Reports > Castle Combe May 7 Motors TV raceday
Overall GT podium for Des Andrews
The WPR team were out in force for the Motors TV raceday on May 7 and featured in six races all of which went out on live TV.
The sun was out for the first Formula Ford race but unfortunately the track was still streaming following another heavy shower. Practice had also been wet so Steve Bracegirdle, never a fan of these conditions, lined up 28th while evergreen Pete Diccox, having is first outing of the year was a couple of places behind. Steve moved up to third in Class at the start but then dropped back toward Pete but both made it to the end in 24th and 26th places respectively.
On a day of sun and showers track conditions and tyres were always going to be important and the team took a gamble by sending out their three GTs for Guy Parr, Des Andrews and Steve Bracegirdle on slicks for the first race. Guy had the best of it after qualifying a strong sixth, with a lonely race just behind the leaders to come home 8th although with another couple of laps it could have easily been 6th. Des started 9th but joined Steve in a first lap off at Quarry leaving them to enjoy a good tussle for a few laps but a couple more spins saw him finish twelth just one spot behind Steve.
With the engine in Guy Parr’s Fiesta ready at last he was set to do battle in the Castle Combe Saloon Car Championship. Wearing his familiar number 13 Guy qualified a strong tenth and this in Class B. After moving up a couple of places in the early laps an off on Lap 7 saw an unfortunate retirement with front nearside body damage.
For the second GT race the team’s gamble on keeping their wet tyres back looked like paying off. Many of the other runners had used up their wets in Race 1 and the track was fairly wet for Race 2 although drying as no further rain looked imminent. Both Guy and Des made cracking starts but an awesome run round the outside at Quarry saw Des make up four places to emerge in third place, which he held to the end. Guy and Steve also went well finishing 7th and 10th respectively.
The track was all but dry for the second Formula Ford race but a major coming together at the Esses on Lap 1 saw 5 of the 6 Class C runners all out on the spot including Steve Bracegirdle and Pete Diccox. A sad end to the day.
