Article by Steve Cox

Lydden really is a jewel of a circuit.  It sits in its own valley just off the A2 between Canterbury and Dover and has been famous for many years as a premier circuit for Auto-cross - that peculiar motor sport discipline where cars race on a track which is half tarmac and half cinders.  It must be strange leaving the track on purpose; we do it all the time accidentally.  Lydden circuit is a mile long but characterised by many surprises; sudden changes in camber, different gradients, an uphill hairpin and a wicked left hander rightly called he Devil's elbow. 

The Speed Championship was represented by its usual eclectic mix of Vixens, Wedges, Chimps, Griffs, V8S and Steve Heath's purple shed now supercharged and blown with pure adrenalin.  Steve tells me that it is now a completely new experience, and looking under the bonnet, I can believe it.

Lydden's practice regimen offers contenders a single three lap practice to "sight" the circuit.  Practice times don't count but can be a good indication of who's on the pace.  When I ran the algorithms at 10am it was immediately apparent that everyone was on the pace and the event was going to be tight.   Stig of the Dump after practice was Adrian Duggleby's superb Griff 500 but immediately behind him Dave Balderson (Tasmin 350), Hugh Davies (Chimp 450), and Geoff Stallard's Vixen were all within a missed gear change of the each other.  The showroom condition Chimps of Mike Horn and Dave Jenkins are living proof that you can enjoy your car competitively and still keep them looking good. 

First timed run saw Duggleby hang onto his lead, but there were some movers and shakers in the pack now with Balderson's golden Tasmin and Stallard's sultry Vixen only a couple of handicap tenths behind.  Jenkins and Horn both took 5 secs off their times to show they meant business. 

The second time run is the one most likely to raise competitors' eyebrows as they carry a little more speed and leave the braking that half second later. Geoff Stallard's eyebrows hadn't come down yet as he exited the Vixen after his run - we knew it was a good'n.  Other mini competitions had also broken out.  Mike Horn and Dave Balderson were now head to head less than two tenths apart and Hugh Davies and Dave Jenkins were separated by less than a quarter of a handicap second.

The clouds were darkening nicely to the West as lunch was called.  We were going to be lucky if we got through the whole event with no precipitation, but then, as the marshalls made their way back to their stations, we learned that the British Sprint Championship were to have their top 6 runoff - another 30 mins - and still the clouds darkened as they moved in - a few drops in the air were followed by a light shower before the final run.  Would it make any difference to the final placings? 

Luckily, the track had been warm all day and the rain made very little difference, but psychologically most amateur drivers will drive more slowly as they try and get a feel for a change in the surface.  There was none, but only Adrian went quicker, but not quick enough to take the big gong and 25 well earned points away from first time winner Geoff Stallard. 

No sooner had the event finished than the lightning lit the sky and it was time to go.  Lydden is the best viewing circuit in the country and one of the best fun to drive.  We'll definitely be there again in 2008 and I'm guessing that Mr Stallard will want to do it all over again.

And finally, I omitted to say that Geoff Stallard also consolidated his position at the top of class tvr-A.  My goodness that class is keenly fought and the upcoming rounds at Curbrough and Prescott will see some fierce competition.  Hope to see you there.

Full and detailed results can be seen on our website
http://www.tvrspeedchampionship.co.uk/