Round 8  Timaru - 17 September   

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16 drivers arrived at the Timaru speedbowl in Broadstairs for the latest round of this year’s Southern 32 Championship.

Timaru no longer races super production as a club class but this didn’t stop home driver Alan Ferguson  taking tq - just- by 1/100 of a lap from Coulsdon’s Dave Stevenson.

In the Falcon class the first and second placed drivers in the Championship – Timaru’s own Bill Jenner and Andy Bishop - were sitting out their home round by racing retro cars in Wiltshire.

Graham Sampson took top spot for Falcons from fellow Timaru driver Mark Ellis who was 1/100 of a lap up on Alan F (sound familiar?).

There were 7 runners in Falcons and the 3 man B final was a win for Timaru’s Geoff Halvorsen with his grandson Jake in second and Coulsdon’s Dick Stevenson coming in third.

In the A final Graham was never headed while Mark and Alan traded places for second with Mark coming out on top.  Simon Francis had made the long trip up from Bournemouth and came in fourth.

The overall D final was another win for Geoff, from Jake, John Ovens and Dick.

Less than 3 laps separated the field in the C final.  Stan Alton’s super winning from Simon’s Falcon and Les May and Nick Thrower, both with supers.

The B final was an early retirement for Ian Barker.  Paul Harwood won comfortably from Dave Harvey – an off day with a borrowed car- with Mark in third.

In the A final the two home drivers were in charge with Alan chasing Graham.  Championship leader Will Stemman was third and Dave Stevenson fourth, a couple of laps behind.

The Le Mans team race ran for 15 minute segments and had 8 teams – 4 group 12 powered and 4 using Falcons.

Early leaders were Harwood Racing but their motor, which wasn’t quite on song right from the start, began to slow and VIP moved into the lead in the second segment and stayed there.  Norfolk and Chance benefited from Harwood’s problems by taking second in the last segment while the other Group 12 team, D&D were fourth with Dave S doing the fastest segment with 213.33 laps

Of the Falcon runners Mark’s Team took the class win and fifth overall (Mark being joined by his brother Neil who returned to racing last year after a 30 year break).  Next up were LSCC less than 2 laps up on ECEs and then GEJA who lost time in the first segment with a loose spur gear.

Thanks to everyone for making the long journey to East Kent .  We hope you had a better journey home than last year and look forward to seeing everyone again next year.

Graham Sampson

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Southern 32 - 2017

The series for you!