Category: 2019

TEAM GADGET TRIO TAKE THE WIN, BUT IT’S ANOTHER TITLE FOR SPARROW.

It all started so well for Pete Sparrow and 2CV Team Lion 1, leading from the opening lap with team mates Team Lion 2’s Patrick Mason taking second on lap seven from Tete Rouge Crisis’ Brian Heerey.

But Sparrow had problems and lost his advantage, finishing the opening hour in third, behind Tete Rouge Crisis and Beacon Downe.

The Tete Rouge quartet of Heerey, Nick Roads, Ian Gibbon and Sandro Proietti and held sway until the fifth hour, when having shared the car with Sparrow, David O’Keeffe and Alec Graham were back into the lead, from Team Gadget, with Tete Rouge down to third.

All three stayed in the podium places for the next four hours, but reaching midnight it was Tete Rouge on top by 0.259 secs over from Team Gadget, with Team Lion 1 down in third.

Although Rosie racing were next they were four laps adrift, while Team Twin Snails and GS Racing completed the top six.

From 2am though Tom Perry, Simon Clarke and Lien Davies took charge and started to consolidate their advantage. “We had lost time though with blocked jets though when I was leading and lost out again for a while,” said Perry.

But what of Team Lion 1 woes, after setting the early pace? “I led again but had a problem with points. It upset the timing and we had to change the engine,” said Graham.

“I was on the lead lap in third too and wanted to work with our second car. But they pitted almost out of fuel,” O’Keeffe added.

At half distance though Team Gadget had a lap in hand over Tete Rouge, but it was GS Racing into third, with Nick Crispin, Marc Nordon and Hames Dartiailh a further eight laps down. “I had started the race for the first time, but crashed into Glen Oswin when I ran out of brakes at the Hairpin, then had to adjust the carburettor after four laps,” said GS lead driver Crispin.

Rosie Racing had moved up to fourth, but were now 10 laps off the class lead. “I had started but had to pit when I couldn’t get second gear, then it just got worse and we had to stop for Steve to welded it,” Julie Walford explained,

In fifth Twin Snails had problems too, “James Northfield had started for us, but we had a throttle spring break during the night, but doing Ok,” said Martin Riman.

Last year’s winners Beacon Downe had been had started well but problems soon arrived for them too, Richard Gardner had to pit with overheating brakes and Louis Tyson had a gear linkage break during one of his stints, along with other less major problems.

Over the next three hours Team Gadget extended their advantage over Tete Rouge to three laps. “Simon always starts for us, its tradition. Fuelling was horrendous though and went badly through the night, we changed the jets but our afr wasn’t working so we had to check the plugs,” Davies explained.

“It had been going Ok I got the lead for us, handed it over and got it back within laps, but we can’t stay there,” Heerey replied.

With numerous engine changes and a variety of other problems, the order was still far from settled when dawn broke.

The gap between the leaders had been reduced to two laps, by 8am, with GS still a clear third over, Twin Snails, Rosie and Beacon Downe, but Team Lion 1 were closing.

Two hours later Tete Rouge had taken back one lap and despite Davies bringing the lead car in with a puncture in the 20^th hour, the lead was still a lap.

But Sparrow and Graham were flying for Team Lion 1. Rosie Racing had lost out to Beacon Downe, Twin Snails and Team Lion, leaving the latter looking for a podium still at least.

Sparrow took the Twin Snails car for fifth around Coram, before Beacon Downe’s looked turned again when Gardner pitted with a broken engine mount and a bladeless fan, handing to Peter Rundle while it was repaired.

The 21^st hour brought up lap 600 and Tete Rouge managed to lead again, but only for one lap.

Clarke had been out for Team Gadget and made his final stop with 1 ¾ hrs on the clock, handing to Perry to bring the car home. “We have put our lightweight driver in and it’s now his to lose,” said Clarke.

It was a clear run to the flag for the Gadget trio, a repeat of the team’s last win in the 24hrs 11 years ago. “There wasn’t that much between me and Brian, but cannot thank Wayne and the other boys enough for this win, fantastic,” said Perry after taking the flag one lap clear.

“I tried as hard as I could, but couldn’t close that gap and hit the Beacon Downe car too, so had to pit again for the wing to be pulled out,” said second placed Tete Rouge Crisis’ Heerey.

