Classical Gas
www.classictrials.co.uk
Great result for Neil, finishing a strong 2nd in a class of six, behind David Thomas of course, but in front of the rest, including last years champion Nick Dann. This puts Neil within four points of championship leader Stephen Primett but Steven Young is doing well and has the same number of points.
Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the pictures.
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| As expected there was a good entry at Donington, with
six cars in Neil’s class. Stalwart Peter Holton in his Rover P6 and five
Capri’s; Neil, the excellent David Thomas, Nick Dann (who hadn’t raced
since his shunt at Brands), Ian Clark who hadn’t raced since Brands either
and Phil Rhodes who had been away since his coming together with the tyre
wall at Silverstone last year.
A new water pump and a high torque starter motor were the only changes to Neil’s car since Lydden and we were all hoping the new pump would make the car run a bit cooler. Qualifying was uneventful for Neil who qualified third quickest in class B, three seconds slower than David Thomas and one second slower than Nick Dann. This put him 11th on the grid, beside arch rival Peter Holton and immediately behind Ken Clarke who had sold Neil the Capri! Ken was driving a Dolomite, one of four in the race. We were hoping that the very fast Dolomites of Mark Osborne and Tony Crudgington, and Jason Christie’s Escort, would give Stephen Primett a run for his money and push him down the results to help Neil’s championship chase. Tony Crudgington was lucky to survive a coming together with Paul Conboy whose Vauxhall came out of gear when Tony was immediately behind him and Tony ran into the Firenza, so Neil’s Porta Power was in action again to straighten out some body panels. There wasn’t a great deal of time after practice as the Post Historic race was before lunch. Come the race Neil made a great start. In front of Neil Ken Clarke was slow away and Neil was able to find a gap between him and Nick Dann to get in a really good position on the first lap. Up in front David Thomas was battling with the big boys in their Camero’s, Mustangs, V12 Jaguars etc. Behind them was the battles we were interested in. Mark Osborne was ahead of Stephen Primett who had Tony Crudgington only just behind. Neil was battling with Peter Holton and they were both some way ahead of the slow starting Nick Dann. On the third lap Tony Crudgington had a moment and dropped back behind Neil who got mixed up in a battle between him and Ken Clarke who had recovered from his slow start. Nick Dann was also getting his act together and closing on Neil. By lap five Neil had let the two battling Dolomites by and was having to fend off Nick Dann who got by him at McLeans but couldn’t stay in front when Neil responded and re-passed. Ken Clarke had a moment somewhere and for a while got between the two Capri’s allowing Neil to build a small gap between him and Nick Dann. Further in front Mark Osbourne was comfortably ahead of Stephen Primett, who then fell into the clutches of a hard charging Jason Christie who went by, putting Primett back to third in class. Then a recovering Tony Crudgington came through to briefly put Stephen Primett back to fourth in his class but then Tony had a moment and spun and Primett regained third spot. Behind them it looked as if Nick Dann had given up trying to get by Neil who come home tenth overall in all important 2nd in class.
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