FF1600 web site

[swift]

Is that an RP26 Royale? If it is, that's exactly the same model as my first ff1600 when I first started competing in speed events in 1987/1988.

After a little research, I discovered my car was the same one that John Village used to win the 1979 European ff1600 championship. I kept it for 3 years then sold it to a guy in harrogate who also used it in speed events. I wonder where it is now?

[foreversideways]

Yes it is a Royale RP26. I used it in early 80s

[JustinDawkins]

Originally posted by Redracer77
Guys I am still away, just managed to find a cyber cafe with the slowest internet connection!!! Back on Sunday so should have an update on Monday morning.

Cheers CH

What is the latest Chris?

[Redracer77]

Not looking good for this week as we won a number of good web accounts over the last couple of weeks which has put us back a little. Just had a quick meeting and we should be able to get SOM up and running for this weeks race and maybe even NWFF for the test but I never like putting un finished work live.

[Ian Sowman]

As an interim measure I will continue to ensure race reports and news stories are posted on here. Once the site is up and running, everything will of course be transferred onto that.

[diz]

Ian,
The report you emailed last night was good. Why not post that in full?

[Ian Sowman]

I shall, and I will also post Matt Beer's (welcome to Ten Tenths, Matt - even if you haven't posted yet) Castle Combe preview. Bear with me.

[Ian Sowman]

Wills waltzes to round one win

Gavin Wills fired a warning shot to his rivals with a dominant victory in the opening round of the Daly Systems Star of the Midlands FF1600 Championship at Silverstone on Saturday (March 20). Significantly reigning champion Peter Daly failed to finish after a clash with Justin Dawkins in the first half of the race.

Wills lined up on pole position after recording a 1m 13.2s lap in qualifying, his Team West-Tec concern finally having found a set up that worked in wet conditions. Alex Ames – in his father’s SC93 while his own Swift receives the update – lined up alongside the Van Diemen RF00 on the front row on the first of what will be sporadic outings this season.

Daly (Reynard 89FF) was 1.4s off the pace in third, while Dawkins struggled to cure a misfire but bagged fourth in the first of the RF90s. North-West Pre-1987 champion Jamie Smyth lined up fifth in a similar car, while FF1600 newcomer Mark Armstrong was sixth. Qualifying further down than might have been expected were Andrew Ames (who doesn’t like the wet) and Stuart Kestenbaum (who does) in tenth and 11th places respectively.

Wills made a slightly sluggish start but nevertheless held the advantage over the older Ames brother into Becketts for the first time. The best start came from former champion Kestenbaum, who picked up four places on the first lap before getting past Smyth and Armstrong on the next.

It soon became clear that the battle of the race would be between Dawkins and Daly, with the 20-year-old from Worcestershire grabbing his chance at Brooklands on lap three. Daly fought back a lap-and-a-half later but Dawkins dived back ahead into Copse at the start of the sixth lap. Moments later, the pair made contact as Dawkins defended his position on the approach to Becketts. Both cars suffered light damage, with Daly choosing to return to the garage while Dawkins, who lost two places continued.

While Wills forged on towards his 13-second victory, Smyth had overtaken Kestenbaum for third. But when his clutch called enough on lap 12 Kestenbaum had to back off to avoid contact, falling further behind Dawkins who had already gone through for a podium spot. Fifth place went to Armstrong, while Benn Simms ended a strong debut for the unique (if ill-handling) Mygale SJ2002 in sixth position. Andrew Ames was seventh, ahead of John Miller (another to qualify badly but pass cars in the race), Daniel Fox and Phil Hart.

The second of the ten championship rounds takes place at Donington Park on Sunday (March 28).

[Ian Sowman]

COMBE SEASON PREVIEW: Battle recommences between Moore and Mills

The battle for the 2004 Melton Concrete Products Castle Combe Formula Ford 1600 Championship title commences next Saturday with Kevin Mills Racing looking to win this stunningly competitive series for the fifth consecutive season.

Mills’ drivers took home an unprecedented three regional FFord titles last season, adding the Southern Zetec and North-West FF1600 crowns to Chris Axford’s successes at Combe, where he became the first person to win both the season-long championship and the one-off Carnival shoot-out.

The driver entrusted with continuing this run of form is returnee Tim Reynolds, who was extremely rapid in an unfashionable Vector when he last raced with Mills in 2000. A few seasons’ break proved no problem for either Axford or his predecessor Simon Ashley, if Reynolds can replicate their step-up from regular frontrunner to championship contender on his own comeback then the Swift SC92 driver could continue the team’s enviable run of success.

To secure that crown, Reynolds will have to beat the overwhelming championship favourite Ed Moore and his new Van Diemen RF01. In the mid-1990s Moore and Mills battled ferociously at Combe before Ed left for a stab at Formula Palmer Audi and Kevin switched to team ownership. That rivalry has resumed in recent years, resulting in some thrilling races in 2003 as Moore put early season difficulties behind him to win the last four races of the Combe championship. Ed is a very quick driver armed with a very quick car, a daunting combination for the rest of the field.

