HSCC Superprix Brands Hatch G P Circuit 23rd July 2005

The Friday journey to Brands Hatch was affected by grid lock, this appeared to be total, around the whole of the M25 and all its surrounding roads.

Saturday was fine and overcast, occasional spots of rain could be felt as we waited for the timed laps to start, but it remained dry.

Qualifying for the Formula Junior cars was the first session of the day and began on time. Edwin Jowsey in his Lotus 22 was quick right through the twenty minutes allowed but did suffer a spin after about 10 minutes, he continued and claimed pole with a time of 1.42.461. Mike Hibberd Lotus 27 was next quickest with a 1.44.420. Third fastest was Urs Eberhardt also in a Lotus 27 who cut short his practice and came into the pit lane after five laps. Mark Woodhouse back in action in his newly repaired Lotus 20/22 was fourth with a 1.47. Bruno Schaffner  also in a 20/22 was fifth. Malcolm Ricketts back in his own Lotus 22 completed the top six with 1.48.

Stuart Roach in his Alexis Mark2 was in twelfth spot as leading A2 runner, with a time of 1.52. Tony Goodwin Gemini Mk2 was close behind on 1.53. Bill Grimshaw in his Moorland  third of the front engined runners.

Top qualifiers in Class B were James Hicks in his Caravelle Mk1 on 1.56 with Mike Waller's Kieft a second away in second spot.

Thirty two cars took part in the qualifying session Peter Strauss driving Bob Birrell's Brabham BT6, suffered a split gearbox casing, the resulting oil spill caught out one or two of the following drivers.

Race One started promptly, the assembly lap, as seems to be usual, at this meeting served as the green flag lap.
From the lights Edwin Jowsey was straight into the lead in the 22, Mike Hibberd's 27 seemed to hang with wheelspin and Urs Eberhardt had his 27alongside Mike as they headed into Paddock bend. As the leaders stormed through the pit straight at the end of the first lap, it was Jowsey a couple of seconds ahead of Hibberd, with Eberhardt next also a couple of seconds back and fourth was Woodhouse again a couple of seconds away. Hamish Morrison's Cooper T67 was in the gravel at Clearways towards the end of the second lap. The pattern at the front of the race remained stable for about half the race. Mike Hibberd then began to close on the leader. Urs Eberhardt began to lose ground in third and Mark Woodhouse got his 20/22 closer to the 27 in front only to fall back again as the race progressed.

Stuart Roach in the Alexis was firmly in control of the front engined race, ahead of Tony Goodwin's Gemini and Bill Grimshaw's Moorland.

As the race continued Edwin Jowsey carried on in the lead with Mike Hibberd closing again towards the end of the race. Although he could get close, it was not close enough and he was to be five seconds away at the finish, Urs Eberhardt was slipping back at the end, and Mark Woodhouse in turn was some eleven seconds behind Urs in fourth. Fifth spot was being fiercely contested by Simon Diffey's  Lotus 20 and Steve Smith in his Cooper T59, this dice came to an untimely end on the last corner of the race, when Steve Smith came up to lap Mark Green's Lotus 18 at Clearways, their cars tangled and the Lotus 18 rolled into the gravel trap, both cars were damaged, Mark's Green's pretty Lotus 18 very severely, thankfully neither driver was hurt.  This left Simon Diffey to take fifth in his 20. Bruno Schaffner was sixth in his Lotus 20/22.

Stuart Roach continued his winning run in the Alexis Mk2 taking front engined honours, tenth overall, one lap behind the leaders, the Gemini of Tony Goodwin was second in class, with Bill Grimshaw's Moorland third.

John Delane Lotus 18 was the sole runner in Class C1, with his Richardson head, but for which he would have been a clear winner in Class B with a huge improvement over his practice performance. Class B , however, went to a well deserved James Hicks in Richard Utley’s Mk I Caravelle ahead of the Cooper T56 of Clive Temple. Meantime , Richard was up at the 500 Owners Garden Party with the JBS, anxiously awaiting news of his beloved car..!!

As always a fiercely contested  Formula Junior Superprix race. All the leading nine cars completed twelve laps in the twenty minutes race time allowed. The fastest lap was set by Edwin Jowsey at 1.41.914, an average speed of 92.13 mph. Sadly the race was marred by the damage to Mark Green's Lotus 18, this being only his second outing since his Silverstone accident last year.  We were lucky with the weather it remained dry but overcast for us, both in Qualifying and the Race.

Stan Hibberd 25th July 2005