COMBER IN COMMAND AT CADWELL
Mike Comber celebrates another win at Cadwell last Sunday. Photo: Jon Elsey
A packed twenty-one race schedule certainly proved to be a testing weekend for our Northern Centre, who were running the first of their three meetings this season, but one they came through with flying colours.
Mike Comber is proving to be the dominant force in this year’s BRSCC Mazda MX-5 SuperCup and that was further evidenced with a return of three wins from three races at Cadwell. However, the big mover in the points table was Twyford’s David Chapman who was second in races two and three and now sits just seven points short of Comber. Tom Roche also made substantial gains with a second and a third. Matt Davies and Abbie Eaton both matched their best finishes of the season with third places finishes in races one and two respectively.
For varying reasons there was a disappointing turn-out in the Demon Tweeks/Sparco XR Challenge, but that didn’t dilute the enjoyment of the races for the Robinson brothers – Simon and Mark who took a win and a second place spot apiece. Preston’s Craig Readyhough took the final podium position in each outing.
The six BRSCC Mazda MX-5 Championship races created enough drama to fill a season. James Blake-Baldwin won the first group A race in a very tight affair from Alan Henderson, with the up to then championship leader JJ Clements third. The B group race produced a win for the returning Milton Keynes racer Callum Edwards who comfortably saw off the challenge from Richard Collins with Kevin Brent third.
The second Group A race returned the same three drivers on the podium, but this time it was Alan Henderson with the victory laurels, with JJ Clements moving up to second and James Blake-Baldwin demoted to third.
Group A regular Simon Goddard suffered a DNF in the first race so he had to join the B group for the second outing. Goddard proved too good for the rest of the field winning by almost nineteen seconds. Lewis Field was second across the line but was battled all the way by Jake Simpson.
Alan Henderson won again in the final A group race, with JJ Clements second and Charlie Charman equalling his best finish of the season by taking third. Unfortunately, the B group race was red flagged twice after separate incidents involving Matt Tasker, Bruce Carter, Christian Young, Henry Lawson, Michael Lawson, Rick Collins and Kevin Brent. Despite some severe damage to several of the cars, fortunately, none of the drivers were seriously injured. Because of circuit damage and the impending curfew the race could not be re-started.
Bryan Shrubb’s Class A2 Alfa Romeo 33 was the victor in both of the Alfashop races, with Alastair Kellett a distant second in each race in his Invitation class Fiat Punto Abarth. All the excitement was in Class E where James Bishop and James Ford were battling for the outright championship lead.
Bishop left Cadwell as the new championship leader courtesy of two class wins, and an off day for Ford, who suffered a DNF and meagre pickings from an eight place finish in race two. Robin Eyre-Maunsell’s long trip over from Northern Ireland was rewarded with two Class B wins, which included a third place finish in the second race. Andy Robinson was third in the first tour. With the help of many people in the Alfa paddock, Luther Blissett managed to get his 156 out on the track in the nick of time for the first race and was delighted to go the distance in both races.
Our guests from the MG Car Club stable were the Drayton Manor Park MG Metro Cup. Both races went the way of Class C’s Tom Sanderson at what is the Scunthorpe driver’s home circuit. Mike Williams was the next man home on each occasion with the third place spoils shared between Ben Rushworth and David Javes.
MSA Academy coach Phil Glew was at Cadwell Park to pass on his wisdom to the 2014 class of Fiesta Junior drivers. Glew is devising a bespoke coaching programme for the drivers as part of the Academy’s Performance Master Class initiative. Out on the track, Thomas Grundy became the fifth FJC driver this season to win a race, with Michael Higgs second and Rob Cox third. Aaron Thompson continued his excellent recent form with victory in the second outing beating Geri Nicosia in a very tight finish. Cox again showed his consistency to claim third spot and that was enough to increase his lead at the top of the points table now that the dropped scores have come into play.
Ipswich’s David Ellesley maintained his winning run in the first Jam-Sport Fiesta Class C race, taking his tally to six wins from seven starts. Nathan Lawley posted his best result yet with second spot as did Rory Green in third. Ellesley’s run came to an end in a breath-taking second race when Leicester’s David Grady beat his fellow ex-Formula Fordster Ellesley to the line by 0.808 seconds! Andrew Taylor was third, some ten seconds further back.
Harry Cockill owes a debt of gratitude to his brother Ed, following the two Jam-Sport Fiesta races for cars in Classes A, B & D. Harry borrowed Ed’s Zetec S for the weekend and carried on where his brother left off, winning both races from Class D rivals James Appleby and David Abbott.
For all the results, qualifying times and lap analysis got to CADWELL RESULTS
The next BRSCC Northern Centre meeting sees the long awaited return to Croft on 6th-7thSeptember in a meeting that features all the Caterham championships and the BRSCC Mazda MX-5 Championship.
