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Cadwell Park Race Report
Thu 18 Sep 2014
Sedzikowski and Coomer clinch Civic honours
The penultimate meeting of the main season for the 750 Motor Club took place at Cadwell Park. A packed 25 race programme saw some of the best racing that the tight and twisty circuit will see all season. One of the highlights came from the Tegiwa Civic Cup with two action-packed races. Luke Sedzikowski and Chris Coomer shared the victories.
Pole man Bernard Galea, who only needed four laps in qualifying, made a slow start in the opening race and dropped him drop well down the field with Andrew Gaugler leading the way. Both Robert Baker and Rich Hockley were quick out of the blocks. They passed Gaugler on lap four. Red flags flew moments later though as Hockley’s engine expired before bursting into flames over the mountain.
A 5 minute plus one lap restart took place without Baker as officials stopped the five-time race winner from taking part with damage to his front bumper. Gaugler led the restart but lost out at the Hall Bends on the second lap after being cautious on the slippery circuit. Both Sedzikowski and Daniel Webster passed him – the latter scoring his first podium as they stayed in those positions.
Tim Evans was missing from the front row of reverse grid race, so Andrew Hough took the early advantage. Both Coomer and Galea squeezed passed him on the second lap before Hough was involved in an incident with Webster. Coomer was left with a hard-charging quartet to defend from. Gaugler, Galea, Sedzikowski and Mark Higginson shared the attacks on Coomer, but the driver who had never stood on the podium held his own at the front. This earned him the 750MC Disklok Driver of the Day award voted by the commentary team headed by Ian Sowman.
Matthew Higginson (Spire GT3) led the penultimate round of the Disklok RGB championship before a scary moment at Charlies dropped him behind Scott Mittell (Mittell MC52B) who went on to be the first non-Spire winner in three years. Higginson beat John Cutmore (Spire though to retain his title. Higginson took the victory on Sunday to celebrate his second championship.
David Watson (MNR GM2) won the front engine class on Saturday as he looked to take the class championship. He only ran fourth in the early stages of the final encounter while James Walker (Phoenix) diced with Austen Greenway (MNR GM3) for the lead. Watson lost his chance of the title after a collision with Richard Wise (Phoenix) at Coppice on the third lap of a shortened restart. Walker went on to win his class in the race and championship.
Pip Hammond had to defend off Lee Scott (Ford Fiesta) in both Demon Tweeks Yokohama Classic Stock Hatch races. He used his knowledge of the Cadwell Park circuit to successfully do so and take both victories in only his second weekend aboard the Vauxhall Nova. Stuart Window (Citroen AX) finished third on Saturday despite a bent rear axle.
Andy Philpotts (Fiesta) continued to score good points with a fourth and third as he battles Scott for the title. Andrew Thorpe’s (AX) championship challenge came to an end with a major engine issue when a valve broke and melted into the piston. John Hill (Peugeot 205) ended Sunday’s encounter with a red flag when he rolled down the Gooseneck. Derek Rozier (205) also toppled over, he did so on the exit of Barn. Hard-triers Skywheels Racing had their best race of the year on Sunday, after a tough season, with Ryan Lowry in 8th and Gavin Johnson 15th.
On the back of the best racing of the season, the 5 Club Racing MX5 Cup performed two more excellent races. Ben Short made the best start in race one but missed a gear which dropped him back behind Will Blackwell-Chambers and Brian Chandler. Chandler used the slipstream heading into Coppice at the beginning of lap two tot take the lead. The cars passed the flag in that order just 1.3 seconds apart
Short made another magnificent start to jump the front row men in race two. He made a mistake through the Gooseneck on the fifth lap and fell back down into third. Blackwell-Chambers charged up on the inside of Chandler at Mansfield on the following lap which dropped Chandler down to third. One of the moves of the weekend came up next when Short drove around the outside Blackwell-Chambers at the foot of the Mountain. Short was able to hold on for the victory.
Martin Farmer (GAC) won the Tillotson Formula Vee championship with three races still to go after following Paul Smith (AHS Dominator) home. The pair diced in a titanic scrap on Sunday with Farmer diving up on the inside of Smith at Coppice on the final lap. He was able to hold Smith off for the remainder of the lap. After a spin on Saturday, Graham Gant (WEV) finished third and took the lead in the close battle for second in the championship. Peter Studer (Sheane EWS) won both times in class B.
Eclipse racers Paul Boyd and Clive Hudson were embroiled in another battle during the opening Protech Shocks Sports Specials race. Boyd made the most of Hudson’s big spin at the Mountain chicane on the final lap. It also allowed class C winner Nick Holden (Ariel Atom) to finish second. The same result occurred on Sunday but Boyd was much more dominant. Eddie Ives (Elite Pulse) started last on Sunday but climbed up to fifth after suffering car issues all weekend. Adrian Cooper (Procomp LA Gold) took another double in class B.
The Demon Tweeks Yokohoma Locost championship was so large that the group system was back in play. Tom Coller also returned to the series and took both victories. Danny Andrew and Mathew Brooks chased him in the opener before Lee Bankhurst and Ian Allee completed the podium in race two. The final encounter was the most entertaining. Andrew tactically made his move down the Park Straight on the final lap to beat Bankhurst. Brooks finished in third which was enough to crown him 2014 champion.
Jeff Humphries returned to winning ways in the first K-Tec Racing Clio 182 Series race which was initially red flagged when Stuart Place went off at Hall Bends. Matt Digby went off at Charlies and Matt Fincham had a broken throttle linkage. Therefore, Patrick Fletcher and Mark Hammersley finished on the podium. Humphries made a slow start in the second battle which helped Fletcher and Martin Ward to beat him.
The Deegans scored a victory apiece in the Demon Tweeks Yokohama Stock Hatch championship. Lee won on Saturday ahead of Toby Bearne and Carl Swiftl, who were closely embroiled in a battle. Shayne could only manage fifth with car issues but fought back with a dominant win on Sunday where he was over a second quicker than anyone else. Championship leader Tom Bell was absent after a nasty incident at work.
Tim Gray (Spire GT3) looked set to dominate the opening Spire SportsCars Bikesports championship race but a wire came loose and forced him into retirement. James Breakell (Radical PR6) also hit trouble due to a broken driveshaft. This left Richard Wise (Spire) to take his first victory after passing Mark Conroy (PR6). Gray stormed away from his competitors in the second encounter and led home a 1-2 for Spire with Wise following him home. Richard Stables (PR6) took third place in both races. Adrian Reynard (SR3) drove a steady weekend to claim the 2014 title.
Billy Albone (Batten 3) recorded both victories in the Premier Choice Group 750 Formula championship which meant he was crowned champion before heading to Donington Park. Bill Cowley (Cowley Mk4) stormed into the lead off of the start in both races but fell back to third with both Albone and Ed Pither (PRS 1B) passing him.
Barry Pike (JGS 111) won both of the 750 Trophy Series racesto complete his season before planning to move into 750 Formula next year. Andrew Kemp (Racekits Merlin) and Roger Rowe (RWR) acquired a second and third each. John Skeavington (Austin 7 Ulster) dominated both encounters in class A.
Words: Joshua Barrett