Category: 2021

O’KEEFFE & PROIETTI SHARE THE SPOILS, BUT IT’S SPARROW’S TITLE

As the 2CV Racing Championship arrived at Donington Park, both Nick Crispin and Kris Tovey could mathematically take the title away from Pete Sparrow.

Sparrow was absent due to his clashing commitments in the Spa 24hrs, which meant Gary Adnitt took the wheel of Sparrow’s usual 97 2CV Team Lion car.

23 cars set out in qualifying with only 0.776 secs covering the top five of Nick Roads, Crispin, Tovey, Adnitt and O’Keeffe, with Matthew Hollis completing the top six.

As the lights went out Crispin led into Redgate, from Tovey and Hollis. With Tovey and Hollis side by side into the Esses, Hollis was into second place at Melbourne, which gave Crispin a slight break.

As they completed the opening lap O’Keeffe headed the chasers, from Julie Walford, Mick Storey, Adnitt and Sandro Proietti from the back of the grid, while Chris Yates and Roads completed the early top 10.

As Hollis and Tovey swapped again on the second lap, that allowed O’Keeffe to close in too as they went through the Esses.

As O’Keeffe emerged from Melbourne in third behind Tovey, Hollis had slipped to fourth with Storey now a solitary fifth after Walford pitted.

It started to close up at the front and Crispin’s domination was coming to end, as Tovey got by at the Old Hairpin. But Crispin came back to lead the four car train into the Esses on lap three, while behind Storey it was a four car train for sixth too, with Proietti, Adnitt, Roads and Yates.

It was all change though a lap later, “I was trying to hold the lead but it was so greasy and I had a slight off at Redgate through the gravel, “said Crispin.

Tovey was then side by side with O’Keeffe down the Craner Curves. “After Nick went off I got on the slippery line down the Craners, I missed the gravel but found the grass,” he explained.

O’Keeffe emerged as the new leader from Hollis, with Crispin recovering in third, while Tovey though still fourth, had lost ground.

Storey had hit trouble too, “there was muck in the carbs, otherwise I thought I could have caught them,” he said.

O’Keeffe held his gap over the final lap and took the flag 1.96 secs clear of Hollis. “They tried too hard and ended up on the slippery stuff and I didn’t. But I didn’t get away well at the start as I couldn’t get gears,” O’Keeffe explained.

“I got a really good start and the dampness of the track was a good equaliser, although there was almost a dry line in some places. I got closer to David at the end and we briefly nose to tail, “Hollis added.

Crispin and Tovey came in third and fourth, after Crispin had tried a last corner challenge on Hollis, resulting in a half spin.

Proietti was fifth. “I enjoyed racing through from the back. I struggled at the Hairpins though and it was shocking under braking,” said Sandro.

Roads was sixth while Adnitt just held onto seventh from Yates, “I hadn’t had enough track time in the car in the wet,” Adnitt added.

Turner slipped back in ninth towards the end, but was still well clear of Shirley Hennessy.

Crispin got the initial lead from Tovey into Redgate from the start of the second race too, with Luca Proietti third after storming first lap.

Neil Savage was a strong fourth, battling with Adnitt, Roads and Hollis, but O’Keeffe was well down the order. “I got wide at the Old Hairpin and Nick Crispin helped turn me,” he explained.

“Yes David lost it, came back as he hit the kerb and I tapped him and turned him into a spin,” Crispin admitted, as he lost the lead to Tovey.

As Tovey began to extend his advantage, Proietti and Adnitt made it past Crispin, with Savage down to fifth, as Roads and Hollis threatened.

As they went through McLeans on the third lap, Proietti was almost pushing Tovey, but he waited, until Goddards to make his move down the inside under braking, to exit with as a clear leader.

The lead duel had allowed Adnitt to close into, leaving Crispin a solitary fourth, while Savage and Storey continued to duel for fifth, while Roads headed Hollis, Yates and Max Wyer in growing train for seventh.

Over the final lap the gaps briefly began to open at the front, but it was all closed up again on the Melbourne Loop, with Proietti finally taking victory over Tovey by 0.592 secs. “I was a bit patient, I knew what I had to do and did it and a bit more,” said Luca.

“I tried,” Tovey replied. “My last move was just ambitious, I kept my foot in around the outside but on the grass and went bouncing. So snatched third gear and kept going,” he added.

Adnitt was another 0.270 secs down in third, “just brilliant, I had a go at it and it was my first sprint race for 15 years,” he said.

