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Quaife Radical Clubman's Cup: Castle Combe, Race Reports

20th July 2010

QUAIFE RADICAL CLUB CUP – CASTLE COMBE

Having played second fiddle to Colin Millar’s SR3 at Pembrey, Darren Luke returned to his winning ways at Castle Combe. His double victory increased his PR6’s tally to ten for the season.

Craig Currie’s SR3 secured pole for the first race, but only 0.401secs covered the top three, which was completed by the PR6’s of Mark Abbott and Luke.

A healthy grid of 25 cars lined up in overcast conditions, with Abbott leading the charge along Avon Rise from Luke and Steven Lindsay’s PR6, as Currie was swamped and Chris Hillaby’s SR3 left at the start. “I had it set up wrong I kept hitting the rev limiter,” Currie explained.

But Abbott’s lead was shortlived when Luke darted ahead into Tower on the second lap. “I got a lovely start and thought I could hold Darren up a while, but then had to concentrate on defending from Steven Lindsay,” he said. “Mark reckoned I locked up when I took, but I didn’t notice,” Luke replied.

The top six were line astern with Luke from Abbott, Lindsay, Millar, Darren Anley’s SR3 and Nigel Place’s PR6, with Currie a solitary seventh. 

The order began to settle down though as Luke’s lead started to grow. Further back Rachel Davies’ SR3 had consolidated eighth, after taking Richard Stables’ PR6 on lap four, leaving him under attack from James Abbott’s PR6. 

With Luke’s win looking ever more certain Lindsay started to pile the pressure on Abbott for second and on lap eight he snatched the place as they arrived at the Esses. “His power was just too much for me,” said Abbott. “I had been third off the line and but when I had a run on Mark into Quarry, I kept it going and got ahead at the Esses. But we had to be a bit cautious as there was rain in the air,” Lindsay replied. 

Millar was next to challenge Abbott, but was also having to defend from Anley, while Place sat just behind and waited to pick up any pieces. As Millar went for the inside at the Esses there was contact as Abbott fought to hold his place. “I was under pressure and had to get past Mark, we touched and Darren Anley got by as we recovered,” said Millar. 

Abbott had a half spin but had also fallen behind Place into sixth. It was cut and dried as far as Luke was concerned though, despite a late push from Lindsay. Anley was heading for third but was caught on the last lap. “I couldn’t believe it, I was too cautious and allowed Colin to make a successful lunge down my inside,” he explained. “I had damaged my steering earlier but just got through at the Esses before Darren,” said Millar. Place and Abbott completed the top six, with Davies seventh after ousting Currie in the rain at Tower. 

James Abbott was fractionally adrift of Currie at the flag, while the recovering Hillaby completed the top ten after Stables had to spin out at Quarry to avoid a backmarker that had spun in his path. 

RESULT

1 Darren Luke (PR6) 18 laps in 20m16.737s (98.52mph); 2 Steven Lindsay (PR6) +1.902s; 3 Colin Millar (SR3); 4 Darren Anley (SR3); 5 Nigel Place (PR6); 6 Mark Abbott (PR6); 7 Rachel Davies (SR3); 8 Craig Currie (SR3); 9 James Abbott (PR6); 10 Chris Hillaby (SR3). Prosport: 1 Luke; 2 Place; 3 M.Abbott; 4 James Abbott; 5 Richard Stables; 6 Norman Lackford. Supersports: 1 Millar; 2 Anley; 3 Davies; 4 Currie; 5 Hillaby; 6 Mark White; 7 Richard Carver; 8 Paul Steele; 9 Ray Woolhead; 10 Paul Marsham; 11 Ron Bush. Clubsports: 1 Andrew Harwood; 2 Simon Garmston; no other finishers. Invitation: 1 Lindsay; 2 Chris Blades; 3 David Frankland; no other starters. Fastest lap: Luke 1m05.321s (101.95mph).

Luke started from pole but it was Lindsay that grabbed the initial advantage at the start of race two, but they were inches apart. Mark Abbott and Anley soon paired off in third of fourth too, but a couple of laps later Anley was through, and after Millar had Davies had taken Stables, both began to close on the cars ahead. 

Stables had little respite as his hold on seventh was soon under attack from Currie and James Abbott. But of the top six it was Davies that was on the move, scything through on Millar’s inside at Camp to claim fifth on lap five. 

Back at the front Lindsay still had Luke shadowing him, which gradually allowed Anley to close too. But Luke was badly baulked by a backmarker on lap eight, which gave Anley a chance to challenge. 

James Abbott joined the retirements from ninth place when he hurtled into the tyre wall at Camp. “I had a big hole in the side wall of a rear tyre, but didn’t know until I braked,” he explained. 

Into Quarry for the 11th time Luke got a little too close to his rival and tipped him into a spin. “Darren came under me as I turned in and spun me, but when I was sideways Darren Anley hit me too as he was so close. I had been defending so hard,” said Lindsay. “Not a good race after I tapped Steven. He seemed to be braking earlier and I was trying to make up ground again,” said an apologetic Luke. 

The safety car was called into action but only managed to pick up Luke and Clubsport leader Andrew Harwood, before the flag was taken in confusing circumstances. Davies collected her best result in second, “I didn’t know what was happening, I didn’t think I was leading, but could have been, so just kept going,” she said. 

“I struggled a bit for grip yet we didn’t change anything, so I don’t why,” said third placed Millar. “Colin got me just before the safety car, but I thought we would get a two lap dash, then we came out of Camp and I looked across at Colin and Rachel and there was the chequered flag.” I think they were as surprised as I was,” said Abbott.

Currie ousted Stables on lap nine to clinch fifth, leaving Place, Hillaby, Carver and Steele to complete the top ten.

RESULT

1 Luke 14 laps in 19m13.146s (80.85mph); 2 Davies +44.709s; 3 Millar; 4 M.Abbott; 5 Currie; 6 Stables; 7 Place; 8 Hillaby; 9 Richard Carver (SR3); 10 Paul Steele (SR3). Prosports: 1 Luke; 2 M.Abbott; 3 Stables; 4 Place; 5 Lackford. Supersports: 1 Davies; 2 Millar; 3 Currie; 4 Hillaby; 5 Carver; 6 Steele; 7 Woolhead; 8 Marsham; 9 Gary Baxter; 10 Bush; 11 White. Clubsports: 1 Harwood; 2 Garmston; 3 Ian Charles; no other starters. Invitation: 1 Frankland; no other finishers. Fastest lap: Luke 1m05.241s (102.08mph).