British GT – Castle Combe – Preview
John Guest Speedfit Festival Meeting
The fifth meeting and the sixth race of the developing British GT Championship, and Castle Combe is sure to lay on its usual high class festival. There was nothing wrong with the racing last time out at Silverstone, but the scene in Wiltshire will be in marked contrast to the underpromoted GP track meeting.

“Thank goodness I’m back in a Mosler,” says Martin Short, having drawn a line under his FIA GT experiences – for now. He’s very happy with recent Mosler testing, so despite Tom Herridge being a newcomer to Castle Combe – and despite a cut in restrictor size for both Moslers – his Rollcentre car could be the favourite to secure its first race win of the season. It’s a 60 minute, two-driver blast, so there are no fuel consumption worries at all this week.

Besides the usual rivals for overall race honours – Balfe Mosler, TVRs from Eclipse (looking for two in a row), CDL and Peninsula, and the Xero Corvette, plus the Master Ultima and Glenn Eagling Mantis – there’s the prospect of two or three other challengers this week. Mike Jordan and Mark Sumpter (last year - right) make a one-off appearance thanks to the fact that their sponsor is the sponsor of the event, and it will be a treat to see a top class (Eurotech) Porsche return to the series, while one DeWalt TVR is a definite entry, the second one having a “40%” chance of being repaired after Le Mans. Stanton / Barff or Hay / Caine?

The main point of interest will be to observe the relative performance of the Moslers against the usual rivals, and the performance of all the regulars against the Porsche and TVR(s). The Ultima should have its ‘proper’ engine this week, for the first time, while the Xero Corvette will still be using the ‘taxi’ engine, the team planning to test the proper race engine next week.

No sign of the ladies in the Viper, but TFM are out with one of their Marcos LM600s, and Richard Jones should take up his place this time, having sorted out wheels and tyres that fit his 550-engined Ferrari F40. These are the only two GT Class (as opposed to GTO Class) runners.

The Cup Class loses one and gains one: the Renault Clio isn’t expected to attend, the Atlanta team testing the development car instead, but Team Wireless make their debut with a Honda-engines Elise, which could be entertaining around Castle Combe. The remaining entries are more or less the regulars, but Paula Cook makes her Morgan debut, partnering Neil Cunningham in the #66 car. Can this new pairing challenge the Porsches around Combe? It will be great fun finding out.

There’s a long free practice session on Saturday, and the one hour race kicks off at 13.50 on Sunday. David Addison reminds us that Radio Castle Combe will be on air, so don’t forget a radio. And get there early, GT fans: it’s going to be another sell-out crowd at the friendliest track in the UK.