Curborough Championship

Championship Results 2019 Round 5

The second S&HMC event of the year attracted an entry of 44, mostly Championship contenders. Scattered showers made it a bit of a lottery on some class runs, but the club did manage to offer 3 timed runs for everyone, despite a delayed start due to timekeeping issues. As usual only the first two timed runs counted towards the Championship points.

Standard Cars up to 1400cc, Class Sa, kicked the meeting off with another close MGZR scrap, with Graham Harvey taking the win from Craig Tock, with David Owen third only 0.11sec back! Jack Twomey and Sara Holland were 4^th and 5^th respectively, with novice Jack Snape 6^th and gaining ground on every run on his first ever go in the SDCC Academy ZR.

Sb saw Steve Barrow in his Twingo Sport, take the win from Bob Smith’s Saxo, with Andrew Ward’s BMW Mini Cooper third.

After trying to total his Clio Sport at Woodside on his brand new tyres in practice, Mark Williams recovered to take the win from Neal Bateman’s Fiesta ST. Paul Gough was third in his Clio Sport, with Peter Darlington fourth in the MR2.

In Class Sd Warwick Bourton took the win in the “family” Focus ST3, with Paul Cammerer’s Z4 second, splitting the “Bourton Brothers” and placing Richard third.

In the up to 2.0 Roadgoing class, 1B, the MX5 of Paul Swarbrick took the win from Rosemary Collins’ MGZR160.

The over 2.0L Class went to the Supercharged Mustang of David Connell, taking the win by 0.3sec from Steve Smith in his Impreza Sti, with Alan Taylor 3^rd in his Impreza WRX.

As in the previous round, the usual closely contested 2B kit car class, saw a Caterham 1, 2 with John Caldicott first from Terry Dutton.  Third and fourth were the Westfields of Simon Price and Paul Evans respectively.

Closest win of the day was in 3a, with a Mini 1,2,3. Stuart Ballinger beating Stuart Gadd by 0.14secs. Third was Alan Henley.

The Larger capacity Mod Prods saw the double driven Metro of Owen Cule and Dean Ratcliffe taking a one, two, with the Clio of Matt Frost 3^rd, all three split by 0.5 second!

The rapid “family” Westfield Megabusa of Mark Williams had looked a possible FTD contender, but a couple of dry runs gave that honour to the Force PT of Glyn Sketchley.

With the Championship now just past halfway, after 5 rounds the top 6 looks like this, although not exactly a true picture as some possible contenders have obviously not done as many rounds as others:

1. Craig Tock                   102
2. John Caldicott              99
3. Stuart Gadd                 95.5
4. Matt Frost                   93.5
5. Terry Dutton                92
6. Warwick Bourton        91.5

The next round is the SDCC’s second of the year, on July 14th, Hope to see you all there.

Steve Wood

ChampionshipResults2019Round4version2

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 4

 The annual Owen “Graham Hill” Sprint was, as in recent years, oversubscribed, but the Club tried to accommodate it and ran an extra number of competitors on the figure of eight. Luckily the scattered showers forecast for the afternoon didn’t arrive and it stayed dry all day.

This years’ MGZR “Challenge” continued in Sa with another win, and a maximum, for Craig Tock, with Graham Harvey second. David Owen took 3^rd from Sara Holland in 4^th. The first two were both under the Class record.

As usual, a great entry in Class Sc produced a really good contest with the Clio of Paul Glendenning taking the win from the Fiesta ST of Neal Bateman. The Clio’s of Paul Gough and Dave Chesterton were 3^rd and 4th respectively.

In Class Sd Warwick Bourton took the win with his first run time, then celebrated on his second run by entertaining the crowd with a spectacular pirouette at Woodside!

Class 1a went to Keith Water’s Metro, from Julian Fishwick’s Mini.

The over 2.0L road going class was won by the Mustang of David Connell, from Steve Smith in his Impreza Sti.

The road going Lotus class, 2La, saw Martin Roberts just take the win from David Whiteley.

A very good 2B kit car class, saw a Caterham 1, 2 with John Caldicott winning from Terry Dutton.  Third was the Westfield of Simon Price.

The 3a Mod prod class saw a win for Laurence Bond in the rapid Nova, with the Mini of Stuart Ballinger in second.

An unusually large Rally car class saw the always entertaining Escort Mk1 of Pete Shenton taking the win with Mk2 version of Bill Rushton a close second.

