LYDDEN HILL, AUGUST 4TH 2002
By our special correspondent
With 140 points to Roberts' 94, and only four races left, Reuben cannot now be beaten to the 2002 title, not that he's ever looked like losing it since the first races at Cadwell Park in April
Qualifying
A depleted field of eight cars made the trek down the Lydden Hill in Kent, but those who went were rewarded by almost perfect weather as spectators at races at Brands Hatch only 20 miles north were soaked.
Unfortunately, only seven cars survived qualifying. Nigel Reuben and Andy Roberts, both of whom had been to the challenging little 1.3 mile track before, took the front row positions. Reuben lapped his high nose Jedi Formula Honda in 41.728s, and Roberts managed 42.296s despite gearing that did not allow him to hit sixth gear. Tom Tremayne was next up in his high nose car, managing a sound 42.568s best even though he had not seen the track previously and, like everyone else, had no opportunity to test there prior to qualifying. After the session a seizing cv was detected, and was changed in record time by the Jedi crew. Tremayne shared row two with Fulvio Mussi, whose season is now well under way after his false start through numerous engine problems. The featherweight 16 year-old lapped his ex Alex Buncombe 2001 championship-winning car in 43.527s. Bev Comber was next up in his black car, on 43.597s, and James Baker should have been alongside him. A spell of tuition with Touring Car racer Phil Bennett at Silverstone had done wonders for the Welsh Wizard's style, which had noticeably smoothed out. He lapped in 43.719s before switching off his engine towards the end of the brief 15-minute session when he felt something go awry. Sadly the damage was too severe to enable him to race.
The final row comprised Mark Pool in his Easylife Racing CBL Fasteners-backed car and Mark Hosken's Pristine Wheel Finishers-supported version. Mark One lapped in 43.999s, complaining later of fluctuating fuel pressure, Mark Two in 44.661s.
Race - 15 laps
Reuben made no mistake off the line and blasted into the lead from Roberts and Mussi, but Tremayne made a complete mess of it as he had backed off the throttle milliseconds before the lights went to green. He was also beaten away by Comber and had Hosken, who'd made a flying start, alongside him as they swept into Turn One. By the time they exited the corner, however, Tremayne had already repassed both Comber and Hosken to move up to fourth. Then, on the exit to the hairpin, Mussi slowed as he searched for gears. Tremayne ducked round him to grab third place, but as he lost momentum slightly he was hit in the rear by Comber. Tremayne continued with the undertray flapping on the right-hand side, while the unfortunate Comber retired with his nose wings badly bent.
Reuben ran out an easy winner, just under nine seconds ahead of Roberts, who was a comfortable four clear of Tremayne. Mussi was very pleased with fourth despite his momentary problem, a further six seconds back. Hosken's fifth place earned him the lead of the Scholarship Class for new drivers, and Poole's first race of the year netted him sixth despite the fuel pressure problem recurring.
Reuben's seventh victory was sufficient to clinch him the title, while Roberts consolidated his second place and Tremayne (who missed Oulton Park earlier in the year) vaulted ahead of the absent Adam Saward and Mark Fell to move into fifth place overall.
RACE RESULT
Pos Driver Gap Qual
1 Nigel Reuben 1
2 Andy Roberts 8.787s 2
3 Tom Tremayne 12.756s 3
4 Fulvio Mussi 18.893s 4
5 Mark Hosken 30.710s 8
6 Mark Poole 41.839s 7
DNS
James Baker, engine 6
RETIRED
Bev Comber, front wing damage 5
FASTEST LAP
Reuben, 41.680s on lap 3, 86.37mph
POINTS STANDINGS
After round 10 Lydden, August 4
POS DRIVER POINTS
1 Nigel Reuben 140
2 Andy Roberts 94
3 David Roper 80
4 David Scott 65
5 Tom Tremayne 60
6 Mark Fell 57
7 Adam Saward 56
8 Hamilton-Smith 44
9= Luke Kidsley 21
9= Mark Hosken 21
11 James Baker 15
12= Jodie Hemming 13
12= Fulvio Mussi 06
14 Scott Mansell 10
15= Philip Churchman 05
15= Mark Poole 05
17 Rob Hedley 03
18= Robin Pritchett 02
18= Skid Carrera 02
18= Bev Comber 02
21 Dean Kidsley 01
Formula Honda AstraTech Challenge Race
Since the AstraTech Single Seater race had an entry of only four cars, the BARC invited the Honda cars to join them in a non-championship Challenge Race, initially scheduled for 15 laps but subsequently shortened to 10 after the saloon car boys in several earlier races did their best to destroy half of Lydden.
Reuben again qualified on pole, but though six of Tremayne's 13 laps were quicker than Nigel's, it was Mussi who took the other front-row slot. Reuben's best was 42.356s, Mussi did a surprise 42.583s while following him, and Tremayne 42.617s. Comber was next up, using Baker's unneeded front wing bar and a new fin to lap in 43.382s. Poole was fifth on 43.847s, and was separated from Hosken by three Formula Ford 1600s. James Clements lapped his Class B Van Diemen RF99 in 44.056s to edge out Dave Connor's Class A Jamun M92 on 44.638s and David Cooper's Class A Swift SC95F on 45.020s. A problem with the left rear drive flange kept Hosken to 45.571s, sufficient to beat Richard Barber's Class A Formula Ford Jamun M89 on 46.013s. Andy Roberts saved his Jedi and didn't bother to practice, but was allowed to start from the back row.
Once again Reuben made a perfect start, but though Mussi matched him initially Tremayne's strategy to deprive him of second place by Turn One worked perfectly as the orange and blue car dived inside the red one and immediately outdragged it. Reuben wasn't going to be caught, but neither was Tremayne going to be challenged for second. As they sped away attention turned to Roberts' swift progress. He was eighth at the end of the opening lap, having passed Hosken, Cooper and Barber, then picked off Clements and Connor a lap later to close on Poole and Comber. He had overtaken both of them within a further lap, and then began to close on Mussi, who had not been able to take any advantage when Tremayne had a very dusty moment exiting the final corner on the fifth lap as he put two wheels in the dirt. Roberts caught Mussi on the final lap and very nearly grabbed third on the line as the teenager got perilously close to the dirt, but the red car just stayed ahead. Further back, Comber, Hosken and Poole had a grand scrap for fifth place until Comber eased away and Hosken beat Poole to the line by a second.
Clements in his Class B Van Diemen beat the Class A cars of Connor, Cooper and Barber.
RACE RESULT
Pos Driver Gap Qual
1 Nigel Reuben 1
2 Tom Tremayne 7.035s 3
3 Fulvio Mussi 11.170s 2
4 Andy Roberts 11.290s 11
5 Bev Comber 19.826s 4
6 Mark Hosken 21.797s 9
7 Mark Poole 22.701s 5
8 James Clements 32.054s 6
9 Dave Connor 36.307s 7
10 David Cooper 36.357s 8
11 Richard Barber 38.458s 10
FASTEST LAPs
Reuben, 41.757s on lap 3, 86.21mph Formula Honda
Clements, 44.258s on lap 9, 81.34mph, Formula Ford Class B
Connor, 44.594s on lap 8, 80.72mph, Formula Ford Class A