Forgot your password?
New user?
09-06-2009 ROUND 3 CAMS NSW 2009 FORMULA VEE STATE CHAMPIONSH
Document Actions
If it wasn't fully believed before the third round of the 2009 CAMS NSW Formula Vee State Championship, then it should be by now - Formula Vee drivers in NSW are reaching the greatest heights of driver skill and attitude in years.
This may not seem apparent following the last lap incident during the last race of the weekend, but this incident has been all-but-confirmed as mechanical failure, and so our driving standards record continues to improve.
Some "minor" incidents did take place during the weekend, but considering the demanding slippery and damp circuit - the third race meeting in a row - a few slides and offs should be forgiven.
Congratulations to Daniel Reynolds, Bruce Pearce, and their pit crew for their domination of Round 3 of the 1600 and 1200 State Championships respectively, with their clean sweeps of the three races each.
Congratulations to some great performances over the weekend, a few being:
- Tim Brook's consolidation in the top ten
- Michael Cluderay's great run through the field over the weekend
- Michael Stipo's improved speed
- Ben Porter's hard charge, three times!
- Sue Cannon's consolidation as a top three 1200 driver.
Most importantly, congratulations to all drivers for their continuing efforts to raise driving standards, with the number of driver-related incidents possibly at an all time low.
QUALIFYING
A great field of 32 cars may have arrived for Friday practice, but unfortuantely two cars were lost before the pre-grid gate was opened for qualifying on Saturday morning.
Michael Cluderay also experienced a frightening on-board fire on Friday following a fuel hose failure, but this did not stop Michael, with the assistance of his chief engineer, Nathan Sansom, rewiring his Jabiru and getting it on the grid.
Unfortunately, by the end of qualifying, Michael's spluttering Jabiru was the slowest car on the track, but better things were to come for Michael in the next two days.
Daniel Reynolds topped the huge quality pack of Vee drivers on the time sheet in his VW Performance Centre-engined Sabre, in a near lap record 1.19.1. but only by a marginal slice of time ahead of the self-engineered Jacer of Michael Kinsella.
By Vee standards, the huge margin of around 1 second then separated Kinsella from the factory supported Jacer of reigning 1600 Champion Adam Proctor, who was followed by Butcher (Stinger), Queensland's Tim Hamilton, (Jacer), lead Mako driver John Mcdonald, Stinger star Aaren Russell, karting hero Ryan Stott (Jacer), then the exciting Tim Brook who is now consolidating is top ten status, then Dean Cavanagh in an outstanding but long-awaited arrival in the top ten in his 2008 championship winning Jacer in tenth place.
The quality of the entire field of Vees can't be more proven when Dylan Thomas is kept out of the top ten in his Stinger, with Anthony Cavanagh (Jacer), Jayson Williamson (Mako), Ian Chivas (Jacer), Darren Williams (Jacer), Mark Williams (Jacer), and Geoff Chappell (Stinger), all only fractions of a second behind eachother. Indeed, two seconds separated the third placed Proctor from seventeenth placed Chappell.
Then followed a group of the most solid and reliable drivers in Vees - McGarvie, Hook, Porter, Pace, and Fama, with rookie Kent Shepherd back on the circuit with us in his self-designed and built Stealth following a recent engine rebuild. Kevin Humphrey followed Kent in his also-self-built Kevant.
But the biggest surprise - and disappointment - was seeing current National Title holder, Ben Porter in the amazing Checkmate Vee (debuting in a State-level race), on the back row of the grid after a first-lap "off" in the wet resulted in a buckled rear suspension pushrod.
Last of the 1600's was Cluderay in his spluttering, but patient, Jabiru.
The 1200 contingent was led by the Pearce-driven Lepton, but this time with Michael Stipo finally fulfilling his potential in seconde place in his ex-Kleinig Mako, with Sue Cannon (Spectre) and Bernie Cannon (Kingfisher) following up close behind.