Crispin held onto a solitary fourth, while Storey managed to hold off Savage for fifth after they swapped a lap from home.

Roads, Hollis, Wyer and Yates finished line astern to complete the top 10 after a last lap reshuffle, while race one winner O’Keeffe had to settle for 11^th after his recovery drive.

Full results: https://www.tsl-timing.com/file/?f=BARC/2021/2142212cv.pdf

CLASSIC 2CV RACING CHAMPIONSHIP – MALLORY PARK

Former 2CV Champion Pete Sparrow continued his unbeaten run so far this season, with another double victory at Mallory Park.

It was Nick Crispin that started the opening race from pole however, having out qualified Kris Tovey by only 0.008 secs, with Sparrow and Nick Roads completed the second row of a 17 car grid.

Sparrow wasn’t originally entered, “I had been working on our other car and just forgot. The fuelling was all wrong too, so I had to best guess it for the race,” he explained.

Sparrow shot clear on the opening lap still, and was already a second up on his rivals by the end of the first tour. “I was right behind Nick Crispin through Gerards from the start and got him as we exited onto the Stebbe Striaght,” he added.

Crispin was still second, from Tovey, Nick Roads, Martin Riman and Sandro Proietti all in close formation, but as Sparrow continued to pull clear, the battle behind became more and more intensified.

Tovey took Crispin for second on lap four, while Proietti and Roads swapped for fourth, with Riman and David O’Keeffe running line astern behind. “Pete was off at the front and I was in the group six, all drafting and trading places,” said Roads.

Over the next few laps the changes came thick and fast, with Tovey starting to lose out. On lap seven Riman was into second, before Crispin took both Riman and Roads a lap later, after they had gone into Gerards as one with O’Keeffe, only to run wide onto the grass as they all tried to avoid contact.

By the end of lap 12 it was still any one from six, with Sparrow almost home and dry.  “While they were all fighting I got away from them all,” he admitted.

O’Keeffe had climbed to second, but behind Crispin had lost four places, as Roads, Riman and Proietti had all got by.

The final winning margin for dominant Sparrow was 1.4 secs over Roads, “I just managed to get David through the Esses to clinch second place,” said Roads, with O’Keefe having to settle for third from lap 12.

Riman led home the chasing group from Proietti and Crispin, all covered by only 0.161 secs, while Tovey tailed off to take a solitary seventh. Julie Walford was eighth, with Michael Fox and Simon Turner completing the top 10.

It was Tovey and Crispin sharing the front row of the grid for race two, with Sparrow back in fifth. Crispin had the first lap advantage, with Tovey and Luca Proietti running nose tail, just ahead of Roads, Sparrow and O’Keeffe.

Tovey made his move on the second lap and pulled out a brief lead, as Crispin battled to hold off Sparrow and Proietti, after they had swapped and shaken off Roads and O’Keeffe. “It seems to be between me, Kris Tovey and Nick Crispin for second in most races now, but this season has been the cleanest,” said Proietti.

The sort outs continued as Proietti headed the battle for second, with Crispin slipping fourth behind Sparrow, while in fifth O’Keeffe had taken Roads too. “I was in another group of six for the first few laps, but then Luca and Kris Tovey got away and Pete Sparrow was clear again, and I didn’t make much progress after that,” Roads admitted,

Once Sparrow had breached Proietti’s defence, Tovey’s lead was soon under threat and on lap five both had got by with Tovey down to third, but all three still within 0.5 secs. “I had a few more cars around me in that one, so just had to take my time,” said Sparrow.

A lap earlier Crispin had dropped to fifth behind O’Keeffe, but claimed it back briefly, but not before Roads joined in too.

As Sparrow’s lead slowly grew, Proietti and Tovey had stayed close and on lap eight they swapped, which increased Sparrow’s lead to 0.753 secs.

Tovey had closed in on the lead again and left Proietti solo in third, but with a lap to go Tovey made a mistake, which not only trebled Sparrow’s lead, but left his second place under threat from Proietti again. “I had worked together with Kris but made a mistake at the Hairpin and dropped off the tow,” Proietti admitted.

Sparrow’s winning margin was 1.859 secs, but it was Proietti in second, with Tovey losing out on the last lap with a loosening undertray. “I think Kris made one too many moves at Gerards and fell back, so I reeled him in and got a run on the Stebbe Straight on the last lap for second place,” said Proietti.

O’Keeffe and Roads’ duel had also split to a solitary fourth and fifth, while it was another nine seconds before sixth placed Crispin took the flag.