With the Championship entries now up to 65, after 4 rounds the top 5 looks like this:

1. Craig Tock                           82.5
2. John Caldicott                    79
3. Paul Glendenning            78
4. Stuart Gadd                        76.5

4=   Martin Roberts                 76.5

The next round, S&HMC’s second of the year, is this weekend, 16^th June,  Hope to see you all there.

Just a note to competitors, following various timing issues that have been occurring at some meetings this year. The issues have not all been due to the same problems and are being addressed by the timekeepers, but please be aware that the organising clubs simply employ timekeepers on an event by event basis and the timekeepers are all (including their equipment) licensed by MSUK.

Steve Wood

The first SDCC event of the Championship was, as usual, oversubscribed, and attracted a high Championship entry. The scattered showers forecast for the afternoon, luckily stayed away and the timed runs were dry, and cool producing a couple of class records, and a few personal bests.

This years’ big entry continued in Sa and the battle of MGZR’s continued with a 3^rd win for Craig Tock, with Jack Twomey a close 2^nd, and David Owen taking 3^rd.  4^th and 5^th respectively were Simon Parkin and Tim Burrill. The first two were both under the Class record.

Steve Barrow took the win, and a new record, in a good variety of cars in class Sb in his Twingo Sport, from Steve Burns Suzuki Swift, with Bob Smiths Saxo VTR third.

As usual, a great entry in Class Sc produced a really good contest with Clio’s 1,2,3,4. Mark Williams took the win by 0.16sec from Paul Glendenning, again both under the old record! Wayne Parke was third, from Paul Gough, but it went to their second-best runs having recorded identical times on their best runs!

Sd went to the 718 Porsche Boxster of David Tilley from John William’s 350Z, with Warwick Bourton’s Focus ST3 third.

In Class 1a, the win went to Keith Waters’ Metro, from Julian Fishwick’s Mini.

The over 2.0L road going class was won by Steve Smith in his Impreza Sti, from the WRX version of Alan Taylor.

The road going Lotus class, 2La, saw David Whiteley turn the tables on Martin Roberts to take the win, both in Elise’s. John Healey was 3^rd, from David Lee’s LHD Elise on his first outing.

Caterham pilot John Caldicott reversed the previous round’s result by snatching the win from Oliver Swadkin’s Westfield, by just nine hundredths! 3rd was Terry Dutton in his HPC Caterham.

3a Mini battle went to Stuart Gadd from Stuart Ballinger.

The large capacity Mod Prod class, 3b, went to the Metro of Dean Ratcliffe, having fixed the clutch problem from the last event, from the Clio Sport of Matt Frost, with third going to the 106 of Liam Ulyatt.

A three-car Formula Ford dice, went to David Owen in the Merlin 11a.

Martin Duffield won the “Jedi” battle in the upto 1100cc Racing Car Class, from Peter Clark, and FTD went to Ben Waine in his Magnum 843 in the over 1100cc class in a time of 55.63sec.

With the Championship entries now up to 65, after 3 rounds the top 4 looks like this:

1. Craig Tock                   61.5
   1= Mark Williams(Sc)  61.5

• John Caldicott 59
• Stuart Gadd             58.5

The next round. OMC, already has a full entry with reserves, showing the importance of early entries. As previously mentioned, the Clubs take entries on order of receipt, and do not cash cheques until closing dates, so early entry doesn’t empty your accounts. For interest the August MCMRC as we go to press has only 27 entries, Do not leave it too late!  Hope to see you at the Owen event on June 9th.

