BMMC Sprint, Curborough

from Classic and Competition Car 133 October 2021

by Simon Wright

Historic Rally Festival, Weston Park

BMMC Sprint, Curborough, 28th August 2021. By Simon & Janet Wright.

Fastest Time of Day went to Paul Tinsley in his Dallara F397 in 53.49 seconds.

Motorsport Club held a figure 8 sprint at the Curborough circuit, located near Lichfield,

at the end of August. It was a dry but chilly day, but that didn’t deter the hardy band of spectators who were sitting on the bank enjoying the action. As usual, the entry was split in to various classes, to allow different cars of similar specification and performance to compete against each other for an award. Not surprisingly, the Fastest Time of the Day (FTD) went to one of the single seater racing cars - Paul Tinsley driving a Dallara F397, whose best time was 53.49 seconds. He was the only car in Class 7E - Racing Cars 1601cc to 2000cc, so no class award was given.

© Janet Wright

Steve Barrows MG ZR Neal Bateman Renault Clio

Class SC - Standard Production Cars 1701cc to

2000cc was dominated by Renault Clio. Neal Bateman set the fastest time in his Clio, at 68.46 seconds. Next was the

shared Clio RS200 driven by Paul Glendenning, 69.10 seconds and Wayne Parke at 69.47 seconds.

© Simon Wright

Patrick Johnston BMW M140i

Starting with class SA - Standard Production Cars up to 1400cc, filled by the MG ZR, 1st place went to Steve Barrow in his MG ZR hatchback with a best time of 70.93

seconds. He was ahead of 2nd placed Jack Twomey with a time of 71.98 seconds while Graham Harvey was 3rd with a time of 72.63 seconds, both also driving an MG ZR. Class SD - Standard Production Cars over 2000cc only had a single entrant, so Patrick Johnston was fastest in his BMW M140i with a time of 73.42 seconds, but no

awards given.

Class 1A - only had an award for 1st, which went to Geoffrey Stuart Ballinger in an Austin Mini, with a time of 71.88 seconds.

Class 1B saw a nice mix of cars in the top three positions. In 1st was Lee Willars in a MG ZR 120, with a time of

72.07 seconds. He was well clear of 2nd placed Melvyn Cox in a Mazda MX5, with a best time of 76.26 seconds.

While in 3rd place was Derrick Wallback with a time of

© Janet Wright

Lee Willars MG ZR 120

76.47 seconds in his immaculate Peugeot 106 Rally, which also took the award for Best Prepared Car.

Class 2LA - Roading Going Lotus Cars up to 2200cc

and Vauxhall VX220 and Opel Speedsters just had an award for 1st which went to John Caldicott in a Lotus

Elise, with a best time of 64.11 seconds.

John Caldicott Lotus Elise

© Simon Wright

Andrew Bisping OMS 2000M

Class 3B - Modified Production Cars 1401cc to 2000cc

was another single award class, with Matthew Walk in a Suzuki Swift taking best time of 65.36 seconds.

Class 4B - Modified Kit space framed and Replica

Cars over 1800cc was another single award class with

Despite this spin on one run , Mark Williams Westfield Megabusa managed fastest time in class.

© Simon Wright

Class 7C - racing Cars FF1600 Kent England saw the Formula Ford Royale RP24 of Graham Cherry take the award for 1st with a time of 66.29 seconds.

Graham Cherry Royale RP24

© Janet Wright

Class 7D - Racing Cars 1101cc to 1600cc was another single car class, so no awards given. Oliver Sammons set a tome of 56.48 seconds in the Beagle 5, giving him 5th overall fastest time of the day.

© Janet Wright

Oliver Sammons Beagle 5

Mark Williams setting the best time of 55.98 seconds in his Westfield Megabusa. Class 7B - Racing Cars 601cc to 1100cc was another single car entry and so no award given, with Andrew Bisping in an OMS 2000M setting a best time of 55.73 seconds, which made hime 2nd fastest overall.

Class 8A - Period Defined Road Going Production

cars was yet another single car entry and so no class awards were given. Paul Chambers in a Bond Equipe set a best time of 86.78 seconds.

Now moving in to Porsche territory, Class P1 - Porsche

© Simon Wright Club GB Speed Championship

went to Tim

Barber in a

Porsche 996

with a time of

60.52 seconds.

Class P3 -

Porsche Club GB Speed Championship

saw Karl Lupton in 1st place, driving a Porsche 944,

with a time of

64.12 seconds.

Just behind him

in 2nd was Angus Archer in a Porsche Boxster with a time of 65.12 seconds. In 3rd place was Graham Rose in a Porsche 924S with a time of 66.61 seconds.

Class P4 - Porsche Club GB Speed Championship was very close at the finish, with Andy Fagan taking 1st in a Porsche Boxster

© Simon Wright

S with a time of

64.92 seconds,

only 0.04 of a second faster than

2nd placed Wayne Eason in a Porsche

Boxster 2.5 1999

with a time of 64.96 seconds. In 3rd was Gearing Evans in a Porsche Carrera 3.0 with a time of 65.44 seconds.

The final Porsche class was Class P5 - Porsche Club GB Speed Championship which was won by Stephen Jory in a Porsche 944 with a time of 65.72 seconds.

© Simon Wright

Now we move in to Caterham territory, which seems fairly evenly matched with the Porsche times. Class 9.1 was won by Ben Williams in a Caterham Academy with a time of 65.72 seconds.

Moving on to Class 9.2. - 155 BHP list 1A tyres, we have 1st Jonathan Heyes in a Caterham Superlight with a time of 64.25 seconds, while 2nd went to Clive Marsden in a

Caterham 7 with a time of 64.34 seconds. Class 9.3 - 155 BHP list B tyres saw Matt Bramall in a Caterham Super 7 Zetec in 1st with a time of 61.25 seconds. In 2nd was Tony Smith in a Caterham 7 150SV with a time of 62.36 seconds and 3rd went to Chris

Bramall in the shared Caterham Super 7 Zetec with a time of 63.69 seconds.

Class 9.4 - UnlimitedBHP list 1B Tyres went to Chris Alston in a Caterham 7 Zetec Sprint with a time of 63.14 seconds.

Class 9.6 - Unlimited BHP list 1C tyres went to Shaun Elwell in a Caterham 7 Superlight with a time of 58.11 seconds.

The final class was Class 9.7 - Unlimited BHP any tyre which was a single car entry, so again, no class award was given. Simon Rogers in a Caterham Megabusa set a stunning lap of 56.17 seconds, to go 4th quickest overall. The final two awards went to Andrew Gorner in a

Caterham 420R - Best Novice and Gill Elwell in a