Sunday morning and the drizzle started just as most people got to the circuit or emerged from their tents and motorhomes. We had already learnt that Tony Eyles would be in the Lola as the Force was beyond immediate repair. Kevin Lealan had packed up and gone home to Bristol due to the broken driveshaft. On track the day was dominated by the Eyles Brothers but could Tony limit the damage to just the Force? Time alone would tell.
So on the now wet track with the drizzle still falling it was the same programme as Saturday with Mod Prods leading the way. Peter Hills again got the better of Tara Collinson in the Mini duel. Paul Perkin cruised home in his two-litre Peugeot. In the small engine Modified Kit Car class Nick Algar once more grabbed the win from Simon Rogers. In the over 1800 class John Sampson kept the Quantum ahead of the Westfields but only just as Mark Smith was just one hundredth adrift.
Dick Hulbert took the Sports Libre class from co-driver Carole Torkington. Ross Browne was a solo runner in the 1100 Racing Car class as Trevor Hartland was away home. In the Formula Ford class Keith Sollis had a huge spin on his first class run which left him back in third. Iain Houston led throughout as a recovering Sollis slipped ahead of Martin Pickles once again. So after years of having to play second fiddle to Keith Sollis Iain Houston had beaten him twice in two days! In the 1600 Racing Car class Roy Dawson again took the class in his Firehawk from Jim Yardley's Beagle. The two litre class saw the Sims depart early after a loss of compression on the third cylinder. Meanwhile up front it was Tony Wiltshire who revelled in the wet conditions taking the class by over two seconds from Andy Platt, Terry Holmes and Simon Ashby. In the over two litre class Rodney took his Lola to the win as Tony relearned the idiosyncrasies of the Judd V8 and was almost a second in arrears in this demonstration of power boat racing!
In the Classics it was Lyn Padfield who led the way whilst Mike Griffiths once again won the Stage Rally Car class. Clare Sullivan took her second class win of the weekend in the Mini. In the two litre class it was Dyrr Ardash who again grabbed the win this time from David Marshall whilst Gareth Griffiths was third. David West had a shared drive in Kevin Goater's Elise and came home fifth just ahead of the owner! In the over two litre class Andrew Meek took the win to add to the previous day's second whilst Neil Tranter in the EVO 8 was second ahead of Phil Oram in the Pulsar. Brian Carter took the small engined Kit Car class in his Fury whilst in the over 1700 class Ash Mason took his second win of the weekend.
TOP TWELVE RUN-OFF
With three shared cars in the run-off things were a bit more hectic. First we had the three 'second string' drivers. Graham Porrett set the ball rolling with a steady run a few tenths slower than his Q time. Guy Gibson was next and he was nearly two seconds off his best today. The third of the dual drivers was Tony Eyles and he threw down the gauntlet with a 48.26 run. Matt Oliver was next and he was another to be slower despite a very neat get-away. Phil Lynch was back in the run-off and the white Ralt snaked off the line; he managed to clip a few tenths off his best to date. Steve Miles had missed out on Saturday but was firmly in the running today. Super Mole was another to be initially slower; maybe they were all putting in a banker run just to be safe? Simon Ashby managed to shave a tenth off his Q time and looked pleased not to be slower. Terry Holmes then rattled the timekeeper's van with an electrifying start. When the clocks stopped he was marginally faster than his Q time, but only just. Andrew Platt then went faster by a couple of tenths but the Dallara sounded a bit fluffy as it rounded Honda. Roy Dawson was unsure if the Firehawk would make it to the line. He did but as the car snaked out of Hatchets the engine cut out and he cruised back to near the start. There was no spark of life in the engine and despite the best efforts of the team the Suzuki couldn't be coaxed back into life. The penultimate runner was Tony Wiltshire and the Devonian was quickly off the line and into Hatchets. The huge plume of spray as he blasted down Park Straight disappeared into Honda; it looked quick but he was eight tenths off his Q time! This just left Rodney to take his first run and with a hot Lola under him the ex-champion was off the line in a blast of steam! The Lola kicked up a massive plume of spray as Rodney hit puddle after puddle and when the clocks stopped he was three tenths adrift of Tony and in second!
