What did you think of 2001 Festival?

[Geva racing]

Your stories please:

I had a great time that's for sure

[Stephen Green]

I too had a great time. It stayed relatively dry on Saturday but the heavens opened on Sunday making it a pretty miserable final. Considering it was the 30th Formula Ford Festival I was disappointed at the lack of Formula Fords actually racing. In past years there has been little else on the track over the two days. This year we had Radicals (one 90 minute race, huge yawn), Karts, RT 2000, Fiesta's and Sports 2000 on the program. The event is in grave danger of losing the atmosphere it has built up over the past 29 years in my opinion.

[Geva racing]

same here

[Stephen Green]

Does anyone know who the major sponsor was who pulled out of the Festival at the last minute? I was going to suggest it might be Duckhams as they normally sponsor it.

[MrTTraces]

overall the festival was good, but the FF final was a bit dissapointing(the last race of the season @ silverstone was better in my opinion).

The highlight for me was the RT2000 dunlop tin tops (sat), lots of real racing action.

[TVR]

the sponser was total fuels that pulled out at the last minute..#
the festivall was mega exept the final that was booorrring.

[kpm]

did anyone see the zipford display or look at them in the zip marquee and if so what did you think of them

[paulzinho]

I thought it was great, i was disappointed that Pat Long was disqualified because he was by far the fastest, hungriest and IMO most deserving. I would have thought that there would have been more cars in the heats. The inside of druids was great for the start of the first heat as Long came charging up on the inside, a man on a mission. RT2000s were good, plenty of offs all round. The start of the final wasnt too bad although it did die down after a couple of laps the wearther kept it interesting.

Congratulations to van der Merwe for a good drive in the final even if I didn't want him to win it.

[Rennen]

As predicted by those who know their chassis the Haywood Mygales were more than a match in the wet for Norfolks finest. Alan van der Merwe did a text book move on Goransson at Clearways and another on teammate Bremer to take the lead at G.Hill bend, a 100% committed move! Pat Long! what a chump taking out Dahlgren in the semi! he would have won it on agregate anyway! I thought the race had a worthy winner and was well worth the 15 quid entry.

[Ian-S]

Most of Sunday racing was good, but final was boring, shame it rained really, but worth the trip.

Biggest disapointment was getting home to watch it on Sky only to find they were not showing it, I thought they were being optomistic when I saw it scheduled for a 9pm start slot, even more so when I saw they were filming onto tape (no live feed to the truck) and then obviously going to edit it at the circuit and rush the tape up the motorway.

Anybody know how this guy is (no. 57 i think) - got quiet a whack at McLaren and was in a bit of pain afterwards.

[Stephen Green]

Can't help with the name of the driver I'm afraid. I hear Sky are to show the race next weekend so look in the listings for times etc.

I hear through the grapevine that Mr Long has also threatened to take someone else out in one of the races which might explain why they made the decision to exclude him from the meeting after his clash. If the Clerk of the Course is aware in advance of things like this, then he asks the marshals to keep a special 'eye' on certain drivers.

Stephen.

[Ed Hill]

If I recall it right this was in the first semi and caused a red flag situation. It was Dutchman Ho Pin Tung (in the back, not number 57, but the orange car behind it), who had a stunning performance all weekend. He was taken to the hospital for some pictures, because his arm hurt really well... He only had a lot of pain, but nothing broken though...

[paulzinho]

Didn't see the accident properly but the amount of safety vehicles made it look quite serious.

And I very much doubt that if you were going to take someone out you would be telling people about it in advance. Still I am a Pat Long fan so I don't suppose I can comment fairly on this!!!

[Ed Hill]

Well, actually at the drivers presentation on Saturday, he was interviewed by Brian Jones, Brands Hatch' commentator. Asked about the British championship clash with Dahlgren Pat gave a very good answer... Brian laughed and said: "And what do you REALLY think about it?"... "The ******* is going off", Pat said (laughing)... he said it as a joke, but well, next day proved that it wasn't just a joke

[Spiddy-Spid]

I enjoyed the festival, although the final was fairly dull without a decent Long/Dahlgren battle, even the commentator was quiet during the final.

