THIRD TIME LUCKY FOR CROSBIE


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Doug Crosbie drove his Van Diemen JL13 to victory in the third Formula Ford race at Anglesey. Photo: www.bournephoto.co.uk

The Avon Tyres Northern Formula Ford 1600 Championship enjoyed their only triple-header meeting of the season when the BRSCC’s North Western Centre organised a weekend of racing at Anglesey on 8th & 9th August.

This season has seen a battle in almost every race between the Van Diemen LA10’s of the McArthur brothers – David and Tom. Doug Crosbie has fine-tuned the JL13 model that he purchased over the winter to the point where he can race on equal terms to the Mancunian siblings. As expected, it was this trio who were the fastest in the Post 89 class.

Tom McArthur led the first encounter throughout although he admitted to having to drive a very wide car to keep his pursuers behind. David McArthur demoted Crosbie in the closing stages to make it the first ever B-M Racing 1 – 2 finish.

There was another victory for Tom McArthur in the race but it could have been a different outcome if Crosbie hadn’t spun when trying to pass him at Rocket on the final lap. This allowed David McArthur to finish runner-up as Crosbie took the flag in fourth on the road behind the first Pre 90 car – more on that class later.

Crosbie had another off track excursion while contesting the lead on his next racing lap which was the first of the third race. He completed the opening circuit in fifth but battled back up the order to win at the third time of asking. David McArthur notched up a hat-trick of runner-up placings with his brother Tom in third.

The Post 89 and Pre 90 Formula Ford 1600 cars ran together this weekend. In the older cars, Jaap Blijleven (Reynard 88FF) took the honours in the first event which took place on Saturday when Jamie Jardine was absent due to other commitments. Jardine returned to his Reynard 84FF on Sunday. He ran just a few seconds behind the race leaders and took a pair of wins in the Pre 90 race within a race. Blijleven was runner-up on Jardine’s return with Matthew Cowley third in his Reynard 88FF; this pair swapped positions in their final outing.

The Dunlop TVR Challenge also had a triple-header in Wales and drizzle made track conditions very slippery the second time the field came under starter’s orders. It was the light Westfield of John Seery, which was running in the Invitational Class, that coped best with the lack of adhesion in the opening stages and led the early part of the contest. As the tarmac dried out the more powerful TVRs came to the fore as Tim Hood took victory in his Sagaris from the similar car of Darren Dowling and the Tuscan of Tim Davis.

Hood had quickly come through from the back of the grid which had been set by the results of race 1 the day before – that had seen him listed as a pit-lane retirement allowing Dowling to take victory from Jason Clegg (T400R) and Darren Smith (Tuscan). Dowling failed to finish the third thrash of the weekend as Hood took his second win from the Tuscans of Dean Cook and Tim Davis.

The BRSCC had the pleasure of hosting a pair of rounds from the MG Car Club’s Cockshoot Cup. The rapid MG ZR of Gary Wetton won both of these. In Saturday’s opener, the ZR of Howard Hunt was his closest challenger with David Morrison’s Midget third. In the absence of Hunt on Sunday, Michael Ashcroft ensured it was ZR’s once more in first and second with Morrison third yet again.

Finally, the BRSCC North Western Centre would like to express its grateful thanks to all the marshals who worked so hard over both days to make the meeting a success. A great job from them as normal!

You can view the full results at ANGLESEY RESULTS

Dave Williams


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