing past several cars in the process.
This opening surge was followed up with a superb battling performance as
the more powerful cars behind tried to retake their lost positions.
The hire car performed wonders holding of a slick shod Cosworth for
several laps before finally succumbing to the sheer power of the turbo charged
leviathan. With the Cosworth now
past the hire car 2 Tigers and an Alfa Romeo lined up behind the hire car trying
to emulate the Cosworths passing manoeuvre – it proved a futile task however
as the hire car gradually edged out a gap to the pursuing combatants and crossed
the line in a superb 12th place overall and the first of the Tin Tops
home. 
Once
again the hire car got a good start although this time it was unable to make the
stunning gains of the previous race. Once
the hire car had successfully negotiated a busy opening lap it set about the
serious business of closing down the Tiger ahead. Within a few laps the hire car had closed onto the Tigers
tail and was snapping away looking for a way past, the Tigers defensive driving
slowed the pair down and allowed an Alfa and Golf to join the fray.
The 4 cars ran nose to tail each trying to seek a telling advantage as
the time wound down, lap after lap they circulated nose to tail as each sought
an advantage. The battle raged
until the flag fell with the hire car coming home 12th successfully holding off
the Alfa and Golf but failing in its heroic attempts to pass the Tiger. 
