Nick Jones - Sunday double win!

2009 Welsh Sports & Saloon Car Championship May 16/17th rounds 4,5 & 6

After a brilliant sunny start to the 2009 championship in April, the weather for rounds 4,5 & 6 had taken a distinctly autumnal turn by the time we reached May, with a chilly winds, sometimes gale force, and very heavy rain showers.

Neither the gloomy weather nor the gloomy news could deter a select band of hardy racers. Jeff Davies was on pole for the first race on Saturday, with Nick James 2^nd. Paul Trowbridge was 3^rd with Mike Woods making a welcome return. Adrian Chapman was 5^th.  Phil Bendall was 6^th after a massive effort to get his car ready including a 5 a.m engine building session! 7^th was Russell Haggerty with the jet-black Raw Striker.

Race 1 - Saturday 16^th May -20 minutes

The track was dry for the first race and Jeff took an immediate lead and drew away to pull out a 20 second lead after 20 minutes over Nick Jones with Paul Trowbridge 3^rd and Mike Wood 4^th. Russell Haggerty & Adrian Chapman had an exciting scrap for 5^th place "We must have swapped places about 6 times" said a happy Adrian who was only a few tenths behind Russ at the finish. Phil had a quiet race running in his engine. However the action on track really started after 20 minutes, as the flag was slow to come out, leaving Jeff to run on for an extra lap, and then another at a crawl as he began to run out of fuel! Jeff eventually had to stop on the circuit and watch Nick and Paul sail past. Nick was shown the Chequered Flag first and said "I thought I had won, but when I got to the pits they told me that Jeff had. It was a bit confusing"

Paul Trowbridge was 3rd and was another driver in trouble as his front wheel bearing packed up, but thought he was 2^nd. In a confusing ending to the race apparently Jeff had already completed the 20 minutes distance and they should have shown him the flag, but it was close run thing. Jeff said later "I’ll take the win but I’d rather have a race for it"

Race 2 - Sunday 17^th May -20 minutes

There seemed to be a race in prospect for Jeff after Geraint Rees, his sparring partner, entered for the Sunday races. However with the track wet from overnight rain, Jeff loaned Geraint some wet weather tyres so at least he could compete, even if he started from the back. Paul Trowbridge was struggling to complete his wheel bearing change in time and missed the race. However when the lights changed it was Nick who swept into an immediate lead and was never headed on his way to dominant win. Mike Woods moved past a struggling Jeff Davies into 2^nd place watched by Anthony Allitt & Mark Nicholson "We're missing you" I mentioned "We’re missing racing" was the reply. Lets hope the engine rebuilds etc can be done soon so we see them out later in the year. However back in the race Jeff was having a torrid time with his tyres. "I had no grip, front wheel drive cars definitely had the advantage today." Geraint seemed to struggle too. However Geraint kept it mostly in a straight line to take 3^rd place, whilst Jeff had 2 or 3 spins on his way to 4th, almost collecting Adrian Chapman on one of this trips around! Also sideways was Phil Bendal who held some big slides on his way to 5^th with Russell Haggerty 6^th and Adrian 7^th. Late in the race Mike Woods did close up on Nick, but Nick confirmed he was saving his tyres and the engine for later, making him the 3^rd different winner in 5 races in the 2009 series. "Yes the conditions were tricky the first couple of laps, but as the track dried I tried to cool the tyres. Mike confirmed "I got some good grip from some new tyres and I was hoping to have a nibble at Nick late on, but he was too far in front."

Race 3 - Sunday 17^th May -20 minutes

As the rest of the grid got ready for race 3, Mike was making the most of his day by doing one of the support races, which meant he had to start from the pit-lane. However a spin on cold tyres at Hatchets meant he had his work got out to get back up the order. Nick lead away but Jeff and Geraint were soon past and put on an excellent dice for the lead. There was several laps of nose to tail stuff, then some side by side motoring. It was an exhibition of real racing, and on lap 11 Geraint finally got past, only for Jeff to retake the lead a lap later. However sadly lap 13 was unlucky for both as Jeff & Geraint tangled at Hatchets and brought the red flags out! Both cars were damaged, but thankfully neither driver was hurt. Geraint commented "That’s what happens when you race so close together. There is so little time to react. I’m sorry it happened but there you are." Jeff was seemed happy to at least have had a race even if the car will need some work. With both drivers disqualified due to causing the red flag, that gave Nick his 2^nd win of the day. Paul Trowbridge was 2^nd and Mike Wood was 3^rd after pulling up through the field. On his way through it looked like he was going to link up with Phil Bendall and Russell Haggerty for a 3 way dice, but sadly Phil retired to the pits when his engine went onto 3 cylinders. Russ was 4^th & Adrian was 6^th.

Nick talks about his weekends wins

Later Adrian won the Handicap race from a 4 cylinder Phil and Russell Black 3^rd or rather Russell in his black car was 3^rd.

Lets hope that when the championship returns to Pembrey in June we will have a whole load of regulars back on the grid to fill up the empty spaces.

Timing & results http://www.tsl-timing.com