O’Keeffe managed to get Team Lion 1 back on the podium in the penultimate hour at Crispin’s expense. “I was sniffing exhaust fumes for the last two hours though,” Crispin explained after brining GS Racing home fourth.

Beacon Downe still made it home fifth, aided by a late problem for Twin Snails. Riman came in for the last stop and needed an engine change before Northfield tookover, but he still held onto a well-deserved sixth.

Frog Racing were seventh, while Rosie Racing, Team ECAS and Blueberry Muffins completed the top 10.

Last minute Racing were one of the first to have problems, “Jim McDougall started and we knew we were in trouble when we had to change the engine after one lap, “said Mike Marais after many more changes throughout the 24hrs.

Iceni and 2CV Vision with SSR both completed more engine changes than your local garage in a month too, while the Hollis family managed an air filter fire and father Nigel tipping over in a cabbage field.

Just to finish things off Blueberry Tarts Shirley Hennessy lost a wheel in the closing laps and GR Racing’s Simon Glenn was stuck in gear at Murrays and had to get out and had to be pushed across the finish line.

BNLL TAKE OVERALL SPOILS

Four Euro cars made it to Snetterton to race in the Euro Class for 24hrs, but after only a few laps their numbers were reduced when the open topped Burton was out after 14 laps with an engine failure.

The BNLL car of Michel Crespin, Mehdi-Rik Boucherau, Philippa Denis and Claude Crespin led from the second hour, after the second team car had led initially, but finished four laps down after a crash at Riches, cost them a three laps tow back penalty.

CGS Racing Team were still classified third, despite not running at the finish.

In the Mini’s it was a win for Slarky Malarky’s Neil and Ian Slark with Ben Butler and Steve Miles.

Having finished the first hour in fourth, they led from the fourth hour and took the win and third overall by nine laps from Team Toyshed, with No Sleep til Sunday retaining third, despite a roll.

GRAHAM & SPARROW TAKE THE SPOILS IN BRANDS EPICS

It was probably one of the most competitive 2CV Racing weekends ever at Brands Hatch, with defending Champion Pete Sparrow and former Champions Alec Graham and Lien Davies locked in combat throughout both races.

Sparrow had the first lap lead in race one from pole, with Davies, Graham, Brian Heerey, Marc Grasby and Nick Crispin the initial top six.

But with Katy Storey rolling, the safety car was out on lap two, but almost caught out Heerey and Grasby who went into Druids side by side. “We were with the lead bunch and I didn’t see yellow flags, then I saw the cars in front almost stopping and went onto the grass when I hit the brakes,” said Heerey. “I had got Nick Crispin and Martin Riman at the start, saw the crash but not the flags, and tried a do or die on Brian into Druids,” Grasby added.

After three laps the green flag was out and both Sparrow and Davies got away again, with Graham back to make it three from lap six. Crispin was also on the move, retaking Grasby for fifth, before ousting Heerey to a lap later.

“I had missed the restart, so Marc got away and I had to work hard to get him back and challenge,” said Crispin.

Sparrow had started to increase his lead as Graham and Davies swapped. “I knew Lien was close and watched him and Alec going through Paddock. I was aware of anyone trying the inside at Paddock, but I was concentrating on the corners and they had me for pace on the straights,” Sparrow explained.

But with two laps to go Sparrow was out when a valve broke, leaving Graham to take the win as they reached the flag inches apart, or officially 0.263 secs.

“I didn’t expect to go quite so well, but it wasn’t a bad start and I got two places fairly quickly. I sat behind Pete and Lien and for a while struggled to stay with them, then I got Lien into Graham Hill Bend, but couldn’t have done anything about Pete,” said Graham.

“We were all very respectful and gave each other room, then I stayed behind Alec to try and push us back to Pete’s lead,” Davies replied.

Crispin just held onto third from Heerey, “we couldn’t get near those front ones, but I had to work with Brian to try and close, as well as defending my place from him,” Crispin added. “I didn’t realise it was the last lap though, or might have had a go at him,” said Heerey.

Grasby recorded his best finish to date with fifth. “I was OK then Mick Storey started to come back at me, as I was having trouble staying near the back of the pack ahead. It was a long last lap as Steve Walford and Storey closed in after they swapped at the end,” he said.

