Reports > Combe Grand Finals Day Oct 1 2022
Class wins for Ben Mitchell
At Castle Combe's final race meeting of 2022 the Wayne Poole Racing team arrived with Ben Mitchell in Richard Hudson-Evans owned and Classic Auction Review
backed Merlyn MK20, Steve Bracegirdle in his usual Van Diemen RF89 and Andrew Higginbottom having his first outing in the team's Class A Van Diemen RF01.
As is becoming customary, Ben qualified the Merlyn mid grid for both races and well ahead of the other Class D runners. Andrew was a little further back, familiaring himself with a Class A car while Steve only managed a few practice laps to start both races near the back.
In Race 1 Ben had a good race to finish 11th, winn Class D with fastest Class lap. Steve moved up the fireld to finish second in Class while Andrew finished 14th. In Race 2 Ben started from the pit lane to avoind any first lap dramas and drove up through the field to finish 14th with the Class win and fastest lap. Andrew found more time in the seond race to finish tenth and complete an excellent first outing in a Class A car while Steve retired on Lap 3 with mechanical problems.
In the final Castle Combe Formula Ford Championship standings Ben was confirmed as Class D champion with Steve taking third in Class C, Josh Fisher, who ran a limited season, fifth in Class A and James Colborn seventh in Class A.
In the two Hot Hatch races Gareth Haycock was having an outing in the team's Mini Cooper S qualifying 26th for both races. In Race 1 Gareth improved to finish 21st and in Race 2 he improved further to finish 18th. Gareth, runs Image Paint Works in Yate and is hoping to take in more events in the future.
The team thank Phill Johnson for these images and others he has contributed throughout the season.
