News > Castle Combe June 23rd - Strong showings again

30/06/2007

After the disappointment of the last race, the team were tipped by many to secure the first race win of the year. Unfortunately things didn’t get off to a great start when Tom Margetson (Reynard FF89 #83) lost an engine after only a handful of laps in practice. The team were ready to change to a back up unit in time for the qualification race, but Tom elected not to continue with the weekend until the cause of the problem could be determined. Disappointingly for Tom, he’d qualified 8th in class, however he’ll be back out again in his familiar Glassimage Reynard at the next meeting. Josh Fisher was back out again, hoping to overturn the disappointment of the last race. In a close qualifying session he lined up a fantastic 5th position. However a bad start saw Fisher drop to 9th place by turn one, but within a few laps was fighting hard and was back up to fifth behind last month’s winner Matt McKillop. Unfortunately the charge was ended in spectacular fashion on lap five, when Fisher attempted to pass McKillop into Quarry corner. McKillop, who inherited the lead from Fisher when the Wayne Poole Racing driver retired from the lead at the last race, braked earlier than Fisher expected going over Avon Rise, and the resulting contact sent Fisher airborne and McKillop sliding into the barriers at Quarry. Thankfully neither driver was hurt and remarkably Fisher’s WPR Mygale01 only sustained damage to a rear shock absorber. It was another disappointing end to what had promised to be a strong race weekend. However, it once again underlined the continued development and pace of the WPR class A cars. Matt Devenish (Van Diemen RF89 #82) meanwhile spent the majority of the race fighting with fellow class c driver Stephen Hawkins for fourth place in class. In a race long battle, Devenish managed to pass Hawkins into Tower, but then lost the position on the following lap while pushing too hard while trying to track down third position, Jim Hamilton. Devenish finished the race 5th in class, to remain 4th in the class C standings. Pete Diccox had another eventful meeting. The ‘Combe veteran was involved in a start line accident in the qualification race, and ended up in the circuit’s infield. No harm came to the 71 year-old, however the car wasn’t so lucky, sustaining damage to the front-left wishbone. The team had the car repaired for the points race and Pete came home in a respectable 8th, collecting more valuable points towards the championship. The team will be back out again at the next meeting, on July 14th and 15th.