Martin Riman followed Storey home in eighth, with Roy Eastwood and Chris Yates completing the top 10.

Sparrow had a change of engine before taking up pole for race two and lost out to Davies and Graham on the opening lap. “It didn’t have the same power though,” Sparrow admitted.
But the safety car was out again after Roy Eastwood had rolled, but Graham had just nipped ahead before the cautionary period started.

After two laps though the race was on again and Sparrow had made it three for the lead, a battle which went right to the flag.

“I really had to work hard for that, it was a fantastic race,” said the victorious Sparrow after he led from lap six, despite losing out on more than one occasion to Graham too.

But Graham had to settle for second this time, “after the green flag Pete was really on the pace, but just like the first race there was absolutely nothing in it. We were three abreast through Paddock again, and the lead could change two or three times in a lap. That then allowed Kris Tovey to close when we were fighting,” said Graham, who was 0.977 secs away from a double victory.

“I just got to the point that I didn’t care who won it, just brilliant to part of it. I tried to win and when Pete got away, I worked with Alec to get back,” said Davies after completing the podium.

Tovey had held fourth throughout and was just over a second away from joining the lead trio. Crispin was fifth after a solitary race, “boring for me really. I could only keep with the first four for a few laps, then dropped back and lost power. “I had a healthy gap to the next group though, so just nursed it home,” Crispin explained.

It was any one from five for sixth however, with Julie Walford, Riman and Grasby all have a taste at the front, along with Mick Storey.

“I was well up at the start, then dropped back into the five car battle. I thought I had a gap but then Mick tried to get around the outside at Paddock on the last lap,” said Grasby as he just held onto sixth place.

Storey was therefore seventh, with Riman, Walford and Nick Roads completing the top 10.

The final round of this year’s Championship is at Snetterton, where the 24 hour race takes place August 16-18.

29 cars made it to Mallory Park for the 30th Anniversary of 2CV Racing.

It was wet for the start of race one and there were dramas from the opening lap. Simon Clarke was first into the Esses, “I was fighting it but there was just no grip at all,” he said after spinning wildly into the escape road. Pete Sparrow was caught up in it too, “I didn’t want to be first into the Esses and you see why. But I was going wider and wider to avoid Simon and ended up in the pitlane,” he added.

With Luca Proietti on the grass to the left, it was Martin Riman that led into the Hairpin, but he went straight on! “I did lead for a few yards though,” he confirmed.

David O’Keeffe emerged as the leader at the end of the lap, with Alec Graham and Matthew Hollis battling for second, followed by Nick Crispin, Steve Walford and Tom Perry.

O’Keeffe started to make a break as Hollis slipped into second, which left Graham under attack from Crispin for third, and Walford duelling with Perry for fifth.

Crispin and Graham shared a couple of exchanges, before Perry grabbed fifth at the Hairpin and as the top four got away again, Crispin started to lose touch.

Back at the front Hollis was on the attack and led into Gerards on lap seven, with Perry following. A lap later it was Perry to the fore, as Hollis and Graham duelled and O’Keeffe looked on.

All the action allowed the recovering Sparrow to close in and when Graham and Hollis both went straight on at Gerards on lap 13, he was into second behind O’Keeffe, with Perry down to third. “Apart from the grassy moment, it was a good tight race, but I could hardly see in the spray, and Gerards arrived a bit earlier than I expected,” said Graham. “I couldn’t see either, but braked in the same place and followed Alec off,” Hollis added.

It came down to three for the lead but O’Keeffe just held on to head Sparrow to the flag. “A very difficult wet race, but up front we at least had some visibility and just looked for the grip,” he explained.

Perry retained third, with Walford claiming a late fourth from Proietti, after both had demoted Crispin. “A few fell over and helped me get up the order and there was a little tangle with Luca as we could hardly see,” said Walford. “My hardest drive ever,” Proietti added.

Hollis finally came home seventh, with Riman, Graham and Nick Roads completing the top 10.

 

It was drizzling again for the second race but Sparrow held the lead from pole into Gerards, from O’Keeffe and Brian Heerey, with Mick Storey taking Crispin for fourth into the Esses.

Heerey was ahead by the end of the opening lap, before O’Keeffe led down the Stebbe Straight, with Sparrow slipping to fifth as the rain started to fall again and it was all change.