Steve Wood

The BMMC May event was, as usual, the second round of the Championship, and attracted 40 Championship entrants. Even with a few short showers during the day, everyone got the opportunity of at least one dry timed run in the afternoon.
A Class Sa of 9 MGZR’s got the meeting started with a win for Craig Tock, with Graham Harvey second and your scribe third, all within 0.24sec and all 3 well under the existing class record! 4^th, 5^th and 6^th, were Tim Burrill, Jack Twomey and Sarah Holland respectively, and again all close and within 0.23sec! David Owen in 7^th, picked up the fastest novice award.
Steve Barrow took the two car Sb class in his Twingo Sport, from Andrew Ward’s BMW Mini.
As usual, a great entry in Class Sc produced a really good contest with the Clio of Mark Williams taking the win by 0.6sec from Paul Glendenning’s similar machine. Neal Bateman was third in his Fiesta ST.
Sd went to the 718 Porsche Boxster of David Tilley from Warwick Bourton’s Focus ST3.
A close 1a, saw the win go to Julian Fishwick’s Mini, by 0.24sec from Keith Waters’ Metro.
The road going Lotus class, 2La, went to Martin Roberts, from David Whitely, both in Elise’s.
Oliver Swadkin stormed to a comfortable win in his Westfield in the usually very close 2B kit car class, from second placed John Caldicott’s Caterham.
3a saw the Nova of Laurence Bond also taking a comfortable win from the Mini’s of Stuart Gadd and Stuart Ballinger, 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.
The large capacity Mod Prod class, 3b, went to the Clio Sport of Matt Frost, from the 106 of Liam Ulyatt. Dave Bennett’s MX5 was 3^rd, and the “Spirit” of Sprinting came to the fore as a group of competitors all helped push Dean Ratcliffe’s Metro GTI all the way down to the start and back to enable him to get a timed run in, and score points, after his clutch failed in practice!

Mark Williams won class 4b in the “family” Westfield Megabusa, which also deservedly picked up the Best presented car award.

FTD went to John Loudon in his Force HC with a time of 54.15sec.                    

A big shout for last year’s Championship runner up, Metro GTI pilot, Owen Cule for doing a splendid commentary job, despite a temperamental tannoy system,  and to Andrew and Anita Chesterton who volunteered to assist the new Marshalls at the start for the afternoon timed runs.

 With the Championship entries now up to 63, after 2 rounds the top 5 looks like this:

• Laurence Bond          41.5

• Craig Tock                  41

• Mark Williams (Sc)    41

• Martin Roberts           39

• John Caldicott            39

Championship Results 2019 Round 2

I hope to see as many of you as possible at the SDCC event on May 26^th.

                                         Steve Wood  

Championship Results 2019 Round6

Here we go again!

The 21^st season of the Championship kicked off with the S&HMC event, back after it’s unfortunate forced cancellation in 2018.
The figure of 8 event attracted a really good Championship entry of 46, and some close competition.
With MGZR’s seemingly breeding like rabbits over the winter, Class Sa kicked off the season with 8 of them and a win for Craig Tock from your scribe, by 0.3sec, both being under the old record. Third was Simon Parkin from Sara Holland in Fourth and Jack Twomey Fifth, all 3 within 0.7 sec.
The usual large class Sc, had Mark Williams storming to a win in his Clio 200, over a second under the record! Paul Glendenning’s Clio was 2nd and Neal Bateman 3rd in his Fiesta ST.
Class Sd saw a win for David Pattison in his Boxster from the Focus ST3 of Warwick Bourton.
Class 1a win went to Keith Waters in his Metro with Mini’s of Julian Fishwick and Stuart Ballinger 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.
The well supported kit car class, 2B, went to John Caldicott’s Caterham R300. Terry Dutton’s HPC, and Oliver Swadkin and Simon Price’s Westfield SEiW’s were 2^nd,3^rd and 4th  respectively all split by just 0.1sec !
In class 3A, a returning Laurence Bond in his Nova led the way from the Mini of Stuart Gadd 3^rd.
With 2 entrants unfortunately withdrawing, the remaining four Elises in 2La were led home by the S190 of Martin Roberts from the S1’s of David Whiteley, 2^nd, and John Healy, 3^rd .
A 3 car Rally Class was won in the usual entertaining fashion by Pete Shenton in his Mk1 Escort.
FTD went to Steven Potter in his OMS, in the upto 1100cc racing car class.
A HUGE thanks on the day must go to the two S&HMC members in the commentary bus, as technical issues for the official timekeeper meant they had to manually record the times and print out a paper copy after each run had completed!
The Championship organisers would like to say, a BIG thank you to P.J.S Sports Cars and Paul Green Jewellers for continued support in 2019.

With entries still coming in we now have just over 60 to date, and are looking like bettering last years’ total of 64.

 IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL Championship Entrants; All of the rounds have links from the Curborough website Championship Page for the regs and entry forms. Please remember that some of the events are also rounds of other Championships and may get oversubscribed, and Championship registration, as with all other Speed Championships, does not give you automatic entry to the 9 events.

Hope to see as many of you as possible at the next round, the BMMC round on Saturday May 11th,

                                                          Steve Wood