Joining Moore in the new Class A for post-2000 cars are Jon Adlam in a Van Diemen RF04 and Wayne Poole in a Mygale SJ01. As the man who catalysed the movement towards the modern chassis when he bought an RF01 three years ago, Adlam’s return to the Combe series is a very welcome one, while Poole’s intriguing car choice makes the former pre-90 class champion a real dark horse for race wins.

Under the new classification, 1990s cars race in class B. Such machines remain more than capable of beating the class A runners to outright victories, and many of the potential championship contenders come from this division. The hugely talented but unlucky Alex Ames and his rapid younger brother Andrew may make occasional appearances in their Sema Racing Swift SC93s, while the rapid David Fricker, 2002 Brands Hatch Festival winner, is due to appear in a Van Diemen RF90. Fellow RF90 racer Andrew Harris is overdue a victory, having taken six podiums and challenged for the title in 2003. In a field with fabulous strength in depth, watch out also for Pat Blakeney Keith Sekree and Steven Jensen. Blakeney’s Vector MG95 is always fast and immaculately presented and both Sekree and Jensen finished last season in excellent form. The son of one-time Combe GT favourite Erling Jensen, Steven was last year’s pre-90 class runner-up in his first season of car racing and graduates with an ex-Ed Moore Swift SC92. Don’t rule out Richard Misters either, a pre-90 star in 2002 and now returning with a Swift SC93.

The pre-90 class frontrunners used to keep their battle to themselves in the midfield, until Matt Rivett, Andrew Jones and Gary Marsh all proved it was possible to fight for overall wins in 1980s machinery. Predicting this season’s champion in the Noveos sponsored class is almost impossible: Alan Slater, Nick Lay, Nick Jones and Ben Norton all have the ability to win what might be the closest of the divisions. Andrew Miles and Richard Watkins came close to class victories last year too. The real spanner in the works could come from the likely appearance of Stuart Kestenbaum and his Reynard FF89, although the locals will be keen to prove themselves just as quick as the highly regarded former Star of Mallory champion.

With 44 registered competitors already, last season’s regular 35-car grids should easily be replicated. Even with chicanes added, Combe remains an awesomely challenging circuit with plenty of overtaking opportunities, a great atmosphere and a devoted crowd. It is hard not to be awed by the sight of a capacity field of FF1600s launching over Avon Rise and into Quarry on the opening lap, all running inches apart and fighting frantically for every position. This may be club racing, but the skill and discipline shown by the top drivers could shame many professionals. With the average victory margin last year a scant 1.6s and over a dozen drivers capable of reaching the podium, nobody is going to be allowed to run away with this series. Most would agree that, as the sun sets over The Tavern on August Bank Holiday Monday, it could well be Ed Moore who is celebrating victory in the 2004 Melton Concrete Products Castle Combe Formula Ford 1600 Championship, but he is going to have to work extremely hard for it.

Matt Beer

[blue nose]

Ian would you do a piece on the NW now please.

[mattray]

Bloody hell! think I might go back to Combe after reading that! Matt Beer should be in Sales!

[Ian Sowman]

NW doesn't start for a month so I'll wait until there's a bit more visibility about what I would need to preview.

[Redracer77]

you coming to the Black dog day on Friday Ian?

[Redracer77]

At the moment the weather is looking dry on Friday but when ever have the weather people every got it right?

[JohnMiller]

Originally posted by blue nose
Ian would you do a piece on the NW now please.

Mr B Nose

Wouldn't it be better if you did it?

Probably page 7 until you mentioned anyone else and page 11 until you mentioned anyone not in an RF00/RF01/RF02/RF04!

(As you are a scouser I'm assuming you have a sense of humour).

[blue nose]

Thats why Ian should do it so he can give everyone else a mention as I am bored of my drivel.
There is no need to assume at all John so calm down LOL.

You have a good point there I should do a twenty page story on how good Van Diemen 00s are no I will spare you the pain.

[JustinDawkins]

Originally posted by blue nose
there I should do a twenty page story on how good Van Diemen 00s are

You will have to type pretty big

[sprocket]

Originally posted by JustinDawkins
You will have to type pretty big

BN I bet you can tell JD how 00s bounce off Reynards easily!

[jminsh]

Or quads & E'types !!!

[diz]

Jase, I wasn't supposed to tell anybody about that. As far as I can recall, you aren't one of the people I've let it slip to. There must be another mole out there somewhere.

[Ian Sowman]

Chris - Of course I won't be at testing. The week is for work (and being on TT).

[Redracer77]

You accountant types always want to skip out of the office. You charge big fees for doing nothing!!!!

Only joking but only on the doing nothing lark!!!

I will do a report on testing but will need to add a couple of seconds to Blue Noses times as he dreams them up in his sleep!!

[blue nose]

OOH *****y comments there RR see you on Friday

[Redracer77]

lol

Was only joking. Had a bad day at work so was spicing things up as i need some humour!!!!

Looking forward to checking the car out on friday. Not sure I have the energy to test .........

[blue nose]

Dont remember typing stars there ,If you need humor when are Bolton playing Chris?LOL