O’Keeffe, Heerey and Julie Walford had got away, after Lien Davies pulled off with lost drive. For fourth however it was any one from Crispin, Storey, Richard Hollis and Kris Tovey.

Heerey had the lead but couldn’t break the tow. They shared a couple of exchanges before O’Keeffe made it stick over the closing laps, only to be penalised for a jump start, handing the win to Heerey. “A good race, very slippery though,” said Heerey.

Crispin and Walford enjoyed a great duel for third early on, which stayed in Crispin’s favour from the Hairpin on lap eight. “I had the misfire back again. When it was going it was great though,” said Crispin.
Walford then had a three way fight with Storey and Hollis. Storey had got away but then messed up with a lap to go. “Someone shortened the circuit and I went straight on at the Hairpin.

Hollis and Walford then had exchanges, with Walford ahead at the Esses on the last lap, she tried into challenge Storey too at the Hairpin, but went straight on and handed fifth back to Hollis. “It was whoever had the best corner exit and I struggled to get around the Hairpin,” Walford added.

Sparrow had recovered from a couple of incidents to take fifth on the road, but a jump start penalty dropped him to 10th behind Tovey, Neil Savage and Louis Tyson.

“There was a lot of petrol down so I ran wide at Gerards and then had a spin exiting the Esses too,” Sparrow explained.

 

It was finally dry for the start of the third and final race. Sparrow led Proietti from the start. Perry was second as they exited Gerards for the second time, but the safety car was out and soon followed by red flags.

Chris Yates had spun and been hit by Nigel Hollis into Gerards and Sohrab Padidar-Nazar had gone heavily into the tyre wall.

The restart was over six laps with Sparrow and Proietti wheel to wheel at the start. But as the filed into the Esses for the second time it was six cars as one, as Crispin nosed ahead from Sparrow, Proietti, O’Keeffe, Perry and Julie Walford.

Sparrow was back in front at the Hairpin a lap later, with Proietti still hanging on to him, before the defending champion pulled off at Gerards with a blown engine.

Proietti had the lead but Perry was into second and still under attack from Crispin, O’Keeffe and Walford.

But into the Esses for what became the last lap, Proietti bounced over the grass and dropped to fifth, leaving Perry to claim the win, from O’Keeffe, Walford and Crispin.

Savage had closed too in sixth, while Roads, Graham, Storey and Tovey rounded off the top 10.
“Luca was very fair and gave me just enough room. I managed to look at my watch and saw it was six o’clock, so knew it would be the last lap,” said Perry.

“That was my race for the taking, except for the last lap and they stopped it early,” Proietti replied.

Race 1:

With front row men Pete Sparrow and Nick Crispin both caught napping at the start of the first race, it was Sandro Proietti and Lien Davies that led the initial charge through Coppice.

“I was waiting for another light, then thought I had gone too soon, stopped and everyone seemed to go by,” said Crispin. “I went then bogged down too,” Sparrow added.

Brian Heerey quickly snatched second and then ousted Proietti for the lead as they went through Coppice for the second time.

The top three had managed to ease clear, with Crispin having settled in solitary fourth, until Sparrow began to reign in on him.

The intensity at the front began to increase, with Davies taking Proietti for second at Park, while Sparrow had fourth at Coppice.

Behind them a three car battle had grown for sixth, with Steve Walford, Marc Grasby and Chris Yates nose to tail.

Back at the front it was any one from five, as Sparrow and Crispin had attached themselves to the three-way lead battle. On lap six Davies led through Coppice, with Proietti and Sparrow sharing a couple of exchanges for third.

Sparrow continued to attack and exiting Barn on the seventh lap he was into second. But Davies made it decisive through Hall Bends on the last lap, when he managed to put a backmarker between him and his rivals, to take a 2.567 secs victory.

“I kept looking for Sparrow, expecting a move,” Davies admitted. But the defending champion had to settle for second. “I had sat back at the start but Lien timed it just right,” Sparrow replied.

The final podium place went to Crispin, after both Heerey and Proietti had last lap problems. “The engine went over the Mountain and I had to coast to the flag,” said fourth placed Proietti. “It was a fuel pick up problem, Heerey added after stopping at the Mountain crest.

