Yellow Peril

Oulton Park - 4 September 1999

Just outside Crewe in the Cheshire countryside lies Oulton Park, the venue for the penultimate round of the race series. While it may be grim up north, the weather was anything but, the hottest weekend of the year for the race series’ first visit for 3 years.

Things were looking distinctly grim however for Barry Sumner when the neck of his radiator cracked on his first lap of the late-morning practice session. His failure to complete the mandatory 3 laps and no spares left him with little hope of making the race. That was before David James revealed the plumbers’ treasures hidden in his van. After some sharp welding and an appeal to the Clerk of the Course, Sumner was allowed to start at the back of the grid with a ten second penalty.

Grim too was the state of Keith Ahlers’ car, (as if it hasn’t been through enough already this season). Stuart Anderson, who was sharing the driving for the day’s second event, the Centurian race, stalled the car on the grid and was stung in the rear by a Fletcher Hornet and the race was red flagged. After checking the car, Ahlers was satisfied he could make the championship race, however, having qualified 3rd, he too managed to bog down at the off but he had Morgan drivers behind him and was not interfered with as he demoted himself to second last which would have been last had Sumner not still been sitting in detention.

Peter Garland had once again taken pole position and disappeared into the distance in a controlled if uneventful lead which he kept to the flag.

Behind him Malcolm Paul had a similarly solitary time finishing second.

Having passed 11 cars on the 1st lap and 4 more on the 2nd, by lap 4 Ahlers was hot on the heels of Chris Springall who locked up into the Knickerbrook chicane dropping to 8th and gifting Ahlers 3rd position.

Rick Lloyd had been practising at the circuit the day before when the engine on his championship-leading car expired. To the rescue came Rob Wells who lent his car to Lloyd who tip-toed round qualifying with it ensuring he returned it un-sullied for Wells to drive in the Centurian race. The Centurian race over, a more relaxed Lloyd shot off the line passing Mark Baldwin who was balked at the Ahlers’ chicane. Lloyd set off in pursuit of Adrian Van de Kroft who, using only 3rd gear, slipped up on lap 2 allowing Lloyd through to salvage 4th, a class win and his single point lead in the championship.

When is a door not a door, Mark Baldwin and Grahame White tussled over the question in their battle for 6th position, White prevailing.

Simon Orebi Gann scrapped with Chris Acklam for the first 3 laps until Acklam, who had serious brake fade, put two wheels on the grass at Lodge allowing Gann to slip by. They nearly collided in Knickerbrook, Acklam locking up and Gann narrowly missing a tyre barrier on his way to 8th.

Chris Springall also took advantage of Acklam’s problems on lap 6 taking 9th place happy that he’d been to Oulton without hitting anything.

Paul Burry had a quiet time finishing 10th ahead of Philip McKelvey who had his most competitive race yet. Having lost position to John Clarke, he powered past him and then Leigh Sebba before Peter Horsman had an off at Cascades on lap 3 and McKelvey got past him. The championship contender exchanged places with McKelvey for the next 5 laps but was kept at bay by the Lightweight driver until the flag.

Kelvin Laidlaw had a bad start which gave him plenty of time to avoid Ahlers but allowed John Clarke and Sebba by. With some squidgy brakes, Laidlaw got by Sebba who had been given some very dubious tactical advice and was passed by both Clarke and Sebba within the first 2 laps. Laidlaw then took Clarke who was having a great race re asserting himself claiming 14th position closely followed by Laidlaw who was still fending off Sebba as they crossed the line together.

Having replaced his rotor arm, David James was astonished to find himself amongst the plus 8s at the start and Peter Sargeant was ‘alarmed’ to see the plumber get by as he too fell victim to the melee on the grid. Together they provided the best entertainment of the day, exchanging places several times until side by side into Cascades Sargent braved it past James and as James floored the throttle out of Lodge for the last time Sargeant pipped him by one third of a second.

19th and 20th positions were taken by Ian Hepburn and Doug Taylerson. Hepburn, made a ‘pigs ear’ of the start losing 3 places but got past Taylerson on lap 2 Hepburn enjoying himself on his first championship outing.

Presumably it was the extra back pressure from Barry Sumner’s newly welded radiator which, on lap 6, caused a bottom hose to let go flooding his visor as he roared into Cascades and retirement from 14th position.

Not even a rental car could keep Rick Lloyd from a bundle of points and his lead in the Morgan race series.

Mr. & Mrs. Orange graced the paddock with northern charm.

Jonathan Suffolk