BELL BEATS THE BOYS IN THE 2 COUNTIES OPENER
Following on from a terrible storm overnight, a sizable group of Junior and Formula Blue drivers appeared, early Sunday morning, somewhat bleary-eyed having been rocked all night by the strong winds at the circuit. They then set about re-erecting the awnings that had sensibly been taken down the previous evening as a precaution to the high winds, that had been forecast.
In the Junior Blues, Rhys Read completed a very good set of heats to secure P1 from last year’s Champion Sam Mitchell. Read took the lead from the race start and held it until lap 10, when normal service was resumed as Mitchell slid inside at ‘Billy’s’, taking the lead which he held until the chequered flag. Of special note was the performance of the novice driver Jamie Bradfield , who moved up into 3rd place and recorded the same lap times as Read in 2nd place. Once the trophies were presented Mitchell and Read emerged as equal leaders in the Club Championship, with Ben Gillitt and Mich Carpenter sharing 3rd place overall.
In the Formula Blue class, the reigning Champion Anthony Cleal, had a poor series of heats marred by chassis failures and race incidents. Not so for Mike Bell , who produced a stunning series of heats including wins in heats 1 and 2, which gave him Pole position on the Final Grid. Opposite pole was taken by returnee Joey Foster, who was unable to take part in the Final , due to suffering rib pain ! His place was filled by Kevin O’Neill, having a fantastic start to the season.
In the Final, it was Martin Wheeler who established a lead as they started lap 2 with Cleal up into 3rd. Cleal finally managed to overtake Bell on lap 11 for 2nd place. With victory in sight, Wheeler’s carburettor came loose on lap 14, gifting the win to Cleal. A similar circumstance occurred a little further back when Sylvain Vessier , having started in 14th, climbed up to 4th before his reed block came loose. At the flag it was Cleal, from Bell, Paul Alexander , Steve Groves and Phil Shears.
So after the opening round, it is Mike Bell who leads the Club Championship, from Anthony Cleal. Kevin O’Neill slots into 3rd place ahead of Paul Alexander and Rob Mortimore.
In the Blue Master sub-class, it is Cleal who leads from K. O’Neill, Alexander, Mortimore and Chris Underhill.
Cleal also leads the Blue Veteran section. Again, followed by K. O’Neill, Alexander, Underhill and Steve Groves in 5th position.
Kevin O’Neill heads the Legend group, with Underhill in close attendance. Robin Stoddart-Stones, Ron Shone and John Hartshorne bringing up the first five.
The last of the sub-classes, Blue Top Weight, finds Rob Mortimore in the lead from, Ron Shone, Phil Shears, Paul Dible and Mike Watts.
The next 2 counties round is not until August 7th at the Forest Edge circuit. The drivers, however, now turn their attention to the opening NKRA Regional Series rounds on March 27th at Mansell raceway.