RACING REPORTS

CADWELLPARK:CSCCBYCARLMcKELLAR JUNE12-13

SMITH INHERITS FUTURE CLASSICS GLORY

 Sam Smith’s victory in Future Classics was among the star performances of the CSCC’s Cadwell Park meeting, but one had to feel for winner on the road Matt Ellis who had given just as much but was stripped of victory by a post-race penalty.

Ellis used the extra power of his Talbot Sunbeam Lotus to hunt down Smith’s Mazda MX-5 after emerging from the mandatory two-minute pitstop some 18 seconds down – he and his father Martin having to serve an additional 30s as penalty for a previous victory.

Heading to the Mountain with a lap to go he was through for a hard-earned win it seemed. However, a 30.9s penalty (for short-stopping by 0.9s) was applied and Smith, who had driven just as hard, inherited his first win in CSCC competition.

The outcome could have been different again had both front-row starters – Martin and Oliver Pratt’s Morgan Plus 8 andAston and Tony Blake’s TVR Tuscan – taken part (the former sprang a fuel leak when sitting on pole position, the latter was withdrawn after mechanical problems in qualifying).

An odd incident that briefly blocked the pitlane entry just as the pitstop window had opened did not prevent Ian Staines winning a hectic Swinging Sixties Group 1 encounter.

Chris Dawson’s Mini smote the barriers in a tangle with Tom Pead’s BMW but marshals were quick to remove the blockage. Staines’MG Midget emerged the clear winner after Chris Watkinson’s closely following Mini suffered stuck-on brakes.

The rapid Lotus Elans of Jamie Keevil and Jon Wolfe were untouchable in the Sixties Group 2 and Classic K races respectively, although Wolfe had a brief scare when an errant pheasant flashed across his windscreen.

There was also late drama for Russell Thomson as his Clio Cup was struck and damaged by a lapped car in the Tin Tops race, but he survived to head home the similar French machine of Tom Mensley. Both drivers reported they’d come close to passing out, such was the heat.

Double Swinging Sixties Gp1 champion Ian Everett won the opening Modsports race in a guest outing in Tim Cairns’MG Midget – surviving a wild clash with Neil Duke’sAnglia along the way. Craig Percy’s Moggy V8 took a first-ever win in the second race.

Ben Simonds was a clear winner of both Magnificent Sevens races after chief challengers David Watson and David