I watched a really good Clubmans Race on the TV yesterday. It was won by some bloke called Vettel in a Proto car. There weren't many other proto cars. Button, Hamilton and Webber were the main contenders with a Spanish bloke driving something akin to a Vauxhall engined car. The 'Cup' cars were headed by Jamie Champkin - err - no, sorry - Jamie Alguerusari who was considered by most as 'Driver of the Day'. Then of course there were the 'Classics' at the back, all about a lap behind. It didn't matter though as there are some great drivers in that group.

THERE WAS GREAT RACING RIGHT UP AND DOWN THE GRID

More importantly, they were racing.

The chairman of this particular branch of the register has been very clever to keep the classes sort of secret, but lets face it, we all know that his series is run on a class basis.

I appeal to you all to wake up and smell the coffee.

We are going to have to run together, or not run at all.
We won't be the first and we won't be the last to have to make this decision.

AT LEAST WE'LL BE RACING

No politics please -lets just get racing.

Phil,
Asolutely Right!!!!

Phil,
Should say Absolutely Right !!! Probably one too many
Glasses of Poorly Pussy oh sorry Pouilly Puisse !!!

Well said Phil. Hopefully I'll be out to play next year and I hope the other racers join us.

Thanks for the positive comments......
To demonstrate your full commitment to our plans for 2012 please attend the Cup/Proto Drivers Meeting at 15.30 on the day of the Dinner Dance in the Hythe Suite at the hotel.
Formal notification and agenda soon - when I find out how to circulate such stuff!!!

Pete

Hmmm I just wonder if this can really be sorted between the Cup and Proto guys, it seems to me that we need (deep and) meaningful discussions between the Classic and Cup guys?

Oh Mr Cynical - take some comfort from knowing that the Board members include Vice Chairman Clive Wood and Ian Mitchell, who race in both branches of Clubmans. I'd even remind you that I have raced with Sports 1600, A class, Vauxhall and K over the years ..... and all 3 of the aforementioned attended the Classic Drivers meeting last Saturday.

Pete, I don't deny your (and other board members)credentials. However from what I can glean the problem is that various people agree to things in a meeting and then change their minds afterwards?

Out of just interest and using the results tables:-

Classic had 107 race entries and therefore scores 8.91 entries/race., Cup/Proto has had 217 entries and therefore is rated at 18.08 entries/race

Come to the meeting (and get Adrian there if possible) - lets make 2012 a really great year.

Your arithmetic is different to mine. I think the average Classic grid was approx 12 and Cup/Proto approx 15 if you add the entry at each meeting and divide by the number of meetings. Last year it was roughly the other way round.......

That's bloody brilliant !

That means we'll have a TWENTY SEVEN CAR GRID !

Motors TV will be knocking on OUR door !

26, because sponsored drivers in their late 50s should be banned next year!

Absolutely agree with you Harty.

No one in their late fifties should be racing cars like that and having so much fun.

Unfortunately,for most of next year, I will be early sixties, so that's allowed !

I have not yet heard one word of thanks towards the "Proto" runners for spending a lot of blood sweat and tears to get their mostly untested, univaluated, unproven and not to mention costly Proto-types on the circuit and up to speed with in a season. I say hats off to them for helping to keep the grid count up over the last 12 months or so. There was a load of effort put into proto. Onno coming across from Holland for one, and getting a win... Adrian Lester in his high Revving S2000 Honda engined Mallock... Steve, a rookie in Clubmans, also taking a win, I don't think that a rookie has won a race since Micheal Mallock in 1999!

I agree with Phil, race together or not at all....

Thanks but i remember 2 race weekends; Silverstone and Rockingham. And yes i hope to be there next year with more updates on my car and hopefuly more races!!

I agree with Phil, lets race together.
I've done some (6 years) shared FF1600/FF2000 races in the past in Europe with both cars and yes there were some discusions there but over all the races were good and the people had fun so why can't we have the same fun in Clubmans?

As you can understand in Holland i'm not into the politics about this issue and i have to say that's something i don't mis.

All i can say, i realy like both series and yes i do come to Brands to have a look at the Classics!
Hope to see you all there!

Greetings, Onno

To cart and horses!

I see no recognition of my farther and Chris Beck!

Several gearbox failures at the start of the year engine problems and then to top it off a fire the destroyed almost everything! This left Chris distraught and my dad in a medical centre with burn marks all over his overalls and a serious hole in his wallet! Yet in six weeks later after several weekends and 24hr shifts there we were with a completely rebuilt car at snetterton!

Me thinks you need to have greater diplomacy and recognise everyone for there efforts and not just Mallock drivers!

Ps Adrian Lesters engine rev's to exactly the same maximum permitted revs as our rover engine! The engine the whole formula wanted to keep in the first place! So greater thanks should go to those who stuck to the original engine at greater expense!

On another note Onno is a star for travelling long distances to race with us and Mr Covill should also be recognised for letting people race his cars!

On this note I sign off with special thanks to everyone for making this season a special one low grids at times but the shits and giggles in the paddock and at the bar was as good as ever!

One last thing 2 rookies to win races after 1999 are Alex Champkin and Jonty Hair and
Possibly Adrian Borat Landridge!