LOOKING NORTH TO OULTON PARK


CATEGORIES:

The McArthur clan are making the Post 89 Formula Ford Championship something of a family affair. Photo: www.bournephotographic.co.uk

The BRSCC North Western Centre returns to Oulton Park tomorrow for the second of five visits this season to the Tarporley circuit. The meeting offers an intriguing mix of single-seaters, saloon and sports cars and the North West Centre will be pleased to welcome two championships from the Scottish Motor Racing Club (SMRC).

Eleven races are scheduled on the International circuit and it is the Teekay Couplings Production GTi Championship that will get proceedings under way just before lunch with a fifteen-minute race, the first of two outings for them tomorrow. Winchester’s Lewis Hopkins won both races at the season opener at Combe last month, but he will be absent tomorrow, so Simon Hill from Knutsford will be looking to take advantage.

The Celtic Speed Scottish Mini Cooper Cup makes its annual trip to Cheshire for a double-header. Edinburgh’s David Sleigh, the reigning champion, heads the points table after the first six rounds, but he his closely followed by ex-Formula Fordsters Kenneth Thirlwall and Joe Tanner, who leads the Newcomers Cup. Another newcomer, Michael Doyle is also very much in contention while Elaine Marshall heads a quartet of women in the Ladies Cup.

The Sports 2000 cars always make for an impressive sight and a full grid will line-up at Oulton across both the Duratec and Pinto championships, which are sponsored by digital marketing agency BIGprofile. Patrick Sherrington, Robert Oldershaw and Craig Mitchell make up the top three in the Duratec Championship following the Silverstone opener. Regular Alfa racer Chris Snowdon heads up the Pinto and Historic Championships, although he won’t be racing tomorrow so Richard Cooke, Mike Johns, Mike Fry & Michael Bischoff will be determined to score maximum points.

Robert Marshall’s Ford Escort RS and Tommy Gilmartin’s V8 Morgan are currently first and second in the Knowepark Caravans & Motorhomes Scottish Classic Sports & Saloons Championship. Both will be at Oulton Park looking to come away with big points haul from the double header.

The Avon Tyres Northern Formula Ford Championship is as competitive as ever, although it’s becoming something of a family affair in Class A, where David McArthur leads the Post 89 Championship in his Van Diemen LA10. He will however be challenged this weekend by father Neil and younger brother Tom. All three of the McArthur clan are in identical machinery, prepared by John Loebell at Medinasports.

In the Pre-90 Formula Ford Championship, Dutch airline pilot Japp Blijleven is the early pace setter with consistency the key to his positive start. Jaap has won just one of the first four races, but has been second in the other three. Chris Hodgen has also impressed on his return to Formula Ford racing after a few years sabbatical. Chris is currently second in the standings alongside Chris Stones, with both drivers on ninety-three points.

The Alfashop Alfa Romeo Championship heads north to Oulton with 2012 champion Roger Evans on top of the points table in his Class C 147 GTA. However, the race winner is likely to come from the Class A1 trio of Guy Hale, Barry McMahon and Andy Robinson. A driver really making a name for himself this season is Darelle Wilson in Class B, who is running a GT Diesel. The Team 48 run car should be well suited to the Oulton International circuit so the Birmingham driver is certainly one to keep an eye-out for.

Final Instructions, entry lists and the timetable are available at OULTON RACEDAY


CLUB PARTNERS

Race Entries
& Membership