Newsflash 11/4/2018
Dear Members,
I obviously missed an exciting weekend at Wakefield Park…….I asked Bill Hemming for a Report for you, and I certainly got one! Needless to say, it makes for extra exciting reading! It’s attached!
Great to see the good number of Juniors out for the first event of this year, and when they all return from Europe after the Jubilee Series, I hope we get back to seeing full grids for Formula Junior only races again. This first event proves the fun that can be had.
I hope to see you at one of the meetings very soon – I have been busy volunteering at the Comm Games since January.
All the very best,
Margaret Ealand
WAKEFIELD PARK 7/8 April 2018
AFJA OLDTIMERS GET A WAKE-UP AT WAKEFIELD.
Young upstart Danny Ciarma threw down the gauntlet at the HSRCA Autumn Festival which attracted 13 starters for stand-alone FJ grids in our first FJ round for 2018.
In only his second FJ start, and his first at Wakefield Park, and a new gearbox in the ex Ian Bailey Lynx, Danny qualified 4th with a 1.11.1 sec lap, less than 1.5 seconds from our 2017 champ Noel Bryen in his super quick Renmax. The other outstanding drive was by President Kim Jong Shearn who obviously benefitted from his performance enhancing bits (Kim’s, not the Lotus’s) who posted a 1.09.7 for second place ahead of Don Thallon’s MRC.
It was then daylight back to 5th for Jeff Brown (F3 Brabham), Paul Faulkner (Lotus 18), Robert Buckley (Golford), Bill Hemming (Elfin), Dick Willis (Ausper), Norm Falkiner (Stanguellini) and Geoff Fry (Jolus). Allan Conway (F3 Brabham) stalled in the dummy grid so couldn’t post a run.
Race 1 (pre lunch on Saturday) saw Noel, Don and Danny within .4 sec throught the race and come in 1,2,3 less than half a second apart at the finish line. Great stuff!
Kim got stuck into his gear box which in turn, got stuck into 1st so he DNF’d. Other non finishers were Robert and Dick, leaving Jeff with a 4th, followed by Bill, Paul (they had a race-long dice), Norm, Geoff and Allan.
Race 2 on Saturday afternoon was the race of the meeting. Except for Noel who pulled off pole position in the dummy grid because he had a major water leak. Subsequently discovered someone didn’t put the radiator cap on properly. Noel promptly blamed Robyn – who we all know can do no wrong – so there was probably no sex happening in the Bryen quarters that night. Bill pulled off (also not in a sexual sense) on lap one with a 2 cylinder engine, as did Dick (not even any sexual connotations in his name) and Paul retired half way through the 13 lap race.
But the good news was that the retirees were treated to one fantastic spectacle!
Kim obviously had the shits starting last on the grid and drove like a man possessed to 3rd by lap 3. He also posted the fasted lap for the race.
The real excitement was up the front where Don led Danny for the first half and managed to keep him back despite Danny’s brake lock-ups and dives. Danny finally got through at the hairpin, only for Don to beautifully regain the lead with a fast undercut on turn 1. Danny maintained the pressure to recapture the lead and maintained it to the flag. Brilliant!
The only person happier than Danny was Ian Bailey who felt like a proud father.
Missing all the action was Jeff in a lonely 4th, followed by Robert, Norm, Geoff and Allan.
Bill’s Elfin, Geoff’s Jolus and Dick’s Ausper were put down with terminal engine issues, so only 9 cars fronted for Sunday mornings race 3.
Don got the jump on the start to lead Danny in what looked like a grudge match. After a few laps of super close racing, Danny took an ambitious dive on turn 2 and overcooked the exit off the track. This allowed Don to disappear into the distance and Noel ( who finally screwed his cap on properly….which was more than could be said on what he did to Robyn ) drove from last to second and Kim also passed a dusty Lynx into 3rd. Which is where they finished with Danny 4th. Jeff dropped his times to 1.10 to come in 5th, followed by Paul, Robert, Norm and Allan.
The 4th and final race on Sunday saw the surviving Juniors combine with KL and M and gave Noel his 3rd win for the Festival in front of Don, Danny, Jeff, Paul, Robert and Norm. No one knows what happened to Kim. And no one seemed to care.
All in all, another lovely, laid back Wakefield. Once the cars get back from overseas in the Diamond Jubilee events, our future is looking very exciting with new blood like Danny Ciarma and Paul Faulkner. See you at Mallala in 2 weeks!
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