Fox was next home, while Turner claimed a late eighth at Matthew Hollis’ expense, with Aubrey Brocklebank completing the top 10.

So it now the countdown to the annual 24hr race at Snetterton – August Bank Holiday Saturday and Sunday.

Former multiple 2CV Champion Pete Sparrow continued his winning streak, with a double win at Brands Hatch.

Sparrow had taken pole position by 0.905 secs from Nick Crispin, who was just 0.064 secs up on Sandro Proietti, who was out in Nick Roads car. But sharing the second row was Sandro’s son Luca, the first time they have raced against each other.

Kris Tovey and David O’Keeffe shared the third row, with Martin Riman and Mick Storey next up, before Chris Yates and Simon Turner rounded off the top 10 in the 21 car grid.

From lights out the top four made a break on the opening lap, with Sparrow joined by Crispin, Luca Proietti and Tovey. Even they started to spread a little over the next couple of laps, with Tovey taking Proietti Junior for third on lap three. But Sandro had been slow away and slipped to ninth by the end of the opening lap.

O’Keeffe had led the initial pursuit of the lead quartet, from Riman, Matthew Hollis, Storey and Proietti Senior, until he lost three places as Riman, Storey and Hollis all went by, with the latter duo exchanging too.

Sparrow’s lead continued to grow and grow, but second had developed into a great battle between Tovey, Crispin and Luca.

It had been three abreast for most of the lap, with Proietti just hanging back. But on the run up to Druids on lap five he seized his chance, taking both places in one move as Tovey slipped back to fourth behind Crispin.

While Sparrow eased his way home to a comfortable win, Tovey was back in second from lap seven as they exited Paddock Hill Bend and started to consolidate, only for Crispin to  close again, having edged ahead of Luca.

They had been three abreast yet again through into Graham Hill Bend on lap eight, but as Luca tried to regain third from Crispin, he ran wide through the gravel at Clearways and was out of contention.

With Luca out of the equation Crispin was clear to concentrate on his challenge on Tovey for second, and on lap 10 he made his move which finally stuck, before pulling out 0.485 secs on his rival.

Tovey was still a clear third, but had been gained on considerably by the recovering Luca in the final laps.

Despite a visit through the gravel at Clearways on lap seven, Sandro fought his way into fifth from lap eight, while in sixth Riman just managed to keep Storey at bay as he had for the entire race.

O’Keeffe had little to spare in eighth as Marc Grasby threatened, both closely followed by Hollis and Chris Yates as they took the flag to round off the top 10.

 

The second race had to be restarted after Max Wyer had rolled at Paddock Hill Bend, but initially Crispin had got the jump on Sparrow as the lights went out, with everyone else in second.

Sparrow was just as unbeatable from the restart but it was a great scrap for second. Crispin just led Tovey, Sandro and O’Keeffe, but Luca had run wide and onto the grass at Clearways once more and was playing catch up again.

At the end of the opening lap Crispin headed the chase from Tovey, Sandro Proietti and O’Keeffe, but on lap three Tovey got by again into Paddock as the four-car train headed up to Druids.

Sandro began his push for second, but was having to defend from O’Keeffe. He made it past Crispin but Tovey was still second.

The battle ahead had also allowed Luca to rejoin the scrap, after his earlier excursion and he picked off O’Keeffe into Paddock for fifth on lap seven.

Luca’s pace then made it four abreast into Druids, he went in fifth and came out second momentarily before Tovey and Crispin retook.

The duel for third had allowed Tovey some respite, but Luca was determined to retake Crispin, as they both closed on Tovey again.

Luca was third into Druids on lap 10, but it ended in tears when there was contact with Crispin into Graham Hill Bend, sending both wide onto the grass.

Sparrow’s solitary race was totally dominant, taking his second win of the day by over 12 seconds from Tovey.

As Luca’s front wing came adrift, he limped home in sixth, which had left Crispin clear to secure third and reduce Tovey advantage in second to only 0.357 secs.

Sandro had also closed in and was right with Crispin at the flag, while O’Keeffe lost the tow in closing laps but came home a solid fifth.

Storey and Grasby held station for most of the race in seventh and eighth, while Hollis claimed a late ninth from Yates, with three laps to go.

It’s a long gap to the next round now due to the cancellation of the Pembrey rounds. So look forward to August 1^st and Mallory Park.

Full results: TSL

Video of races: Race 1, Race 2

Former 2CV Racing Champion Pete Sparrow proved unbeatable at Cadwell Park, taking two dominant victories after starting from pole position.

