TOVEY DOUBLE AT SEASON OPENER
Kris Tovey started his 2CV Racing season in the best possible way, a double win at Cadwell Park.
Nick Crispin lined up on pole for the first race in the DD Racing car, with Tovey’s KTR Developments car alongside, while defending Champion David O’Keeffe and Martin Riman shared the second row of the 21 car grid, for Team 2CV Lion and Classic 41.
Ainslie Bousfield’s Team Gadget was a casualty before the start though, “it went on to one cylinder on my way to the grid,” he explained.
As the lights went out Crispin headed Tovey through Coppice and they soon began to pull away, as Baycon Racing’s Sandro Proietti and O’Keeffe began their duel for third, after O’Keeffe had ousted Matthew Hollis.
O’Keeffe was into third on lap two and behind them Hollis was battling to defend from Andrew Bull, but couldn’t hold off the Tete Rouge car.
With the top six paired off, Chris Yates pulled back into the paddock, so Riman, Max Wyer, Simon Turner and Neal Graham completed the rest of the early top 10.
Riman was under pressure though too, from Wyer and Turner, while back at the front it was all change, with Tovey in front, from Crispin, Proeitti and O’Keeffe.
Hollis had managed to retake fifth from Bull on lap five, only to lose it again a lap later, as Riman continued to fight off Wyer for seventh.
Tovey was still out in front, but Proietti came out of Park on lap six in second and set about his challenge for the lead.
“I had worked with David at the start to close on the lead pair, never thought I would challenge for the lead though,” said Proietti.
He was soon back to fourth though after exiting Barn on the grass, which allowed both Crispin and O’Keeffe to go by.
As they charged down the Park Straight for the penultimate time, Crispin made his move to lead out of Chris Curve and once again there was a small gap back to third placed O’Keeffe again.
Crispin was just holding on, but the pressure on. “I just went wide onto kerb at the Mountain, but it gave Kris the momentum and he got me into Hall Bends,” Crispin explained.
Tovey had pulled out a 1.794 secs gap by the flag, with O’Keeffe just holding onto third from Proietti. “I was just trying to keep Sandro behind, he was all over me, one minute one side, the next minute the other,” he explained.
“I had been ready to accept second from the start, but relatively in control when I had the lead,” Tovey added as he celebrated his victory.
Bull managed to break Hollis’s tow to secure fifth place, “It was good fun and really chuffed with sixth as I was in my Dad’s car,” said Hollis.
Both Wyer and Turner managed to oust Riman on lap six, and Julie Walford rounded off the top 10, after a delayed start. “I was sliding all over the place with understeer,” Riman explained.
Neal Graham was next home, well clear of Chris Hall and Shirley Hennessy, while in 15th Christine Savage had Laurence Broadhurst close at the flag.
Richard Knight, Colin Etchells and Howard Wright completed the finishers.
All 21 cars made it to the grid for race two, but Seb Jones-White was soon back in the paddock after retiring from race one.
Crispin once again led Tovey into Coppice with Luca Proietti third, but it was Tovey ahead up the Hill into Charlies, as Crispin struggled with fuel starvation.
O’Keeffe and Bull were next up, but Hollis soon ousted Bull from fifth.
Crispin still had good pace and was able to stay with Tovey as they began to ease clear on the second lap, while behind O’Keeffe now headed a six-car train, from Proietti, Hollis, Bull, Wyer and Riman.
By the end of lap four Tovey had broken the tow again, but a couple of laps Crispin had managed to close it up, and took O’Keeffe and Proietti with him.
Into the final couple of laps and Crispin was under attack, with O’Keeffe through with a lap to go and Proietti on the final tour.
Tovey took the win again, but O’Keeffe was second and only 0.505 secs down, after a bit of a leaning session with Proietti.
“I got the lead up the hill at the start and just held it all the way,” Tovey concluded as he celebrated his winning double.
Crispin was still fourth, but Hollis had closed considerably on the last lap. “I could see them all messing about in front, so we worked together and closed the gap, and I nearly got Nick at the end,” said Hollis.
Bull completed the top six, “it was better than the first race, much closer and I tried to get Matthew at first, then just worked with him,” he explained.
Wyer took seventh from Riman on the final tour, but were still close at the flag, with Steve Walford poised to make a late challenge too.
Yates rounded off the top 10, with Nicholas Home next at the flag, closely followed by Neil Savage and Simon Turner.
Ethan Sparrow just kept George Broadhurst at bay for 14th and the remaining finishers were Giles Owen, Hennessy, Jennifer Hall, Martin Sunderland and Etchells.
The next rounds of the Championship are at Pembrey on May 20-21, with two 15 minute sprint races and a 90 minute enduro.