The new season kicked off in style for the Bill Richards Racing team at a busy Brands Hatch, the team once again contesting the BARC Dunlop Motorsport News Saloon Car Championship. Having won Class E the previous year the Clubman would start the season having moved to Class D – the new KAD 16 Valve engine seeing the Clubman taking on a host of Fords and being the sole Mini in the class.

The weather looked certain to play a part in the meeting with continually changing conditions throughout the first day of the meeting – overcast skies, frequent showers and a blustery wind all making for difficult conditions for the season opener.

Qualifying

Heading out onto a wet circuit for the opening qualifying session of the year the Clubman went straight to work establishing a baseline lap time. The busy session saw the Clubman running consistent lap times despite the traffic encountered. A quick visit to the pits allowed the team to make a minor set up change aimed at improving the handling of the car. As the session ended the Clubman returned to the paddock to be prepared for the first race, the time set during the session would see the Clubman line up in the middle of the grid and first in class.

Race 1

Rolling starts were in use throughout the meeting and the field headed around the circuit behind the pace car in good order. With the pace car entering the pit lane control was handed to the pole sitter and the race was soon under way. The Clubman timed its run to perfection immediately passing a Mini on the run to Paddock Hill Bend and also mugging an Impreza that was momentarily delayed as it was baulked by traffic in the congested first corner. Having stayed out of trouble the Clubman continued its charge closing on and passing another Mini whilst being hotly pursued by a Mk2 Escort. The Escort was gifted a position and the class lead when in a case of mistaken identity it was allowed to pass the Clubman uncontested – it had been mistaken for a Cosworth recovering from an earlier incident!

Realising its mistake the Clubman immediately went on the offensive but the attack was cut short as a car was stranded on the edge of the gravel trap at Paddock Hill Bend and the safety car was deployed to allow its retrieval. The field soon formed an impressive snake behind the safety car as the recovery operation was underway. Before the race re-started the heavens opened with heavy rain and hail falling immediately transforming circuit conditions. The entire field was using dry weather slick tyres, the treacherous conditions would now be a real test of men and machines. As the safety car returned to the pits racing got underway once more with each driver trying to assess how much grip was available on the saturated circuit. The Clubman gained a position passing an Astra as visibility continued to deteriorate with spray now an additional hazard. With the racing laps cut short due to the recovery operation the Clubman was unable to repass the Escort in the time remaining and had to settle for second in class and a creditable top ten finish.

Race 2

The second day of the meeting saw much improved weather with bright sunshine bathing the circuit and little threat of rain. The team had used the previous evening to study the on board footage from the Clubman from the first race and had identified a number of areas for improvement.

Once again the pace car lead the field around before returning to the pit lane, the pole sitter picked up the pace and the cars streaked across the line. The Clubman immediately latched onto the tail of the Escort ahead, the two protagonists staying clear of trouble as a Renault and Escort ahead both had moments at the first corner. The Clubman was soon sizing up the Escort and began to attack, getting a good run through Paddock the Clubman dived up the inside of the Escort as the two cars approached the hairpin at Druids. Taking the place with a textbook manoeuvre the Clubman quickly moved across to cover the line and defend its newly gained position.

The Escort continued to harass the Clubman with the two cars circulating nose to tail as each sought the advantage. Getting a good run out of the final corner the Escort was able to pull alongside the Clubman and regain its position as the cars approached Paddock, the Clubman immediately fought back but was forced to tuck in behind the Escort and regroup for another attack. Having passed the Escort once at Druids the Clubman executed a carbon copy of the move to again take the position and class lead from the Escort. The two cars continued to battle throughout the remainder of the race, the gap between the two ebbing and flowing as they began to negotiate back markers. As the chequered flag fell the Clubman took the class win and an impressive 7th overall.

The team can be very satisfied with their weekends work with the Clubman taking a 1st and 2nd in class as well as setting its fastest ever lap around the Brands Hatch Indy circuit (and breaking its own record for the fastest lap for a steel shelled Mini). The new KAD 16 valve engine has very different power delivery characteristics to the familiar 8 Port unit and consequently a different driving technique is required. There is more to come from the KAD 16 valve engine and the team will be looking to implement a series of upgrades before the next DMN meeting.