BMW Drivers Cup – Round 3

Mallala Motor Sport Park

19th – 20th May

Report by “The Mobile Chicane”

E30racing had its "debut" race meeting at Mallala Motor Sport Park (about 60km north of Adelaide) on the weekend of 19th-20th May 2007, when an intrepid band of racers travelled across for their annual "away" race meeting.

Mallala was originally an RAAF training airfield during World War Two and was converted to a racetrack in 1960 using some of the original runways and taxiways.   It closed briefly in 1971, but was reopened in June 1982, and is now owned by Clem Smith (who, incidentally, sold Oliver his first decent car, a 1952 Mk 7 Jaguar, for 300 pounds in 1964).

Nine drivers made their way across, with four of the cars being transported by TNT (with thanks to Michael Stilwell who arranged the low-cost transport and Phil Showers and Kathleen from Northern BM who organised the loading of the cars in Melbourne).   Gary towed his own car across while Euan drove the big Stillwell race transporter with three more cars on board .

We arrived at the track on early Friday morning to find the cars already unloaded and ready to go.   Clem Smith and his team had organised five half hour practice sessions for each class and we were all looking forward to getting out and learning the track (except Sheldon, who, rumour had it, already knew his way around thanks to having raced motorcycles at Mallala whilst living in Adelaide).

Practice was uneventful, with times gradually improving during the day, the exception being Gary, whose car pulled up on the main straight with a cloud of steam coming from his exhaust.   He was towed back to the pits, where Phil Showers, with help form Jarrod Bowles and Gary worked frantically to get the head off, fix the problem and get it all together again in time for Saturday's races. Michael performed miracles finding a set of E30 head gaskets in Adelaide, and was able to arrange collection of them, that night.

Saturday morning dawned cold and wet, with a forecast of more showers to come.

Phil, Jarrod and Gary spent Saturday morning working frantically on Gary's car to get it ready for Race 1. Phil having completed only 1 of the 5 practice sesssions on Friday, again sacrificed his qualifying session and his only chance for a good grid position in his determination to get Gary up and running.

The rain made the track tricky to say the least, with the wettest portion being the end of the main straight, just before the hairpin turn 5.   There were a few interesting moments as people learnt their brake points, with half the drivers pirouetting into the run off area.

Saturday - Qualifying

Craig Munro set the fastest qualifying time with 1:23.8405, with Oliver surprising everyone (and himself most of all) by qualifying second with a 1:24.8714 with Sheldon third on 1:25.2611.  Dr Spin was out of sorts, being one second or more off the pace the entire weekend.  On the number of occasions that he did pass people in the corners, he was left behind on the straights.

Saturday afternoon - Race One

Oliver managed to just get ahead of Craig off the line, but Craig did his usual incredible sprint to lead into Turn 1, and never looked like being caught from then on.   Sheldon also had a great start, and tried an inside passing move on Oliver at Turn 2, unfortunately just touching Oliver's left rear wheel and turning Oliver a full 180 degrees to face the oncoming horde, with Michael just missing him on the right, and Gary and Julie just missing him on the left.   Oliver sat there with his eyes out on stalks before recovering to rejoin the field 150 metres in arrears in last place.

As a result of Oliver's losing it, Sheldon gained second place, and Michael made third, positions they held to the end.  Gary, Dr Spin and Phil also took the opportunity to pass Geoff on Lap 1.  Geoff and Phil then managed to get ahead of Dr Spin on Lap 2, and on Lap 3 Gary had a bit of bad luck, falling back to 8th (due, we suspect, to some outside influence) allowing Geoff, Phil, Dr Spin and Oliver to pass, with Oliver subsequently passing Dr Spin on Lap 5.   Unofficial finishing order was Craig, Sheldon, Michael, Geoff, Phil, Oliver, Dr Spin, Gary and Julie. The stewards subsequently took Sheldon's 2nd place away from him on Sunday morning, relegating him to the rear of the fi eld in Race 4 .

Saturday afternoon - Race Two

For Race 2, the stewards had arranged a "split start", with the Improved Production field being sent off by the starting lights thirty seconds ahead of the E30 group, who were sent off by the starter dropping a flag.   Some of the field commented that they couldn't see the starter's flag through the car in front.

Craig Munro won from Sheldon, in an incident-free race with the only action being some of the IP cars lapping the field and although they blew us off down the straight, they held us up under brakes and in the corners, making it difficult for the e30 cars to carry out successful passing moves on each other.   Finishing order was Craig, Sheldon, Michael, Phil, Geoff, Oliver, Dr Spin , Gary and Julie.

Sunday Morning - Race Three

Again a split start was held, (as it was in the remaining races) but this time the E30 field was a bit more prepared and had a clean start, except Phil who was passed by Oliver off the start but got back in front in the first 300 metres.   Oliver then spent a couple of laps demonstrating how not to drive, being all over the track and making Dr Spin so worried by the erratic driving that he backed off a bit.   The race then turned into a bit of a procession, with the positions being unchanged til the end.   Michael and Phil spent most of the race discussing cornering lines and the correct procedure on when and how to pass under brakes, and although Geoff waited patiently behind them for a chance to show them how, he didn't get the opportunity.

Again, Craig won from Sheldon, Michael, Phil, Geoff, Oliver, Dr Spin , Julie and Gary.

Sunday afternoon - Race Four

Sheldon (who had been relegated to the rear of the field by the stewards as a result of Race 1) had a great first lap, passing Gary, Julie and Oliver, and then Dr Spin on lap 2, to be held off by Michael for the rest of the race.   Geoff had passed Michael on lap 1, while Oliver and Dr Spin swapped positions a couple of timesbefore Oliver squeezed past under brakes in Turn 7 and just managed to stay ahead til the end. Craig won from Phil, with Geoff third, followed by Michael, Sheldon, Oliver, Dr Spin , Gary and Julie.

Sunday afternoon - Race Five

Sheldon again drove well, passing Michael on lap 2, with Michael then being passed by Oliver on Lap 3.   Gary had more car trouble on Lap 4 and retired, and the other positions remained unchanged until the end.

Craig (again) won from Phil, with Geoff third, followed by Sheldon, Oliver, Dr Spin, Michael and Julie.

Craig, in a class of his own , set the lap record for the weekend at 1:22.2506, with Oliver being next fastest at 1:23.7700, Phil on 1:23.8085, Sheldon on 1:23.8423, Geoff on 1 : 23.9283, Michael on 1:24.1486, Dr Spin on 1:24.6471 and Gary a respectable 1:26.4874 despite a car totally out of tune and Julie with a respectable 1:26.6252 in her first meeting for the year.