CNC HEADS SPORTS/SALOON CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – Oulton Park Rounds 1 & 2 Report
ALLAWAY AND ROBERTS POWER THEIR WAY TO DOUBLE VICTORIES.
Such was the size of the entry for the opening CNC Heads Sports Saloon races of the season at Oulton Park, they had to be split into two. All four races gave us double overall victors, with Simon Allaway’s Lotus Esprit V8 and Chris Roberts’ BMW M4 taking the spoils.
CLASSES A, B & G
Race 1
The start of the first race was delayed after Jon Price’s Vauxhall Tigra expired on the green flag and had to be recovered, so he joined Connor Modro’s new Westfield Aero sidelined with a seized wheel cylinder, Rob Wakelin’s Peugeot 205 and Paul Masters’ Westfield as non starters. Mark Primett had issues too, so his Banks Europa started at the back, as 18 cars came under starters orders at the second time of asking.
Roddie Paterson’s Caterham initially led off the start, “but I braked too early into Old Hall and both Ben and Simon went by,” he admitted. So Ben Roberts’ Locost had the lead from Allaway, with Paterson under attack from Deri Davies’ Darrian for third as they went up Clay Hill for the second time.
Allaway had powered ahead of Roberts too, but Paterson started to mount a recovery, shaking off Davies and closing on Roberts to challenge for second. Piers Grange’s Escort had been in fifth, but was gradually caught by Bod Buckby’s Caterham, as Allaway continued to build his lead.
Paterson was back into second though into Old Hall on lap five and had managed to close the gap on Allaway to 1.265 secs by the end of lap nine. “I was quicker through the tight bits but Simon had me on the faster corners,” Paterson added.
But with a lap to go any possible change of lead had gone as Paterson headed pitwards. “It started to misfire, so I pitted, out of fuel,” he admitted, leaving Allaway to take the flag over 20 secs clear of Roberts in a solitary second. “They gave me a hard time, it was tough. I had two good practice starts and then made a mess of the real one. But at the end my tyres were shot and so was I,” Allaway admitted.
Buckby had consolidated his place over Davies, coming home third, with Alek Modro taking a late fourth on his debut in the Westfield raced by brother Connor last year. Grange completed the top six, from Garry Wardle’s Audi A3 TCR, with Ryan Nelson’s Ginetta G56 GTA and Jamie Cryer’s Ginetta G20 next home, having swapped places a lap from home. Both drivers also received 10 secs penalties for start infringements.
Tim Foxlow’s Escort was a lap down as he completed the top 10, with Ash Hicklin’s Bentley and Richard Blockley’s Ginetta G56 GTA rounding off the finishers. Baz Johnson’s Pontiac pulled off after one lap and was joined in retirement by Thomas Frankland’s Renault 5GT Turbo. Wayne Spiller had parked his Seat Leon at Knickerbrook but was unfortunately struck by Jason Hennefer’s Fiesta. Primett also retired two laps from home.
Race 2
It was down to 17 starters as they lined up for race two, but this time Allaway had the early lead from Paterson, with Davies and Roberts disputing third.
But the Safety Car was soon in action after Primett slowed and was collected by Alek Modro. The Westfield had broken it’s steering so the first three laps were under caution.
From the green flag Allaway was under severe pressure from Paterson, while Davies and Roberts resumed their third placed duel, easing clear of Grange. Roberts was third on lap five, but was nursing contact damage after Davies braked heavily and caught him out. But a lap later he was forced to retire, “it was just too damaged to continue,” he said. Allaway had also lost his lead at Knickerbrook, “I think he must have missed a gear or something, as he locked up” said Paterson, as he took the lead and Davies was into second.
Buckby had been solo in sixth from the start having gapped Cryer, but having started from the pitlane, Connor Modro started to catch them both.
Allaway had soon recovered second place, but started the last lap two seconds off the lead. “I could see he was closing again but there was a terrible vibration on the gear lever, I thought it was the propshaft, so went for the pitlane and found that the clutch corner plate had disintegrated, but I didn’t know it was the last lap,” Paterson added.
So Allaway secured his second win of the day, with Davies a clear second. Grange completed the overall podium from Buckby with Cryer rounding off the top six after Modro pitted with brake problems. Nelson was next home, as Foxlow, Johnson and Frankland rounded off the top 10, with Blockley and Price the final finishers.