Walford just kept Yates at bay as they completed the top six, after Grasby had pulled off. “I lost speed and it just cut out,” he explained.

Nigel Hollis just held off Dan Willan for seventh, while Nick Clarke and Aubrey Brocklebank rounded off the top 10.

Race 2:

It was three abreast through Coppice at the start of the second race, as Sparrow led Crispin and Luca Proietti. But Proietti was second as they exited Charlies and led into the Gooseneck.

Sparrow followed but after demoting Crispin for third, Heerey exited Barn on the grass and handed the place back. “I lost it on some oil,” he explained.

Having nosed ahead on the second lap, Sparrow started to build a slight gap, as Crispin was almost pushing Proietti in his quest for second.

But it all changed again when Sparrow was on the grass exiting Charlies. “Luca had a good run into Coppice and I was on the outside, so had to take to the grass,” he explained.

Crispin had also lost out but it was a six car lead train of Proietti, Heerey, Crispin, Simon Clarke, Sparrow and Mick Storey to the fore.

As Proietti then retained the lead for the next three laps, Sparrow began to work his way back up the order lap by lap and as they started lap six, he was back into second.

A lap later exiting Charlies Sparrow was back in front, until he went off at Barn and handed it back to Proietti, which briefly dropped him to third, before retaking Clarke on the Mountain.

Sparrow then hit the front yet again and managed to hold on to take his third win of the year, while Proietti had just held off Heerey for second, until a late challenge handed third to Clarke and left Heerey in fourth.

“That was a hard race as Luca kept going for my inside at Park every chance he had,” said Sparrow. “I had the widest 2CV in Europe and just went for it,” Proietti added.

Clarke was relieved to have finished third. “I missed a gear at the start, but then they all started fighting and it helped me,” he said.

As in race one Crispin had lost his brakes again, “and I lost two places early on with an off at Park,” he admitted after coming home fifth.

Storey’s challenge faded as he lost power, which left Martin Riman to take sixth, after a great scrap with Yates and Julie Walford. “I went off at Park early on, then after I had got Chris I missed a gear exiting Barn and had to do it all over again,” Riman explained.

Glen Oswin and Nigel Hollis followed Walford home to complete the top10 in yet another duel.

Race 3

Sparrow was in charge from the start of the third and final race, aided by a six car battle for second.

Sandro Proietti had started to consolidate second too after three laps, while Davies slipped into third at Coppice at Steve Walford’s expense.

Crispin and Heerey were in the line too, leaving Yates eighth and running solo.

The gap to the lead fluctuated as Proietti came under increasing pressure from Davies, while Walford, Crispin and Heerey had their own battle for fourth, which included safely negotiating Park three abreast!

Davies made it into second at Charlies on lap seven, but had to follow Sparrow to the flag, leaving Proietti to complete the podium. “I had a few excursions again, all of my own doing. I was aware that Sandro and Lien worked to close on me, but I blame Luca even though he was in that race,” said Sparrow.

“The car cut out at Charlies on lap three and I thought that was it, but it was all ok,” Davies explained. “I had a good start but couldn’t stay away,”Proietti added.

Heerey retained fourth, with Crispin battling back to fifth with a lap to go, which left Storey inches behind, after he took Walford on the last lap.

Yates continued in his solitary eighth, while the battle to complete the top 10 when to the last lap, when Grasby went off at the Mountain and handed ninth to Nigel Hollis. Grasby still managed to hold onto 10^th however, after holding off Willan. “They didn’t leave me enough room.” Grasby reckoned.