There was an excellent 20 car grid for the season’s opening round and it was clear after qualifying, that Sparrow was going to be the man to beat again. Kris Tovey, Sandro Proietti and Lien Davies were the top four on the grid for race one, with Luca Proietti, Tovey and Nick Crispin following Sparrow in the second

From lights out in race one it was Sparrow in command, with Crispin, Sandro Proietti and Tovey contesting second.

Behind them David O’Keeffe lost three early places, with Martin Riman and Matthew Hollis moving up, demoting Lien Davies on the second lap.

“I had a few suspension issues, and we were bedding in a new engine, but I wasn’t getting that top end for straightline speed,” O’Keeffe explained.

Proietti successfully ousted Crispin a lap later, with Tovey poised to follow. But Crispin held on for another two laps before he was forced to surrender.

By the end of lap five Sparrow’s lead was 1.641 secs and as the duel for second intensified, they continued holding steady the gap to the lead too.

There were constant exchanges between Proietti and Tovey though, but it was Tovey who was ahead onto the last lap.”We had worked together for a few laps and then had our own agenda. I finally got him back at the Gooseneck, but it was really tight,” Proietti explained.

Crispin retained a safe but solitary fourth, “it started OK but then lost performance after I had run wide at Charlies. Sandro got me at the Mountain and Kris at the end of Park Straight, so I was on my own after that,” he said.

Riman and O’Keeffe shared a few exchanges too, which allowed Hollis to join them. “The top four had gone, so I settled down with O’Keeffe and then we caught Riman,” Hollis explained, with only 0.393 secs covering all three at the flag.

Davies had lost ground early on, but was out after three laps in a dramatic retirement. “I had a reasonable start but couldn’t hang on, then it started bottoming out. I wasn’t fast enough and they just drove passed me. Then into Coppice the rear end got away and swung into a pirouette on the grass, but as I came across Nick Roads arrived at full tilt and we were both out.” he explained.

Chris Yates, Simon Turner and Julie Walford completed the top 10, the latter one of a number with carburettor jet issues.

Luke Wos was 11^th and behind him Chris Hall just held off Nigel Hollis. Michael Fox and Andi Donaldson went the distance too, while Ronald Mears, Mick Storey and Richard Knight were all a lap down.

For the second race it was Luca in the Proietti car, Steve Panas in Team Gadget’s repaired car and Aubrey Brocklebank in for Riman.

It was Proietti that led through Coppice though, before Sparrow took charge again, with Tovey and Crispin the early top four.

The lead began to grow fairly rapidly, with second place becoming a duel again between Proietti and Tovey.

Crispin was clear in fourth, but couldn’t live with the top three, while behind him Hollis had dropped behind Storey and O’Keeffe.

Sparrow built his lead and just held the gap, as the second place duel continued, with Tovey getting ahead for the first time on lap six. From there it was a constant exchange over the remaining laps, as they edged back towards Sparrow too.

But Sparrow took win number two with ease. “A good weekend and another clean start. It was the carburettor settings that made all the difference and a really good set up which all paid off for us,” said the double victor.

As in race one, Tovey started the last lap in second place. “I was quicker in some places and Luca in others, so fairly well matched. I was better through the Gooseneck, but overall happy with that,” said Tovey.

But it was Proietti who got the verdict, leaving Tovey to settle for third again. “Out of Park and into Chris Curve I made my move, as I could see yellow flags at the Gooseneck and knew I had to get by before them. I went for the inside and just made it, brilliant,” he explained.

Although Crispin was a solid fourth again, he continued to struggle. “It wouldn’t go around the Gooseneck and I just couldn’t stay anywhere near those top three. Then I had to slow towards the end just to stay on the track, after being shown the naughty flag,” he said.

O’Keeffe, Storey and Hollis stayed in virtual formation for the whole race, taking the flag line astern for fifth. “The car felt better than in the first race, but Mick did well to hold on to me, and he even tried to get me at Park,” said O’Keeffe.

Roads also had a fairly solitary run in eighth, having eased clear of Yates early on. Marc Grasby had reeled in Panas for 10^th and then by the end of lap eight they had both caught Yates too.

A lap later Panas had crashed out and Grasby was through to clinch ninth, leaving Yates to complete the top 10.

Turner was 11^th, while in 12th Roy Eastwood just kept Hall at bay, with Nigel Hollis close too.

Donaldson went the distance again, with Mears and Knight a lap down and apart from Panas, Brocklebank and Fox were also retirements.

The next round of the Championship is at Brands hatch on June 5^th/6th

Full results: TSL