ALFA ROMEO HALF TERM REPORT
The BRSCC Alfashop Alfa Romeo Championship heads to Rockingham this weekend to support the F3/GT package at the Corby motor speedway so we thought this was a good opportunity to catch up with the season so far. With seven rounds completed it is drivers in the Production classes that have shone partly due to the Modified cars being notable by their absence or dogged by a lack of reliability. As a result, going into round 8 at Rockingham, the top nine places in the points table are occupied by cars from Classes B, C & E. Current Championship leader is Chris Healey (GTV) who has now moved comfortably ahead of daughter Mel (156) who was sharing the top position after the first two rounds. Mel was unlucky in the second race at Anglesey three weeks ago where she damaged her car against a recovering Andy Inman (156) and had to retire. Andy was able to continue, taking a class E win and moving into the runner-up position, 7 points adrift of Chris. Into 3rd place has moved the ever consistent Sarah Heels in her 147 GTA, continuing a remarkable history of finishing every race she has ever started in (since 2004!). The most successful modified driver has been Chris Snowdon who took the Lahoma 33 16v to wins at Snetterton and Cadwell. At Snetterton he was challenged hard by the 147 GTA of Alastair Iles, while at Cadwell it was the 3 litre GTV of Shaun Hazlewood that led Chris in tricky conditions for half of the second race. We had expected the dramatic WTCC 156 of Neil Smith to be doing much of the winning this year but an engine disaster at the first round meant that he had to wait until Anglesey to drive the car in anger, taking two easy wins in the process. At Rockingham his older 156 will be in action in the hands of Steve Dymoke – the two cars in identical works liveries should make a fine sight in the paddock and on the track. Class C should offer some excellent racing (and variety) with the 3 litre GTV Graham Seager, facing Sarah Heels' 147, the 75 of Dave Messenger and the 155 of Andy Robinson. Class B will be equally hard fought by the 156 of John Griffiths and the 75 3 litres of Clive Hodgkin and Robin Eyre-Maunsell. In Class E, 2009 Champion Paul Plant returns to take on Andy Inman and Mel Healey, all three in 156s. For more information about the championship Click Here |