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2009 News | |
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Brands Hatch updated reports-TV Coverage plans photos thanks to Chris Morris
The grid at Brands Hatch was the best this year. Alvin Powell made his Welsh Championship come back and won the Saturday race after taking pole position. Guest driver Mick Roberston was 2nd and Dave Krayem made a Welsh return in a Ginetta G50. Keith Butcher was 4th. Guest driver Rod Birley, a Brands specialist, won both Sundays races, with Robertson 2nd & alvin 3rd in the second of the weekends races. Birley won the final round with Michael Riordan 2nd and Alvin again 3rd. Michael confirmed "The weekend was the best! Weather was good & the racing was good. Plenty of cars in class D made for great racing. It was the first time I have been to Brands Hatch and I really enjoyed it. Mike. Paul Trowbridge writes; Paul Trowbridge & the PMT Motorsport team returned to the track after a two-month lay-off over the summer for the latest rounds of the Welsh Sports & Saloon Car Championship at Brands Hatch in Kent – a long trek for most of the Welsh runners but a relatively easy ‘commute’ for Paul, Malcolm and Jacques. A healthy 20-car entry included three different Ginettas – Chris ‘Lofty’ Everill’s unique GT4 was running for the first time this year and Dave Krayem turned out in his G50. Paul’s regular Class-B rival Nick Jones turned out in his Renault Clio Cup car but experienced some difficulties in qualifying allowing me to take the class pole and line up 10th overall for the first race on Saturday afternoon. From the rolling start Jeff Davies’ Westfield was tipped into a spin delaying our side of the grid but once up-and-running the orange PMT G20 was challenging Nigel Bowen’s ex BTCC Nissan Primera super-tourer for position. Nick’s Clio had also been delayed at the start but was slowly catching Paul as was Chris Davis’s works Westfield making a guest appearance – Chris’s lunge at Graham Hill Bend caused me to miss a gear and Nick took the opportunity to out-drag the Ginetta into Surtees for the class lead. I worked hard and despite dropping a few seconds was clawing back the gap into the latter stages of the race – having finally managed to get into the Clio’s slipstream as the pair exited Clearways. But Pauls plan to out-brake Nick into Paddock was thwarted by the chequered flag for the end of the 15-minute race – the two class-B cars separated by less than two tenths of a second with Nick recording a fastest lap just two-one-hundredths of a second better than Paul’s !! The warm sunny weather continued into Sunday but the start of second race of the weekend at lunch-time was disrupted by Nigel’s Primera stalling on the dummy-grid. Once released from behind the pace-come-safety car, the field became quite strung out and Paul had no answer to Nick’s overall pace in the Clio having to settle for second-in-class once again. A ‘cunning plan’ was hatched involving borrowing fresh slicks from Russell Haggerty who had already secured the class-A title in his Stryker and is up against Nick for the overall crown – however the plan back-fired when the left-front wheel bearing on the G20 - changed at Pembrey last time out - failed mid-way through the race leaving Paul a frustrated track-side spectator as Nick’s Clio took the class-B honours again. Adrian Chapman reports; It was only thanks to Andy at Muzz Racing I was able to do some qualifying laps and part of the Saturday race . The scrutes would not believe I sometimes used the Striker on the road and there was much work and angle grinding before we got the steering lock off! Then followed a couple of electrical blips and a nasty top end knock before I had to scratch from both Sunday races. Not a very happy weekend though we did watch some good racing. To mention just Alvin, Mike Riorden, and Chris is not really fair to the others who drove blinders as well, but they did stand out to me. Already have my entry in for Pembrey so just hope I can get the motor done and that any bits required can be sourced- the only problem with a "grey import" I will be there whether or not, as I have the trophies which were not presented at Brands! Chris Morris writes Hi Rob I have enclosed a couple of pics of Brands Hatch and here are some vids race 1 http://vimeo.com/6166722 race 2 http://vimeo.com/6173613 race 3 http://vimeo.com/6180698 As for comments about the weekend. For me its was the first time I’ve been to Brands. I did a track walk on Friday eve , and the first view of Paddock Hill Bend , oh wow , that was awesome. Now I can see why there are a such number of bangs and crashes on the hill , then it was off to the "Kentagon" for a few shandys. As for the racing I was pleased the way the "little iggy" went and on Sunday managed to get 1st in class mainly due to Russell having gear problems and Phil retiring due to engine problems, Felt sorry for Adrian having to pull out due to engine problems, after going all that way and just getting a few laps in. As for pit activity I think at some point or another, we worked on or helped out each other trying to keep our cars together , and Andrew has the best odds n sods box around. I think almost every car in the lower paddock had a bit from his odds n sods box , thanks Andrew. True club racing. If there is going to be a Driver of the Day award , my vote would go to Phil Bendall. Fantastic car control , I know if I was going down paddock hill and into druids at 90 degrees to the track I’d be rolling into the kitty litter or sticking it in the barrier. Thanks to Russell who tried to keep us together but having the grid split some in the garages and some in the lower paddock ,just didn’t work , should of been one in all in , just like the LMA, & having no prizegiving put a downer on my 1st class win as I really wanted to take home a nice big trophy and have pics from the track with the trophy, perhaps as no club officials could make the weekend , if this happens again would it not be a good idea to have a nominated person to act as club official. Overall , it was a fantastic weekend , not only for the racing also the social side as well, and having the "fans" coming up and wanting to know more about the car was great , even had a few say "Oh I’ve got one of these and was fantastic to see a little Iggy on the track" Thanks Chris (P.S Adrian has the trophies and we’ll do a special presentation for you at Pembrey) Phil Bendall says "I made it to Brands just, had a great weekends racing! Weather was good although I did pray for rain, as that's the only way I can catch the rest of the cars, but it was sunshine all weekend. Me and Mr Chapman broke our cars, I think he had an engine problem. but mine went bang after loosing all my gears except 4th. That then meant I over revved it and bent some valves again. I had a wild ride down Paddock Hill Bend in front of Russ during practice and he was still laughing about it on Sunday. He told me he was looking straight into my eyes at one point, as I was so far around one way, then the other facing him, going the other way. I cant say I noticed, as I had my eyes closed at that point, BUT WHEN I OPENED THEM I WAS GOING THE RIGHT WAY TO MY SUPRISE! Even so me and my son really enjoyed the week end. Cheers,,,,, Phill Dave Krayem has sent some video links as follows: Type these links in or just "krayem ginetta" into youtube or go to the video section on www.krayemracing.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JStx2tXYdQw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEOZ8VyrXJE Results http://www.tsl-timing.com
Each programme would feature two races, one either side of the commercial break, with each race getting 12 minutes of coverage, consisting of 2 minutes of intros/interviews, 8 minutes of race action, 2 minutes of post race presentations/interviews. So don't delay, enter today Alvin & Co also on Motors TV. Just in case you
haven't seen it Alvin Powell and a host of other WRDA members were in action in the David
Leslie Trophy during the Silverstone Classic meeting recently. Alvin lead the first race,
but the race was eventually won by Dave Jarman. In race 2 Jarman finished 3rd with Keith
Butcher 4th and Alvin 5th. Nigel Bowen & Ken Rattenbury also featured. Silverstone Classic Best of Day 2 2009 (p.s that not either Alvin or Ken spinning off) More TV. Also on the stocks is ‘Bro’, an exciting new documentary series for S4C celebrating Wales and the people who live here. Presenters, Shân Cothi and Iolo Williams, sweep across the country zooming in on particular towns and villages and meeting the local people. They will be in Kidwelly at the end of August and you never know who might be on as Pembrey is nearby. |
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