RAINY DAYS & SUNDAYS

The BRSCC South Eastern Centre's first race meeting of the season took place June 11th and 12th with the Caterham Academy 2011 Race Début weekend on Brands Hatch's 1.199 mile Indy Circuit. Saturday remained fine throughout but conditions on Sunday got progressively wetter!

Saturday’s action featured seven races, with BRSCC Euro Saloon & Sportscar runners scheduled to race over 20 minutes. A dramatic engine-bay fire sidelined second-place man Dave Cockell's Escort Cosworth, and the intensity of the blaze saw an early result declared behind the Safety Car. Walton-on-Thames' Richard Hawken took the spoils in his Nissan Primera Super Tourer.

Londoner Hugh Marshall overcame the ignominy of a Green Flag lap spin and a tardy start to take Dunlop TVR Challenge honours in his Tuscan, but it took him until lap 9 in the 20-minute encounter to nose ahead of Weston-Super Mare's Andy Race's Tuscan RV8. Another poor start in Sunday's drizzly outing delayed Marshall's victory progress until lap 12.

The massed ranks of Avon Tyres Caterham Supersport runners were split into three groups, with Bs and Cs first up on Saturday afternoon. 30 minutes of frantic, nose to tail action ensued, with Pelsall's Reece Summerfield ahead when it mattered, leading home Burnham's Ian Payne. Londoner Jamie Orton mastered changeable track conditions to claim Sunday's C vs. A battle, and made it a brace of victories in the B vs. A race.

A mid-race coming together took out potential winners in the 20-minute BRSCC Super Mighty Mini qualifier. Lee-on-the Solent's Gary Patterson headed home a seven-car leading train. Persistent rain on Sunday made Norwich man Jonathan Lewis's victory run much easier.

Avon Tyres Caterham Roadsport (B vs. C) competitors were joined by nine Caterham Holland Supersport runners for their 20-minute race. Bishops Stortford's Wesley Fox took overall honours, with Toon Rutgers claiming his class. Sunday's A vs. C curtain-raiser went the way of Brisbaner Kurt Brady, Rutgers again topped the Dutch runners. The B vs. A encounter fell the way of Colchester's Aaron Head, Rutgers making it a hat-trick of category wins.

Northampton's Adrian Tuckley and Londoner Peter Tervet enjoyed a race-long scrap in the BRSCC Mighty Minis, championship leader Tuckley ahead after 20 minutes. Tervet went one better in Sunday's damp outing after Tuckley went off twice on lap 1.

With the Le Mans 24 Hours taking place the same weekend, it was fitting that the sports prototypes in the BRSCC OSS Championship closed Saturday's proceedings. A demon overtaking manoeuvre by Caerphilly's Graham Cole counted for nought as his Jade Trackstar coasted to a halt minutes later, handing victory to Merstham's Tony Sinclair's similar car. Sinclair doubled up on Sunday, ahead of Vernham Dean's Simon Tilling's Radical SRT. Simon was a BRSCC marshal (often on Post 6) between 1982 and 1989.

Rod Birley's Escort Cosworth pounced on Nissan Skyline-mounted Darren Bly's hesitation while lapping backmarkers to take a last lap victory in Sunday's first 14-minute Dunlop Motorsport News race. Last lap gearbox woes for Birley reversed the positions in the day's last race.

Elliot Norris fell foul of a spinning backmarker in the Autosport Caterham Academy Championship Group 1 race, handing a last lap victory to Londoner Charles Bowmont at the conclusion of 14 minutes. Conditions were much more treacherous for the subsequent Group 2 event, claimed by Edenbridge's Andrew Welch.

Rain fell throughout the 20-minute BRSCC Alfashop Alfa Romeo Championship race, but failed to disrupt Eckington's Neil Smith's 156 World Touring Car progress towards victory.

With June 12 marking the start of National Diabetes Week, we were pleased to support Diabetes UK by donating funds raised from a lunchtime motorcade of Lotus Owners Club cars to the charity. We also welcomed members of Circle D, a local self-help group for young adult diabetics. They enjoyed tours of the Control Tower and presented garlands and trophies to winning drivers.

The full results for the meeting can be found at:BRANDS HATCH RESULTS

The next BRSCC South Eastern Centre race meeting is at Brands Hatch on August 13-14 for the BRSCC Car Championships.

Colin Mann