Reg Powell of Classic Clubmans has apparently got the BARC SEC to admit Clubmans cars to this series, and a bit of fun was to be had. I'm surprised more clubmen don't come along for a play (cheap at that... £100 for qualifying and two races on the day).

I don't know what the right diff would be for Stowe. I had left the 3.7 in since Donington and I didn't get out of third, so a 3.9 or a 4.1 would still be too long. Anyway, there's no point in making an investment just for Stowe. I was sixth in qualifying, alongside Daniel Fox (picture) who became my day's sparting partner.
In Race 1 got ahead of Daniel at the start. One of the ERA single seaters hit a curb and broke his sump. For two laps he dropped oil on the racing line, the result of which was that the powerful F3 cars ahead of us ALL spun off. I led for 4 laps till Daniel caught me having a moment on the oil at the end of the back straight. One F3 recovered and came past me, demoting me to 3rd. Another came past and promptly spun off in front of me. The 10 minute race then came to an end, and I was third, handy because the second race was to start in Race 1 order. Daniel, who works for Fred Goddard Racing but is a rooky, was second.

In the second race, third on the grid, I got off okay but the F3 guys were keen on revenge... and powerful. A couple screamed through and Daniel and I took up our battle where we had left off. After 5 laps I got up to the back of him and I began to push. His Van Dieman RF92 Ford 1600 has no downforce but as touch more power so we were evenly matched. Our battle raged for lap after lap, both cars fighting for grip on the sguiggly Stowe infield. Daniel was particularly sguiggly as he flipped from understeer to oversteer and back again several times in each corner. It does make a car bigger! I got past momentarily when he put four wheels on the grass approaching South Turn. He got back again. Two thirds of the way through the twenty minute race I nearly met my end: on the gas through North Turn I had the inside line on his left. His rear wheels slid right and then flipped back to the left hitting my nose cone from the side. I pitted and someone removed the remains (yes, 3 cones in 3 meetings, sorry) and the pit marshalls let me go out again. Whereupon I did my fastest lap of the day. Without a nosecone, Dick, surely some mistake! The reason is that I had to be a bit more subtle on entry to each each corner as the understeer was greater, but I could get on the throttle just the same because the rear traction was greater than normal. So I was probably able to get on the throttle a bit earlier. Discuss.

I ended 5th, very happy with the day's work. Especially so as BARC SEC give trophies to class winners even if they are alone in the class. But I felt I had done enough against the F3 boys to justify a nice plastic pot and a cap saying BARC WINNER on it. Daniel had three in his class and won it.

The ERA single seaters were announecd at the last Autosport Racing Car Show at the NEC and looked lovely (still do, see picture). They handle awfully though and looked gawky and uncontrollable. . ONe had a suspension failure and had the rare misfortune to hit a barrier (tough at Stowe because they are miles from the track).

Several paddock habitués said how nice it was to see real Mallock out and how pretty they are. One said he knew the General himself in the old days. Is that a promotion in rank? Time dims the eyes and make them rose-tinted.

There will be a final round of this series on the last weekend of November. Please come. I can warmly (end of November) recommend it.
 

Championship table      Official race report