S & B Automotive Academy Blue Challenge
Round 1 at Clay Pigeon 9th March 2014
After the preceding winter’s terrible rain and associated floods, racers attending the
opening S & B Blue Challenge round were treated to a superb race day in lovely
sunshine. This would be the south’s first race on the newly homologated BEBA tyres
and the overwhelming feed back was positive with no adverse comments. Indeed a
few drivers raced on tyres purchase earlier upon which many practice laps had been
achieved!
In the Junior Blue class the small grid saw Luke Lattimer gradually asserting his
authority by winning all 3 heats and putting himself on P1 for the Final. Nathan
Wells, winner of the opening Northern round and racing at Clay to get some track
time before the ‘0’ plate, sat on P2 following 2 x 2nd places and a 4th place in the
heats. In the Final Lattimer continued in a positive form establishing an early lead.
Revelation of the day was Thomas Massarella. On this, his first competitive race in
Junior Blue he moved into 2nd spot where he stayed until the flag. Try as he might,
Nathan Wells could not narrow the gap behind Massarella and he finished 3rd just
over a second adrift. By the time of the chequered flag, Lattimer had established a 9
second lead and laid down his marker for the rest of the year !
In the Formula Blue Senior Class, the largest senior grid of the day, all of the
previous years’ front runners were present, plus new boys James Rees and the father
and son duo of Mark and Toby Cook. With this number of racers the heats would
be very important in establishing the all important grid positions for the Final. Heat
1 was won by Ian Branfield from the reigning No.1 Chris Derrick, and then Kevin
Ford. Drivers charging forward included Keith Wilson and James Rees and Mark
Cook. On to heat 2, where Martin Wheeler won in dominant style from Wilson and
Sam Dible. The chargers this time were Branfied, Derrick and Rees. Heat 3 and this
time it was new boy Rees to show his potential with a clear win though he was being
chased down by Martin Wheeler, who finished 2nd from Sam Dible. Not far behind
was Duncan McLeod having forged forwards from absolute last.
The grid for the final had Dible on P1 with Rees opposite on the front row P 2.
Behind were Branfield and Wilson with Chris Derrick and Kevin Ford taking up
Row 3.
It didn’t take long for Branfield to move into the lead where he stayed to the flag in a
faultless display of precision racing. Wheeler and McLeod tangled with drivers in
an opening lap melee and then spent the rest of the race passing drives concentrating
on damage limitation. 2nd was Derrick with Wilson ‘locked’ on to his rear bumper !
3 seconds behind came Dible and Rees. The chargers in the Final were Robert
Dudley finishing 14th from absolute last and Ron Shone crossing the line 10th from a
16th start position.
The challenge now moves on to the Whilton Mill circuit, with Ian Branfield firmly
in the lead on 3 points with Dible close behind on 4 points. By virtue of also being a
Top Weight, Branfield has established a notable lead over Ford who ended the day
on 12 points. Chris Derrick ( on 7 points) heads the Masters section from Ford, who
in turn lead the Veteran group from Ron Shone ( 26 points). Finally, Shone fronts
the legend racers with Robin Stoddart-Stones in 2nd on 34 points.
RESULTS
Junior Blue
1st Luke Lattimer 0 + 0 = 0
Formula Blue
1st Ian Branfiled 3 + 0 = 3
2nd Sam Dible 0 + 4 = 4
3rd = Chris Derrick 4 + 3 = 7
James Rees 2 + 5 = 7
Keith Wilson 5 + 2 = 7
6th Kevin Ford 6 + 6 = 12
Blue Master
1st Chris Derrick 4 + 3 = 7
2nd Kevin Ford 6 + 6 = 12
3rd Duncan McLeod 10 + 9 = 19
Blue Veteran
1st Kevin Ford 6 + 6 = 12
2nd Ron Shone 16 + 10 = 26
Blue Legend
1st Ron Shone 16 + 10 = 26
Blue Top Weight
1st Ian Branfield 3 + 0 = 3
2nd Kevin Ford 6 + 6 = 12
3rd Duncan McLeod 10 + 9 = 19