Regional FF1600

alfaman · 24 Mar 2003, 17:28 (Ref:546588)

At the end of last year FF1600 was on everyone's lips. A cracking King of Kents race at the Festival and then talk of a national championship with overflowing grids.

It seemed that FF1600 was really back in vogue.

Just as I was looking forward to seeing my first FF1600 race of 2003 I check the entry for this weekend's race at Brands Hatch and see just 6 cars entered!

So where has all the enthusiasm gone?

Is it the drivers voting with their feet against entry fees?

Have they switched to Zetecs?

Or is it too early in the season syndrome?

Just as one sparrow doesn't make a summer I'm not writing off FF1600 because of a (potentially)thin grid at one race meeting. But does anyone have any clues to why so few are set to turn out at Brands?

Are they all saving £30 by racing at Castle Combe the previous day? (What's the Combe entry like by the way?)

Or is the tide turning amongst drivers who may see the Southern Zetec championship as a better deal with a bigger variety of tracks to race on rather than a few rounds on the Brands Indy circuit, a couple at Lydden and a quick blast on the Brands GP track?

And I've seen some Zetec bargains in the back pages of Autosport lately.

The Zetecs had 20+ at Donington the other week and it's a shame they won't be at Brands on Sunday.

Let's hope more FF1600s will venture out over the next few rounds otherwise those action-packed races in the JPS sponsored days will seem long gone.

Andrew Jones · 24 Mar 2003, 19:18 (Ref:546705)

The entry at Combe is as usual over flowing a list of 35 entries came in the final instructions Im not sure what the max entry allowed is but I think its something like 36 or 38 so you can be sure on the day it will be a full grid and reserves waiting to take the place of anybody that falls by the wayside.

Ian Sowman · 24 Mar 2003, 20:43 (Ref:546809)

Not sure what the Star of the Modlands entry is like. I think there were 20 out at Donington the other week, and that usually gets a bigger entry than Mallory so that might not bode too well for this Sunday. Maybe some people are doing the one-off races and a few more without committing to a championship.

Keefyboy · 27 Mar 2003, 17:15 (Ref:550180)

Star Of Midlands was busy at Donington, I think there were 25 cars?

Us Southern boys did have a few entries from the Northen series, one RF03 car and a lad from abroad racing with us, but overall the Southern Zetec Championship is looking like another good season. We're still missing a couple of drivers that couldn't make Donny, though.

Kents have apparently got six entries for Brands this weekend. But it really doesn't help not running the series alongside it's bigger brother (ie: Zetecs).

Alfaman,

"Let's hope more FF1600s will venture out over the next few rounds otherwise those action-packed races in the JPS sponsored days will seem long gone."

The Southern round at Donington was pretty action packed and some drivers have only been once before. It was my first time at the circuit. It'll be even better at the local round at Brands in April, which we all know...

Keith

alfaman · 31 Mar 2003, 14:29 (Ref:553809)

At Brands on Sunday the entry "grew" to 8 for the FF1600s....

But in the end it was a cracking race with many leader changes, drivers swapping fastest laps and only spoilt when 2 collided at Graham Hill bend towards the end.

That old saying that you only need 2 cars for a race was virtually true but it would have been nice to see a few more!

**Stephen Green** · 31 Mar 2003, 14:49 (Ref:553825)

I agree, the race was one of the best of the day despite their being so few cars. I was at Paddock Hill Bend and had a 'birde eye view' and the guys certainly gave us a race to remember. It's a crying shame there weren't another 8 cars to make it even better!

Were you racing Alfaman?

racingdick · 31 Mar 2003, 14:51 (Ref:553827)

what fords were racing in donington at the weekend. Although there was only a small pack out. including i saw the cranfield university team

alfaman · 1 Apr 2003, 14:14 (Ref:554930)

Quote:

Originally posted by Stephen Green

Were you racing Alfaman?

No Stephen I was there purely as a spectator enjoying the Alfas and the rest. (Any racing will have to wait a couple of years!)

But I was intrigued to see someone racing a brand new turbo-diesel Alfa 156 Sportswagon (estate)!

**Stephen Green** · 1 Apr 2003, 14:55 (Ref:554962)

Yes, he took part in about three races I think? I was marshalling at Paddock Hill bend, right by the new tarmac area.

Sato san · 2 Apr 2003, 16:10 (Ref:556130)

Reallyu wanted to be at Brands for that one , gutted i couldnt make it ...

Stephen , how did the new tarmac run off go on its first car race event ...did it all sem ok .

**Stephen Green** · 3 Apr 2003, 06:58 (Ref:556846)

Only had one incident all day and that was in the first practice session. Guy locked up under braking, slid onto the new tarmac, collected his underpants and continued. Had it been gravel there would have been a red flag and wreckers to remove his car, so in this instance it did as it says on the tin!

Sato san · 3 Apr 2003, 14:26 (Ref:557316)

thats a good point that i ahdnt thought of....ive kept thinking about this from a SAFETY point of view...now its tarmac on the first part of Paddock , it should help keep the races flowing a bit.

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