CLASSES C, D, E & F
Race 1
Poleman Chris Roberts didn’t make the best of starts in race one, but his BMW M4, only finished on the eve of the race, was back in command before the end of the opening lap. “I think I was snoozing a bit, it’s got launch control but it wasn’t as good off the line as the other cars,” he said.
Antony Sullivan’s JCW Mini had led into Old Hall, from Carl Bennett’s BMW M3 and Philip White’s 325. But by the end of the lap he was chasing back from fourth, with Paul Rotheroe’s Citroen Xsara chasing. Sullivan reclaimed third on lap two, but the lead quartet were clear, with Roberts’ lead already eight seconds by the end of lap three, as Rotheroe focused on building a class lead over Lee Bull’s Clio.
White tumbled down he leaderboard from fourth and eventually retired, which brought defending champion Steven Parker into sixth with his Fiesta ST.
But there was no stopping Roberts whose lead continued to increase over the rest of the race, to a final winning margin of 22.418 secs. Bennett’s hopes of keeping second were dashed though when he was forced to pit on lap seven, to have some lose bodywork trim removed, after he had contact with White at Shell on the opening lap. He rejoined in fourth behind Rotheroe, but managed to reclaim third after a couple of laps, but that left him still nearly 24 secs shy of retaking Sullivan. “The Mini had been in my mirrors for the whole race before I pitted, I couldn’t shake him off,” said Bennett.
Rotheroe comfortably had the legs of Bull to take the Class E spoils from fourth overall, both having held station throughout. Parker retained sixth too from lap four in a fairly solitary race. Riccy Walker’s JCW Mini was seventh on the road, but picked up a 10 secs start penalty, which dropped him once place behind Simon Graveley’s VW Golf GTi.
Matthew Jones’ Ford Focus and Richard Hibbert’s Honda Civic Type R completed the top 10, from Clive Dix, whose Mazda RX7 was a lap down. “I made up some places, but had to drive through a few issues losing power. Finished on a flat tyre too, as I thought it wasn’t handling well,” said Dix.
The BMW’s of John Madoc-Jones and Julian Wood were next home, from Louie Dobson’s Fiesta, while in 15th Helen Allen’s Fiesta comfortably led Class F all race. Nick Haynes’ Fiesta and Jonathan Lee’s Mini were next, Lee taking second in Class F, with Georgina Bartlett’s Clio, Errol Taylor’s Toyota Yaris and Bob Claxton’s VW Golf GTI the final finishers, after Sam Beckett’s Audi TT had retired from an early seventh place, four laps in.
Race 2
It was Bennett that got the best of the start in race two, with Roberts in second, as they soon turned it into personal duel. “I think Chris had been sand bagging earlier, so I decided it was time to get the horns out,” said Bennett on his return to racing after an eight-year absence.
Over the first five laps they shared numerous exchanges, before Roberts began to edge away. “He had the better start but I got him once into Knickerbrook and he retook me straight away, so I decided I needed some space,“ said Roberts after taking win number two by just under 11 seconds. “Then I had to put the number plates back on and drive it home, as it was too big for my trailer,” Roberts admitted. “I had to short shift towards the end as it was starting to overheat and I could see that Mini closing again,” Bennett added.
White and Beckett had both had spells in third, before Sullivan made it stick from lap four, closing in on Bennett at the end to just 0.584 secs. Rotheroe managed to get the better of White and Beckett too to take fourth overall again from lap four, a comfortable Class E winner too, after Bull retired after seven laps. White and Beckett completed the top six, from Parker and in eighth, Matt had taken over the Hibbert car to finish second in Class E too.
Walker and Jones rounded off the top 10, from Graveley and Wood. Madoc-Jones and Dobson both picked up track limit penalties, dropping them to 13th and 14th respectively, before William Bartlett’s Clio headed the Class F frontrunners. This time it was Lee taking victory, over four seconds clear of Allen.
Haynes, Claxton and Taylor completed the finishers.
Next stop for the Championship is the triple header at Anglesey on May 31st /June 1st weekend, with another huge entry almost guaranteed.
https://www.tsl-timing.com/file/?f=BARC/2025/251527nws.pdf
Published by Peter Scherer for BARC NW, April 14th 2025.