In my view it was right to disqualify Long from the final, (although I'm all up for revenge, in a big way!!) In the driver forum on Saturday evening, Long was asked about Dahlgren, and he replied "The b*st*rd's going off" a fairly definite threat by the sounds of it. (He also had some interesting comments when the name of another young American who did well at last year's festival came up )

In the semi where the accident occured, the race was stopped a couple of times, and was being run as an aggregate. Long was leading on aggregate, but following Dahlgren on the road, with Bremmer close behind. On the run downhill from druids, the three were nose-to-tail, when Long hit Dahlgren from behind, firing Dahlgren into the barriers. Long defended himself after, saying that Dahlgren knew he'd have to pull a big lead to win on aggregate, so instead he chose to make it difficult for Long to pass, and allow Bremmer to catch and distract Long.

So Long took his choice and got his revenge for Silverstone. Although I doubt it will win him any fans in future team managers...

[Stephen Green]

Thats what you get for employing 'dodgy' tactics!

[paulzinho]

I'm still a fan, don't suppose that counts for much though.

[Stephen Green]

The commentary was poor because Brands Hatch had problems with their public address system caused by the heavy rain that fell duing the morning.

As I said earlier, when you make comments like Long did, he makes himself the subject of scrutiny by the officials. No doubt his 'off the cuff' remarks led to him being excluded.

Sad innit...

[overstuur]

Can anyone who was there comment on the changes to the '02 spec Mygale and Van Diemen ?

Cheers

[Rennen]

Well at least Long's antics kept us amused it seems! I saw Longs Dad John at Paddock bend just after the race and told him he wont get away with that in a semi! and that he didn't even need too do it! Silly boy! But it shouldn't distract from a guttsy determined and precision drive from 'Swerver' as Van der Merwe is affectionatly know at Haywood Racing. One Injured driver in the first semi, as the 'Safety'? car was deployed! was Tom Gaymore in the ex Ant Davidson last year winning chassis.

[Stephen Green]

Yes I saw that. Everyone bunched up and then there was nowhere to go...bang, crash, wallop! I hope the driver is ok as I didn't hear anything at the marshals raffle about him not being well.

[Rennen]

No bones broken! Seems another came came over the top of him and the front wishbones penetrated the footwell striking his foot!

[Lisa Davidson]

The festival as ever (well for about the last 5 years) was rubbish.

the best race by far was the FF1600 race.

The problem is money, it was only ever going to be a driver from one of two teams who would win and yet again that proved to be the case. No one else stood a chance no matter how well they drove. The best and most exciting driver all weekend was Ho-Pin Tung (I'm talking only about Zetec's here) and once he was out it was boring as hell.

I want to see a festival for 1600 cars again like we used to have. Then you really would see the best driver win. Then you wouldn't need the latest engine, works backing, new tyres every time you hit the track etc. just to be even in the final!

I can't fault Alan Van Der Merwe though, he drove a great race and once he took the lead made no mistakes. But, has he really done well enough this year to deserve an F3 drive in the top team!!!?? Just goes to show doesn't it that they'll take anyone with the money.

[Paul Rayner]

Originally posted by Ed Hill
If I recall it right this was in the first semi and caused a red flag situation. It was Dutchman Ho Pin Tung (in the back, not number 57, but the orange car behind it)

Car No. 57 was Ho Pinn Tung. His car looked like the FFord equivalent of John B & Q's car. The other, blue and white car, No. 11 was Steven Kane, driving the unluckiest Formula Ford car of the year, the one previously owned by Charles Hollings.

This year was my first ever Formula Ford Festival and I was a bit disappointed. I could feel the tension mounting into what was supposed to be one last final with 28 drivers desparate to get a result, but in the end it was all really spread out, I've seen several better races in the Slick 50 championship this year.

[Stephen Green]

Lisa I agree with you about the Kent engined 1600's. In those days you had race after race after race, no Fiesta, no RT2000's, no karts, no radicals, just F Fords and the racing was superb. I think the problem these days is that the series has become so professional that your Mr Average doesn't stand a chance, sad isn't it?

Paul, you are right about the final but much of that has to be attributed to the dire conditions under which they were racing. In past years when it's been wet we have had the same sort of spread out races. In dry conditions F Ford's come into their own.