Spring Bank Holiday at Mallory Park is the next round, celebrating 30 years of 2CV Racing in the UK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAMPION SPARROW AT THE DOUBLE
Reigning 2CV Race Champion Pete Sparrow started his title defence in the best possible way, with a double win in the opening rounds at Silverstone.
Having qualified on pole for race one, Sparrow was never headed and comfortably headed home Brian Heerey by well over four seconds.
But the action behind went right to the flag, with a three-car battle for third.
Lien Davies had led the battling trio, but headed pitwards with a blown engine on his second lap, leaving Nick Clarke with a slight advantage over Nick Crispin and Matthew Hollis.
Clarke had become to look established in third, as Crispin and Hollis continued their duel, but working together they eased closer and closer to Clarke again.
For a while there was a battle on for sixth too, before Martin Riman eased his way through from a back row start, leaving Marc Grasby, Chris Yates, Julie Walford and Mick Storey to dispute the remaining top 10 places.
By lap six Hollis and Crispin had continued their pursuit of Clarke and were poised to challenge for third. Both went by a lap later and Clarke found himself at the back of the three car train.
They continued to trade places for the rest of the race, which brought them closer to second placed Heerey too.
But at the front Sparrow was able to ease to the flag for win number one of 2019. “The car is so fantastic, but I had expected Brian to have a tow. So I just kept my head down and kept going,” he said.
“I was worried towards the end that the others would catch me, I had a good start but could see they were working together,” Heerey added.
Although Clarke had regained third place on lap nine, he couldn’t hold it and lost out to both Hollis and Crispin again two laps later. He managed to snatch fourth back from Crispin, after taking Club side by side on the last lap, but it was Hollis completing the podium finishers.
“I lost ground on the second lap, miles off at Stowe after trying the outside which didn’t work. A hard race though after a good start,” said Hollis.
“I had missed a gear at the start,” said Clarke who had been down in sixth at the end of the opening lap. “Then I was clear but they came passed like a train, then I couldn’t get away. But I knew it was the last lap, Matthew had the inside at the last corner but I got Nick,” he added.
So it was Crispin’s newly liveried garden shed that lost out in the battle, “I was quicker on the Hanger Straight, but then lost time in places, great race though even though my brakes were stuck on,” he said.
Although Riman had consolidated sixth, the fight behind went to the flag too, with Yates just having the edge over Storey and Nigel Hollis, while Walford and Grasby both lost out to come home 10th and 11th respectively.
“I had a plan to get around Julie on the Hanger Straight, but when I tried it the first time Marc Grasby got us, but after the second attempt I got away,” said Yates.
Eighth placed Storey felt he had a problem though,” it just wouldn’t go,” he reckoned. Ninth though was Nigel Hollis’ best finish, but it was at the expense of Julie Walford, who lost two places on the last lap.” Remarkable start, but I lost places and the train went by,” she said.
So there was no top 10 for Grasby either, “Julie reversed into me at Village,” he reckoned.
With Sparrow starting at the back of the grid with a 10 second penalty due to a technical issue, the second race was bound to be interesting.
After Storey had led the opening lap, there was a reshuffle at the top, but it was still 10 in a row for the lead, which played straight into Sparrow’s hands.
Nick Roads and Crispin both led, before Storey was back in front on lap four. Simon Clarke followed, from Roads and Crispin, but Sparrow had already climbed to fifth.
They were all still in a line, which allowed Sparrow to pick off the whole of the lead quartet to lead at the end of the next lap. “I can’t say I passed them all, some just moved over,” Sparrow admitted.
He soon made his lead decisive again as the battles behind ensued. Clarke and Roads fought over second, with Storey in fourth, while Crispin and Richard Hollis disputed fifth and Steve Walford/Glenn Oswin seventh.
Storey managed to latch onto the second placed duel again, but it was now four for fifth too, with Walford heading the quintet, from Crispin, as Oswin and Hollis both lost out to Yates.
But there was confusion after 11 laps when the red lights showed on the startline gantry. Everyone rightly slowed, but there was no stoppage and the lights went out again.
A further slow lap was completed line astern before the chequered flag heralded Sparrow’s second win of the day. “Really enjoyed that too,” he said.
Although Clarke and Storey joined him on the podium, Roads was hoping to make a last lap challenge. “We borrowed Nick Roads spare engine and beat him. I was quite pleased to see the flag though,” Clarke admitted.
“I had let Mick through at Stowe and thought I could get him back later, but then the red lights came on,” Roads added. “A good battle but I had been saving myself for the last lap too,” Storey replied.
Walford and Crispin completed the top six, with Oswin and Yates still in close proximity duelling for seventh. Richard Hollis was ninth, while a further battle to complete the top 10 had Aubrey Brocklebank finally fend off Nigel Hollis.
“That was a big scrap and the tow wasn’t working on the Hanger Straight as the wind was behind us,” Walford explained.

Published by Peter Scherer for the 2CV Racing April 1st 2019.