Back to the start of the running order and Graham Porrett managed over a second's improvement as he moved up the finishing order. Guy Gibson then was pushed forward. The Dallara started but cut out. The team tried to get it to fire up but it was dead! The car, with Guy still disconsolately sat in it, was pulled back and Tony Eyles replaced him on the line. Tony knew Rodney had been quicker and needed a good time. As the light went green he built the revs and suddenly the car lurched forward and almost stopped as he bogged the start. He was soon off again but time was lost. As the ball of spray disappeared into Honda there was a sudden hiccup in the revs as he missed a gear but still when the time came through Tony had posted a 47.74 run and consolidated his lead. Matt Oliver, who had been so eager to start he had nearly run ahead of the dual drivers, was next to the line. Could he at last make an improvement? As he accelerated away the Ralt squirmed under the power. He was through Hatchets and sliding onto Park Straight before hammering down towards Honda in a heavy mist! Eventually the youngster managed to get a quick time posted and he would finish a creditable eighth. Phil Lynch, who had just been bounced down a place, came forward and he made a better start with less wheelspin and consequently a higher speed into Hatchets. Neatly through Hatchets the Ralt seemed to be engulfed in spray as he headed to Honda. The time when it came through was an improvement but it left him behind Matt Oliver in ninth. Steve Miles then cut over a second off his first run time and the intrepid Inspector Gadget slotted into seventh. Simon Ashby also improved and thus retained sixth. Terry Holmes also improved his time but couldn't improve on the fifth he already held. The it was Andy Platt. Team Megashed had been working on the Dallara throughout the second runs but couldn't get the darned thing to fire up - Mr Shed was out! With Roy Dawson unable to start it was Tony Wiltshire who was next. He already held third and was looking to challenge for second spot! This he did with a superb drive. With a display of deft car control Wilt hustled the Ralt round to slip ahead of Rodney and hold second spot behind Tony Eyles. So as Rodney came to the line the fastest qualifier was down in third. It was now or never for the ex-champion. The Lola blasted off the line and was into Hatchets where a slightly wider line meant more grip as he put the hammer down on Park Straight. The massive cloud of spray engulfed the car and driver as he flew into Honda and through Woodlands Kink and down to Brookland Hairpin. As the clocks stopped the 47.72 was just enough to ease him into top spot. The champion was back, Rodney Eyles had taken his first win of 2005 and made a giant leap up the overall championship standings.
All eyes would now be on Anglesey Racing Circuit where the next round of this fascinating series would be taking place on June 12th.
RESULTS:
1 Rodney Eyles (3.5 Lola-Judd T90/50) 47.72 sec; 2 Tony Eyles (3.5 Lola-Judd T90/50) 47.74 sec; 3 Tony Wiltshire (2.0 Ralt-Peugeot/Longman RT34) 48.16 sec; 4 Andrew Platt (2.0 Dallara-Vauxhall /Jones F397) 50.08 sec; 5 Terry Holmes (2.0 Reynard-Ford/Tegra SF84) 50.91 sec; 6 Simon Ashby (2.0 Reynard-Millington 883) 51.43 sec; 7 Steve Miles (2.0 Van Diemen-Zetec/Dunnell RF96SM) 52.22 sec; 8 Matt Oliver (2.0 Ralt-Vauxhall/SBD RT33) 52.86 sec; 9 Phil Lynch (2.0 Ralt-Alfa Romeo /Connaught RT30) 53.00 sec 10 Graham Porrett (2.0 Reynard-Ford/Tegra SF84) 53.51 Sec; 11 Guy Gibson (2.0 Dallara-Vauxhall/Jones F397) 54.53 sec; DNF - Roy Dawson (1.5 DJ Firehawk-Suzuki CT003)
Class Winners: Peter Hills (1.4 Austin Mini) 61.00 sec; Paul Perkin (1.9 Peugeot 205 GTi) 57.84 sec; Nick Algar (1.3s Westfield Supabusa) 54.86 sec; John Sampson (5.0 Quantum Xtreme) 55.43 sec; Dick Hulbert (1.7 Westfield-Vauxhall/SBD) 57.55 sec; Ross Browne (1.1 Force-Suzuki PC10) 55.10 sec; Iain Houston (1.6 Laser-Ford HD87) 57.97 sec; Dawson 50.10 sec; Wiltshire 48.18 sec; Rodney Eyles 48.04 sec; Lyn Padfield (1.6 Lotus 7) 63.95 sec; Mike Griffiths (2.0 Ford Escort) 59.31 sec; Clare Sullivan (1.4 Austin Mini) 65.81 sec; Dyrr Ardash (1.6 Peugeot 106 GTi) 60.45 sec; Andrew Meek (2.0t Subaru Impreza WRC) 57.12 sec; Brian Carter (1.6 Sylva Fury) 60.87 sec; Ash Mason (2.0 Westfield-Vauxhall SEiW) 56.45 sec.