RACE 1
The highlights of Race 1 were the hard charges by Michael Cluderay (Jabiru)and Ben Porter (Checkmate) to seventeenth and tenth respectively from the last row starting positions, with Cluderay this time being "on fire" figurately and not literally!
The field of Vees completed their 6 laps without a single Did Not Finish, Daniel Reynolds leading the 1600's and Bruce Pearce leading the 1200's over the finishing line, with all cars either keeping their starting positon as their finishing position, or moving up or down by only a place or two.
RACE 2
In an almost-re-run of Race 1, the highlights of Race 2 were again the hard charges by Michael Cluderay and Ben Porter, with Michael passing five Vees and this time Ben having to repeat his drive through the field for last place following a first corner push into the mud. Another highlight being Darren Williams top ten place now becoming an expectation!
The field of Vees completed their 8 laps without only one DNF, this time the Ryan Stott not completing his first lap following a slide into the off-track
Daniel Reynolds again led the 1600's and Bruce Pearce led the 1200's over the finishing line on their way to a clean-sweep, and with all cars again finishing close to their starting positions.
RACE 3
As rain fell onto the field of Vees as they lined up on the race grid, this race would be anything but a replay of the first two races.
Daniel Reynolds may have withstood the usual challenge from Michael Kinsella in the early laps, slowly edging away after a few laps to take a clear lead.
However, Reynolds could not quite keep a clear lead all the way to the line this time, when around mid race, and for the first time during the weekend, Reynolds found himself being chased down as Kinsella found that extra inspiration to drive his Jacer that bit faster than Reynolds in his Sabre.
As Reynolds and Kinsella crossed the line with one lap left to go, Kinsella steered his Jacer to the inside of the track for the flat-out kink. Reynolds was forced wide, but Kinsella steered his Jacer straight and around the tight Turn two in first place.
Seemingly the assured winner, Kinsella led under the bridge, and then over the bridge, but was it Kinsella's pressure on Kinsella, or was it Reynolds' pressure on Kinsella, when Kinsella ran wide off the bridge, allowing Reynolds through and to clear off to take the win.
Two great drivers and one great race.
Aaren Russell by now had also cleared himself of the congested pack of Vees behind his third finishing place.
In the 1200's Bruce Pearce withstood a close challenge from fast-closing Michael Stipo as the race continued.
After a few laps, Ben Porter had accepted the risks of racing on the greasy circuit and had settled for fourth place after another hard, but this time careful, charge through the grid from seventh place.
Tim Hamilton may have started the final race in fifth place, but fell back behind fourth place Butcher, then Proctor, and then Michael Cluderay (whose great start catapulted him into the top five) after a few laps.
Meanwhile, two Team Cavanagh Jacers lay deep in the mud-traps before and after the Dunlop Bridge, Anthony Cavanagh and Mark Williams watching the race from their cockpits with dry racing boots through their mirrors!
As the final laps approached on the drying circuit, Hamilton hunted Proctor and Cluderay down and past to close up on the rear of Butcher's Stinger, which he passed in an "over and under" through the kart track section. With the final BP Corner in view, Hamilton had a car-length lead over Butcher into and out of BP as the final few metres of straight track approached.
Then in an instant, Butcher collided with Hamilton on the straight, with Tim's Jacer unfortunately being pushed into the concrete wall, and Butcher rotating around and over, these second and third place holders in the championship pointscores not finishing the race.
Also not finishing the race was Simon Pace (Mako - ignition), Humphrey (Kevant - dead battery), Anthony Cavanagh and Mark Williams (Jacers - mud-trap parking), and Ian Chivas (Jacer - self-imposed DNF).
Highlights:
- Dylan Thomas top ten after his teams' hard work
- Michael Cluderay's fifth place
- Tim Brooks' charge to seventh place.
- Darren Williams' and Jayson Willimasons' top ten
- Aaren Russell's recovery from engine problems at Wakefield Park.
- Kent Shepherds' clean run through the weekend
- Michael Stipo's close challenge to Bruce Pearce.