PIRELLI MARANELLO FERRARI CHALLENGE
RACE REPORT : ROUND 1 : CASTLE COMBE : 1 APRIL 2002

• Club hospitality was in the newly completed Strawford Centre. This was smaller than our normal marquee and there was a larger turnout of Club members than expected leading to a bit of a squash. Still, it was good to see so many people come to watch the race and there was plenty of nosh for everyone.
  
  
• Despite admirably clear regulations, how is it that cars can turn up time after time with bodywork that does not comply? Missing grills and non-standard spoilers were yet again the subject of some grumbling. This aspect of scrutineering and enforcement of the regulations needs to be tidied up before others decide that they can do the same.
  
  
• John Taylor had finally had enough of old racing cars and got himself into a nice "O" class 360. He purred with delight as he actually finished a race without blowing up and, what is more, was rewarded with a class-winning garland for his effort.
  
  
• Speaking of which, the latest mishap to befall the Swifty 308 may finally have fixed its driver's mind on also getting something newer and less tired. He was seen in discussions with David Ashburn, whose very quick "O" class 355 remains unsold and indeed was present in the paddock at Combe.
  
  
• Lap times make interesting reading. The pace at the front was really quick, with Oliver Morley setting a new "S" class record of 1:12.3 and he went quicker still in qualifying, with a 1:12.2. The previous quickest 360/Ch was John Seale in 1:13.8. However, let us not forget that the Bowler F40 has been round in 1:12.6, George Christopher's 308 in 1:13.7 and Cosby's 512 in 1:13.4.
  
  
• Good to see Shaun Powell back in one of the Damax 355s. Readers will recall that his last race was with a broken leg at the 2001 Spa PMFC round.
  
  
• David Preston, Gary Culver's father-in-law, prepared two of the three class-winning cars. There was Gary's 360 of course. but he is also now looking after Richard Stevens' 355, which was Gary's car from last year. Benefiting from a lot of set-up data Richard improved enormously and ran strongly all day to win the very busy "C" class.
  
  
• The Wilkinson Driver of the Meeting award was not easy to decide. There were good performances from a number of people, including Culver, Morley, Stevens and, of course, 17-year old Alex Mortimer who was having his first Ferrari race. In the end the popular winner was Oliver Morley, who really made Gary work hard for his win in what was a tough but fair scrap.
  
  
• Speaking of Morley, he enjoyed Castle Combe so much that he was planning to do a quick Fiesta race to qualify for his international license and come and compete in the two PMFC rounds at Spa. Unfortunately this came to nothing and he will now go and do the Gumball Rally instead !
  

Click here to return to the Pirelli Maranello Ferrari Challenge page.