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News: Victor Meldrew Challenge Trophy 2009 Race Report
The Victor Meldrew Challenge is a fun end of year race event where anyone has a chance of a good result. This years races which took part in very wet conditions on the 14th November including a eclectic mix of tin top saloons from yesteryear including BMW M3s, Sierra Cosworths and VW Golfs.
The races are run to a handicap format, with some cars given credit laps, this leads to some very exciting races, with the lead positions normally changing on the run to the line.
Race 1
Mark Gazzard (BMW E30 320) led the majority of the race. As the race went on Charles Godfrey (VW Golf GTi) was running 2nd and was closing in on Gazzard. Richard Thomas (BMW E30 318) was in 3rd place having passed a number of similar BMWs and also the Jaguar XJS of Roger Webster.
Around the mid point of the race Gazzard, Godfrey and Thomas arrived at paddock hill bend together, Godfrey emerged ahead and was now leading the race. Thomas also passed Gazzard and on the next lap, got a better run through paddock and superbly outbraked Godfrey into the Druids hairpin to take the lead of the race.
On the last lap the faster cars are carving through the pack, Guy Higgs (BMW E36 M3) crossed the line in 3rd place and less than two seconds behind the winner, having started the last lap outside the top 10! Rob Sadler (BMW E30 325i) also moved up to 4th place on the last lap.
1st – Richard Thomas – BMW E30 318
2nd – Charles Godfrey – VW Golf GTi
3rd – Guy Higgs – BMW E36 M3
Race 2
The weather conditions for this race were very difficult, extremely wet and windy, meaning visibility was impaired even more than usual. Mark Gazzard lead the early laps again. Richard Thomas spun at paddock, luckily no-one collected him, but this brought out the safety car as he was stuck in the gravel close to the tracks edge.
Photo: www.snappyracers.com
The safety car however failed to pick up the leader, cars were waved through until the orange fronted car of Mark Gazzard was behind the safety car, except it wasn’t Gazzard it was Kristian Dean’s similarly coloured car, I don’t believe it! Further safety car laps ensued until the leader was behind the safety car. When racing resumed Gazzard did well to keep a good pace, the Sierra Cosworth of Colin Tester being unable to pass as quickly as usual, the torrential conditions meant that the advantage of the powerful cars was negated. In the incredibly tricky conditions a small mistake led to Gazzard spinning off and out of the lead at paddock.
Micky Daly (BMW E30) also spun at paddock but was able to continue. Kevin Denwood in a newly built car (BMW E30 320) now leads from Paul Cowland (VW Golf GTi). Cowland is one of the fastest cars on track, visibily quicker than a lot of the other competitors. Cowland caught Denwood by around 2 seconds a lap and was able to pass on the last lap to take the win! Superb driving by all in very tricky conditions.
1st – Paul Cowland – VW Golf GTI
2nd – Kevin Denwood – BMW E30 320
3rd - Charles Godfrey – VW Golf GTi
Race 3
The final of the three races was again held in wet conditions. Richard Ibrahim (Alfa Romeo 33) leads for a lot of the race. The safety car is called for again after an incident at paddock between Ian Russell (BMW E30 320) and Matthew Weller (VW Golf GTi) leaves the Golf stranded in the gravel in a dangerous position. After the safety car goes in Ibrahim does well to keep a good pace whilst the faster cars pass, pulling out a gap from those in 2nd (Kenny Coleman, Seat Ibiza) and 3rd positions.
Photo: www.snappyracers.com
Steve Cassar (Proton Coupe) caught and passed Coleman and Ibrahim, with a robust move at druids which saw the Alfa recovering from a half spin. Kristian Dean (BMW E30 320) spun at paddock but was able to continue with the help of fantastic marshals who pushed him clear of the gravel. Paul Cowland again had a good race, with great pace in the wet, passing a number of cars late on in the race to finish 2nd. After starring at the start of race Ibrahim was extremely unlucky to finish the race with a roll in the paddock hill gravel trap after sliding wide.
1st – Steve Cassar – Proton Coupe
2nd – Paul Cowland – VW Golf GTI
3rd – Eliot Dunmore – VW Golf GTI
To work out the outright Victor Meldrew Trophy Challenge winner there also exists another layer of handicapping wherein the drivers age and weight, length of marriage, sight correction, groin pain, audible creaking, moaning and dribbling are entered into a complex algorithm to find the truly deserving Victor victor.
The 2009 Victor victor is Brian Jordan in a M635csi,
closely followed by Richard Ibrahim.
Well done to all, heres to next year!
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