[Kevan]

Race reports - 22nd September - Small Sports/Saloons + Group 5
 
A good turnout tonight as seven club members raced a good variety of cars across the different classes.  
 
Small Sports/Saloons
 
   

This year we have seen many cars in the Modified class, 3D chassis are seen every week alongside the favourite scatchbuilds seen for a few years now. It’s only a matter of time before we see one or two Revo Alfas/Escorts/BMW 2002’s in Standard class.
 
Heat #1 - Brian & Mike were racing for 2nd spot as Andy’s King Cobra couldn’t be caught, in the end Brain’s Healey which seemed to be going noticeably quicker this week finished less than half a lap ahead of Mike’s Moggy Racer, Andy finished a few laps clear at the end of the race.
 
Heat #2 - would have been close for 1st place but a deslot for Andy’s King Cobra meant Kev’s AC Cobra could be raced a little easier and that’s how it stayed until the end of the race with Geoff’s Mini a few laps behind.
 
Heat #3 - The first of two runners-up spots for Mike’s Moggy Racer, this heat finishing behind Andy’s King Cobra but ahead of Gav’s Cobra.
 
Heat #4 - saw the return to race action for Paul’s Ferrari 365 P2 faced up to Geoff’s rapid Mini, they were only one second apart at the end of the race with the Ferrari a fraction behind.  Gav’s Cobra managed its best lane score in this heat to finish less than two laps behind the Mini.
 
Heat #5 - this had the makings of the best heat of the night as Geoff, Mike & Brian lined up with a Mini in the slow lane, a Healey in the fast lane and a Moggy racer inbetween.  A first lap crash for the Mini & Healey let the Moggy lead for over a minute…Brian chipping away at the lead to eventually catch up…then pass, to win the heat nearly a lap ahead of the Moggy no doubt helped by a couple of ‘offs’ as Mike got carried away and Geoff’s Mini recovering after the first lap plus another two or three ‘offs’ to finish only half a lap behind the Moggy.
 
Heat #6 - Paul in Yellow managed his best lane score with the Ferrari but couldn’t catch Kev’s AC Cobra in his favoured Blue lane that was his best lane score also.  Gav racing the other AC Cobra struggled a little in Red.
 
Heat #7 - Brian managed his beat heat score in Yellow whilst Kev (Red) & Paul (Blue) managed their worst lane scores.  At the end of this final heat all three cars were within two laps of each other.
 
   

Heat winners in heat order: Andy, Kev, Geoff & Brian
 
Group 5
 
   

Standard Class means Racer Sideways cars, Geoff’s BMW 320i vs Kev’s BMW M1.  They did get to race each other, Heat #2, both drivers managing their best lane scores, Kev in Blue, Geoff in Yellow with the 320i having one deslot on lap #3 the M1 finished a lap ahead at the end of the race.  Looking at the results sheet these two cars are well matched in Red & Yellow, the big difference came in the quick lane where Kev’s M1 managed to stretch the advantage beyond Geoff’s 320i. 
 
Modified Class usually means Racer Sideways cars with SlotIt sidewinder pods, some of these are rockets.  Tonight this class was Brian’s Capri vs Paul’s Porsche 935 and based on previous Gr5 Modified Class racing the Porsche was going to struggle.  The Capri was on a mission tonight not only outpacing the Porsche 935 but seriously tested Andy’s Open Class M1 in Heats #4 & #6.  Paul’s best single result was in Heat #1 in Blue finishing 2nd to Mike’s Open Class Capri.
 
Open Class Gr.5 is usually where you find the quickest car, Andy’s BMW M1 going off track in Heat #6 in Yellow losing nearly a lap but recovered really well to finish with the best overall score with less than a lap to spare.  Mike’s Capri had it’s best race in Heat #5 in Blue, this heat had one car from each class, the Capri finishing less than 3 seconds behind Kev’s BMW.  Gav’s Porsche went best in Blue lane in Heat #3 behind Paul’s 935 and Brian’s Capri.
 
Heat #1 was close as Mike’s Capri finished ahead of Paul’s Porsche by just over 4 seconds.
 
Heat #5 was closer as Mike & Paul again raced to within 2.8 seconds of each other. 
 
Heat #4 was the race between what was to end up being the three class winners with Andy’s M1 in Red, Kev’s M1 in Yellow & Brian’s Capri in Blue…the Modified Class Capri won that one.  Andy’s BMW M1 managed the only 28 lapper in Red to finish 3 seconds behind the Capri.
 
The closest race tonight was Heat #6 as Brian’s Capri finished only 0.3 seconds behind Andy’s BMW after a great recovery drive to win the heat by Andy.
 
   

Heat winners in heat order: Mike, Kev, Brian & Andy
                                    
 
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Next week is Saloons + Sports