HSCC Brands Hatch GP Superprix Sunday 7th May 2006 FJHRA Millers Oils Historic Formula Junior Race

After a streaming wet Saturday at Brands Hatch, to every-ones surprise Sunday turned out to be a dry pleasantly warm day, ideal conditions then for this years Superprix FJ race.

Qualifying for the juniors was late morning as our race was to be the final one on the programme.
Pacesetters were Mike Hibberd Lotus 27 1.43.152 and Matthew Watts Brabham BT6 1.44.935. Mark Woodhouse was struggling with an out of sorts engine, and wasn't able to show his usual pace.
Steve Smith Cooper T59 and Paul Smeeth Lotus 22 were going well and were third and fourth respectively. Fifth was Andrew Hibberd Lotus 22, sixth was Hamish Morrison Cooper T67 his first outing in the car this year.
John Chisholm in the Gemini 3A was the leading class C1 runner, just , from the Elva 300 of Chris Drake.
David Stevenson was best in Class A2 and was keeping up well with the C1cars. Bill Grimshaw Moorland Mk1 a second slower, was next in this class.
Michael Ashley-Brown Volpini Monoposto was the only class A1 runner.
Rudolf Ernst Lotus 22 suffered a broken gear linkage on the out lap and wasn't able to record a time.

Race 15 started two minutes early at 5.48 pm, as we watched the green flag lap from the pit lane a few spots of rain could be detected, thankfully it passed over leaving more or less perfect conditions for the race.
Both front row drivers had their car off the line smartly as the red lights went off. Into Paddock bend Mike Hibberd had the Lotus 27 slightly ahead of the Matt Watts Brabham BT6. At the end of the first lap, Steve Smith's T59 was in third. Paul Smeeth  and Andrew Hibberd in their 22's were contesting fourth spot as Mark Woodhouse with his Lotus 20/22 now going well was trying to make up ground on the leaders, he caught up with the battling Lotus's and joined in the contest for fourth spot, he managed to find his way through after several close fought  laps.
John Chisholm Gemini 3A was engaged in a race long, very close struggle for C1 class honours with Chris Drake Elva 300 and John Delane Lotus 18.
On lap four Malcolm Ricketts Lotus and Simon Armer Cooper made contact leading to both cars being retired.
John Truslove  led the front engine contest in his Lola Mk 2 from Stevenson U2 and Grimshaw Moorland.
After twelve laps Mike Hibberd's Lotus 27 was maintaining a comfortable lead still ahead of the Matt Watts Brabham BT6, with Smith T59 in a solid third place. Mark Woodhouse had improved to fourth in his Lotus while the two Lotus 22's of Paul Smeeth and Andrew Hibberd  were still hard at it contesting fifth and sixth spots. Hamish Morrison Cooper T67 was next comfortably ahead of the battling class C1 trio all of these still on the lead lap.
Truslove Lola took class A2 one lap down, Stevenson U2 a second away third and Grimshaw another second away third in class.
Michael Ashley-Brown Volpini was the only class A1runner, he finished ahead of  Rudolf Ernst who was allowed to start from the rear of the grid after missing practice.

Twenty eight cars started the race there were three retirements. Another excellent Formula Junior Superprix which featured some excellent battles right through the race.

Results

Winner and first in class C2             Mike Hibberd Lotus 22
Second                                               Matthew Watts Brabham BT6
Third                                                   Steve Smith Cooper T59

Eighth and winner of class C1         John Chisholm Gemini 3A

Twelfth and winner of class A2        John Truslove Lola Mk2

Twenty fourth winner of class A1     Michael Ashley-Brown Volpini

Fastest lap Mike Hibberd Lotus 27  1.43.687 (91.07mph)

Stan Hibberd 10th May 2006