Adur Valley World Championship : for 1/10 IC Ready To Run Cars.
Controversy ruled at the end of Round 7 as the Team 5 Hit drivers had been caught staging a 1 – 2 finish so that their No. 1 driver could take the win. Well, none of the Team 5 Hit drivers turned up for this round and it was rumoured that they had received a one race ban for their dirty tricks. Others suggested that the drivers had gone a bit wild with the partying the night before and that Mick could not drive down as he was still testing positive for Melton Mowbray. (Original joke courtesy of Toilet)
With these drivers away there were cheap points to be had but as they arrived it was wet and it would remain wet all day. Round 7 had seen all drivers setting their best times but the damp or wet track meant there would be no repeat this round. This was a day for survival.
The drivers on the day were Dez Earl, Carl Osborne, Ray Hinkins, Mark Beccarelli and Chris McLeavery. Chris was making a guest appearance and was also running in the Big Boys race but he had also teamed up with Dez to form Team Thunder. They had matching orange cars and looked the part but no-one knew who was the team leader. They had also received a strong warning about race tactics but they were adamant that there were no team orders in Team Thunder. There was also some surprise in that Dez had actually turned up as it was raining on and off all day.
Chris was not the only one making a comeback as the present Mrs. Hinkins (Linda to her friends) also made a return visit as Ray’s pit fairy. However, Cuddles the Notre Dame Year 2 teddy did not return for lollipop duties as he was off having his summer holidays with another member of the Year 2 class.
Before racing started Carl was renamed as Carlos the Jackal but we also found out that he had discovered girls at long last. Quite why he was wrapping them in toilet paper is not known but then the ghost writer of this article is too old to remember doing such things way back in the dark ages.
Chris had his tented village erected, some rents were paid but squatters again moved in although it was generally a happy scene as engines were started, they wished each other good luck and off they went for the first heat in the wet.
The First Heat.
Chris set off like a rat down a drain and was gone before any other driver could get into his stride. Ray tried to hang on but was soon lapped and was still losing ground fast. Mark didn’t start and Carl did not last long but you could see trouble brewing in Team Thunder as Dez had been fitted with the wrong tyres and was writing his name all over the track, the verges and up the fences as he struggled. Frustration got the better of him and as Chris lapped him for the sixth time…..wallop…..and Chris was out on the spot. Dez protested his innocence but it looked like there would be trouble in the pits at the end of the heat. This at least proved that there really were no team orders in Team Thunder. Ray did not quite have the time left to close the gap on Chris and so the result ended as Chris winning but with Ray also on 11 laps to be followed in by Dez, Carl and Mark.
The Second Heat.
Chris was rapidly swapping his good tyres between this car and his "Big Boys" car but it seemed that all problems between team drivers had been ironed out as Dez now had a similar set of tyres. This time the thunder boys were at their best as they cleanly fought out the race and Chris was made to sweat as he got the result on 13 laps. Dez was on 12, Ray 11 and Mark 7 but Carl did not get out this time. This would be the fastest heat and would put Chris on pole but unfortunately his day would now go downhill with one problem after another. Ray was also a bit upset as it was pointed out to him that 13 laps is the best that he has ever done on a nice warm day with the sun shining down on his little bald head.
The Third Heat.
Mark did not make it out this time and Chris only lasted a couple of laps before the gremlins set in and so it was left as a straight fight between Dez, Ray and Carl. As they set off Ray clobbered Dez at the first hairpin but because of the matching cars he would later apologise to Chris which was funny to everyone but Dez. We never thought that we would have to report this but it was Dez who took the win in the wet with another good run of 12 laps. Ray and Carl were close together on 11 laps with Chris on 2 but with Mark failing to trouble the lap counters.
The Fourth Heat.
This time both Mark and Chris failed to take the start and Carl only lasted 3 laps so as Dez put it, it was all down to the old fellows although it has to be said that one was rather older than the other. They did keep each other fairly honest as Dez again took the win on 12 laps to the 11 recorded by Ray. The main interest at the end was that Ray tried to save himself from getting lapped and this he did by .437 of a second.
The Lunch Break.
There followed a lecture by Ray as to how the timing system allowed Dez to do one more lap than he did and yet he didn’t actually lap him. Still Ray really owes Chris and Dez a thankyou as they got him out of a spot of bother. After complaining about the quality of the pit work carried out by the present Mrs. Hinkins it became obvious that Ray had forgotten something important as Linda suggested that he now owed her two nights out. Careful questioning from his fellow drivers and the present Mrs. Hinkins cracked and revealed that it was their wedding anniversary in 4 days. This information was passed onto Ray who has now ordered the Chinese Take Away and is out of trouble.
The Final.
Chris was on pole but he still had problems and would only manage a total of 5 laps. He did get in the fastest lap and really during the day when he was running he was quite impressive in the wet and proved that he was still well competitive with his old Thunder Tiger. He appeared to enjoy himself and is welcome back at future races if he wants to come down and slum it a bit.
Dez was equally impressive and when the flag dropped he was gone and would never be seen again as he ran out an easy winner on 22 laps. The next we shall know is that he is coming down in January and contesting the Winter Series. His win was made easier as Ray, Carl and Mark tripped over each other for about the first 3 laps and Mark made his application to join Team 5 Hit as that was about the number of times that he tangled with Ray. Carl and Ray were on 20 laps at the end and only some
3 secs apart but they had been closer with a couple of laps to go until Ray was hit for the sixth time. Was he pleased…...you bet he was.
That was the end of the day and it had been good racing despite the weather. One way and another it has made the fight for second place in the championship very close. Mick seems to be off and away with the lead but Dez has now got in front of Ray although the absent Nick is also on good form with 3 rounds remaining. Carl is now starting to finish races better although he is hampered by only having a single gear transmission.
They all left in a good mood. Ray and the present Mrs. Hinkins gave Carl a lift back to Broadbridge Heath where he is picked up by his Mum. On the way and after his late night out, Carl fell asleep in the back of the car and he looked so angelic. It was a pity to wake him…….ah bless.
So that’s it. See you all on 5 September 2010 when one of us should become a National Champion. Still why should we worry about such trivial matters when in a few more weeks one of us will become World Champion of The Adur Valley.
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