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10th July 2004, Ringwood, Cliff
Davis Memorial
Report by Gavin Terry
Chris Philips took a trouble-free win in the
Grand Prix Midget final (Cliff Davis Cup) at Ringwood on Saturday
10th July. Fresh from a successful tour of Southern Ireland,
Chris took the lead from the start and went on to win by the
length of the straight. Rob Sayell and John Salter took the
heat wins. 12 midgets turned up for the meeting, the first
visit for the midgets to Ringwood in the 2004 season. Although
a snapped cam belt in practice for Steve Terry put him out
for the night, reducing the number to 11 cars. However there
was still a lot up for grabs and lots of action…
The first race of the evening saw Chris Phillips
make a good start after being promoted to the front row of
the grid when John Salter pulled out just before the start.
However his lead was short-lived after spinning on lap one
through turns 3 and 4 where some oil from the previous race
had been laid down. Andy Hinch gratefully took the lead. Rob
Sayell, current Point's Championship leader, had also made
a good start and was gradually moving his way through the
field. It was Dave Smith however who led the red graders through
the blues to take second, before a charging Rob Sayell found
a way around the outside displacing Dave Smith from second
position. Andrew Bilby and newly crowned European Champion
Alan Buckland, also found their way past Dave Smith. No one
was able to keep up with a storming Rob Sayell and he soon
swallowed up Andrew Hinch to take the lead. Rob went on to
take the win from Andrew Hinch in second, and Andrew Bilby
in third. Alan Buckland, Gary Bonner, Dave Smith, Andy Collins
and Barry Goldsby, who rounded of the point's scorers, followed
them over the line.
The second heat saw John Salter make a quick
start from the front row of the grid and take the early lead,
a position he had to fight hard for, but never gave up. Gary
Bonner looked to be the quickest driver out there, charging
through the field very rapidly and joined a three-way battle
for the lead. Alan Buckland and Rob Sayell were also chasing
through the pack as well as having a ding-dong battle for
fourth. This however eventually resulted in contact as the
two drivers were side by side, causing Buckland to spin and
Sayell to be slowed. It appeared that Gary Bonner slowed down
towards the end of the race and seemed happy to let John Salter
take the win, however talking to him after the race, he had
actually thought he was in the lead and about to lap John
Salter!!! Must concentrate harder Gary!!! John Salter took
the win from Gary Bonner, Chris Phillips, Rob Sayell, Dave
Smith, Andrew Bilby, and Andrew Hinch, with Andy Collins rounding
off the top eight.
The Cliff Davis Cup Final had to be restarted
twice. Firstly because Andy Collins jumped the start, and
secondly because Andy Collins stalled on the start! From one
extreme to the other! However third time lucky the race was
under way, with Chris Phillips taking the lead straight from
the start, a position he never looked back from. Gary Bonner
was once again on a charge making his way through the traffic,
eventually going around the outside of Andrew Hinch to take
second. However Chris Phillips had built up a considerable
lead, and was driving very quickly in what were ever so slightly
damp conditions. No one was going to catch him, and he crossed
the line to take the chequered flag and the victory, with
Gary Bonner following about half a lap behind. Alan Buckland
and Rob Sayell were once again locked in a battle for third
place with Andrew Bilby closing in as well. Alan Buckland
was however determined to win this showdown and held his line
superbly to take third place. Andrew Bilby sneaked through
to take fourth after a mistake from Rob Sayell in the last
few laps. Rob came fifth, with John Salter sixth, Andy Collins
seventh, and Barry Goldsby eighth, rounding off the point's
scorers.
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