What a difference a year makes…

Another “Challenge” year begins at Cadwell Park in Lincs, but this year there’s sunshine!

Sunshine but no cars. The financial situation and many (6) cars in preparation means this started with the most space grid I have ever seen. Many of the Challengers bail out of Cadwell as its usually freezing and very small, but fortune favours the brave and it was a cracking day out there. Only 5 cars took to the grid, defending champ Tim Davis, Rich Hewitt, Dave Chant and newbies Dave Stewart and Nick Chandler. But, limited cars did not mean limited racing. Series numbers demanded that the race was run with the Intermarque races and that made things very interesting for the drivers and the punters.

Practice revealed very little of course, the cars were mixed and looking for a space, but all the cars showed good pace. Dave Chant shaved a second off his best race time and Tim Davis (now moved from C to A in the re-engined S3erbera) was only 1/2sec off Dean Cook’s qualy time from 2009. To qualify that, as it were, last year it was effin cold and a touch damp, were as this year we were bathed in sunshine and track temp was good (for April) BUT, Tim was a fresh car, with a fresh engine (a brand new APM AJP8) that is still essentially a heavy road car so his pace was a pleasant surprise to everyone, not least Tim himself.

Dave Stewart (son of Tom Stewart, he of my nemesis red GpB Griffith in 2009) was out in Tim’s old C car that’s has done lots time in various hands and is a Double Championship winner. Completely rebuilt, Dave took things steady and got his times in. A great achievement in his beautifully prepped car and the first time he’d actually driven it! Also fresh out was Nick Chandler in Keith Vaughan-Williams old C Tasmin. Nick’s a seasoned Monster having taken his gorgeous Pearl Cerbera all over the UK and Europe on various Trackdays. He’s building is own Tasmin for C to appear later this year (and that will be a front running C car – trust me) but as its not ready, he bagged Kev Gores C Tasmin (actually his son’s 2010 car) to get his hand in. And he got the TVR baptism of fire. Failed the noise test – custom cans made by DC (Dave Chant) from beer cans, then the gearbox lunched! A 6 hour drive to Austec…FROM CADWELL…AND BACK…saw him take his place in race 1. True TVR racing spirit.

Speaking of DC, he quallyed well taking C Pole a s I said earlier, and being an old hand now, Chanty’s day went smoothly, a lot smoother than last year in any case, and he spent most of his time helping the others. His car ran beautifully all weekend.

Race 1. The stars of this had to be Tim and DC. Both guys spent much of the race dicing with the Intermarque Caterham and Silhouette cars. The low powered Caterham and Peugeots were quickly dispatched but the BMWs and Space framed cars took a bit of doing. The commentators and fans alike had a great time sorting out who was quick and who was in the wrong place. A rolling start with the TVRs at the rear meant that Tim and Dave were behind several cars they had out qualified, and early season “issues” put several of the Intermarque out, but it’s a testament to the TVRs that in the holding area for race 2 that the opposition drivers was quizzing the TVR guys on what they had under the bonnets! Tim finished a creditable 4th overall taking 6 of the Inters, and DC 8th overall. Dave Stewart also had a good race, finding his feet and posting times only 1.5 secs off DC. Some action to come there I feel.
A Tim Davis
C Dave Chant
C Dave Stewart
B Rich Hewitt
C Nick Chandler

Race 2. More of the same here. Tim and Dave set about the Inters almost immediately. Nick Chandler and Rich Hewitt both had misfires (Rich H due to ignition gremlins and Nick ran out of electric as his alternator belt fell off), though Rich did manage to survive to post a finish. Dave Stewart was on it from the get go, this time sneaking a fastest lap from DC though he couldn’t catch him. Again, there was loads of dicing and overtaking. The cross match of the two series and variations in pace made for some real wheeling and dealing and I’m sure the format added a lot to the driver’s day, despite some misgivings. A vid is following in our Video gallery as we had a camera in Tim’s car for both races.
A Tim Davis
C Dave Chant
C Dave Stewart
B Rich Hewitt

Next up is Snett 29-30 May with a much bigger grid on the cards. Several Tuscans will be out, and more cars being finished due to the 6 week break. A great TVR power track it should be fun and our friends at EASYTRACK have a 105db open pit trackday there on the following Bank Holiday Monday! What a weekend.
Fri Testing
Sat Racing
Sun Racing
Mon Trackday!

Book the trackday in our shop.

Andy
Tvrmonster

Oh, And Dave Chant currently leads the TVR European Championship 2010