Race Report: CMMCS Production Saloons at Brands Hatch

The second of the two meetings around the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit for the fourth round of the Classic and Modern Motorsport Club Southern Production Saloons saw an expanded grid of cars, and would make for a pair of exciting races.

Qualifying

A bright morning, and a totally dry track would greet the CMMCS Production Saloons and Super Saloons, on what was inevitably destined to be another hot summers day. The #41 Renault Mégane would be the first car to emerge from the pit lane, taking advantage of a clear track ahead to lay down early laps. The track would prove to be slower than usual for most of the field, largely due to the ambient weather conditions, but a lap of 55.598 would see the Team HORNET machine into fourth overall on a grid that was going far against expectation. Things would get even more complex when Philip Bennett's #96 Class A BMW E90 Super Saloon suddenly expired coming out of Paddock Hill Bend, coating the track in oil and causing strife for the following Garry Barlow (#30 Honda Integra DC5, Class C Super Saloon) and Neal Gardiner (#188 Honda Civic, Class T2 Production Saloon). This would result in a red flag, and the unusual grid order would stand. Production Saloons would lock out 5 of the first 6 positions on the grid, with many pre-event favourites encountering issues in the qualifying session that saw them start far below where they would normally expect to line up for the start of the race.

Race One

After getting a great initial start when the lights went out, the #41 Team HORNET Renault would quickly have to pivot from attacking to defence, as Terry Waller's fast-starting #66 Class T2 Ford Fiesta was making a sustained challenge to the Mégane. Assistance for the #41 machine would come from Adrian Matthews in his #132 Class T2 Volvo C30, who had caught the Fiesta ahead whilst it was embroiled in a battle, and looked to take advantage. This provided the Team HORNET Mégane with an opportunity to slowly eke out a small advantage, lap after lap, though the small lead would take a dent when Rod Birley's #44 Class A Ford Escort WRC Super Saloon blasted past, and again when the #99 Class B Honda Civic Super Saloon of Ricky Coomber made an extremely tight manoeuvre at Graham Hill Bend, with the two cars mere inches from contact at the apex.

From there, it was a case of maintaining a competitive, yet consistent pace throughout the remaining laps, and ensuring that any lapping was completed as cleanly as possible to minimise time loss. The #41 Team HORNET Renault would cross the line in 6th place overall, scored 1st in Class T1 and 3rd in the Production Saloons.

Race Two

Terry Waller would again make a flying start in his #66 Ford Fiesta, and this time he would gain track position at Druids on the opening lap. This would leave the #41 Renault Mégane exposed to Adrian Matthews' #132 Volvo C30, the Swedish machine proving to be more manoeuvrable, but lacking just a little bit of power compared to its French counterpart. The defence of the position would then get slightly more complex, as the rear-view mirror would detach from its housing on lap 4, resulting in significant blind spots.

In what was already becoming a challenging race, things would get even more hectic as two Super Saloons would then arrive on the scene: the spaceframe #26 Class C Mini Traveller of Bill Richards, and the enormous #84 Class A Rover SD1 of Robyn Woodger. Whilst a valiant defence was offered by the two Production Saloons cars, Richards' nimble Mini would squeeze through at Druids on lap 8, with the Rover blasting past on the Brabham Straight on lap 13. The Renault would be able to use its advantage in a straight line over the Volvo to avoid losing any further ground for the remainder of the race, despite the #132 managing to sneak up the inside at Clearways on multiple occasions.

Team HORNET would therefore cross the line 7th overall, 3rd in the Production Saloons and 1st in Class T1.

Team HORNET will return on September 6th, in the Classic Sports Car Club's Wheeler Properties Turbo Tin Tops around the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit. All of us at Team HORNET would like to thank our partners for their support this season:

• Gurnett's Graphics

• 441 Motorsport

• Rymmo Wheels