Oulton Park Saturday 2nd April 2016

For the first time in 6 years, The Spectator visited Oulton Park in Cheshire for a 750MC organised meeting. Indeed the 750MC hadn't run a meeting at Oulton since 2009 so a re-visit to one of the country's most scenic circuits was overdue for both club and fan!

As I travelled to Oulton in pouring rain early on Saturday morning, I was wondering why I had chosen this particular day to travel to Cheshire but thankfully the rain was steady rather than heavy so no chance of any flooded circuit (unlike the cancelled Castle Combe Easter Monday meeting...)

Due to local planning law, Oulton very rarely sees track action on a Sunday so the vast majority of meetings are one day Saturday only affairs. It's quite a rarity these days to spectate at a 1-day meeting and there's a purity somehow to seeing everything qualify AM, then race PM, then go home!

11 races were scheduled for the club's championships that weren't out to play at Donington 2 weeks before. So double headers for Sport Specials, Bikesports, Civic Cup, RGB, 5Club Mazda MX5 and a single 45 minute Roadsports race.

Originally scheduled to take place on the full International circuit layout the Island configuration was used instead. After a very wet last couple of months, the earthworks around the Island Bend section of track hadn't settled and it's fair to say that the area resembled a ploughed field when I walked to Island hairpin on Saturday morning, so unfit for use. Hopefully the extended run-off at Island bend towards Shell will benefit driver and rider alike and with better weather will be ready for use in the very near future.

Qualifying at Oulton starts at the early hour of 8.30am and despite a wet track was rattled through apace by the organisers and ahead of schedule.

Sports Specials ( essentially Kit Cars) kicked off the days racing and produced the days closest finish with Clive Hudson's Eclipse edging Rob Johnston's Cyana by just 0.09 secs and the duo battled hard again in race 2 with Johnston exacting revenge by passing Hudson at Lodge (the final Corner) on the final lap.  

The Lodge at Lodge!

Bikesports had the dubious honour of providing the days smallest grid with 12 cars present but they provided the days fastest racing with a double win for Philip Cooper in his Radical.

Bikesports Race 2 from Old Hall Grandstand

The Tegiwa Civic Cup has blossomed in the last couple of years and 28 cars were entered in a series where all types of Honda Civic are grouped in a 2 class system with split grid starts. A lively first race saw an excellent 3-way battle for the lead end with contact at Old Hall. Winner Mark Higginson was originally penalised 10 seconds for his part in the incident but this was later rescinded. He didn't take part in race 2 however so whether this was due to the incident in race 1 , I'm not sure.

The RGB (Road Going Bike-engined) championship caters for kit cars powered by motorcycle engines funnily enough! A big grid of 29 cars were present and it is definitely a series on the up. The first race after lunch saw the RGB's on a very greasy but drying circuit and a driving masterclass was provided by Billy Albone in his Spire GT3 as he romped away at the head of the field, until he overshot the Knickerbrook chicane and simply wiped the nose off the front of the car by running over the sodden grass run-off. A grateful John Cutmore took the spoils. Sadly race 2 saw two red flags and a dreaded "No Result" declared following incidents at Deers Leap and Old Hall respectively. With a 6.30pm curfew at Oulton there could have bben time to squeeze them in at the end of the program but obviously the Clerk of the Course had declared them too naughty for that to happen!

With 32 Mazda MX5's on the grid for the 5Club Championship the little Japanese sports car does provide some excellent racing. A cracking race 1 saw a tense 3-way lead battle where all 3 drivers at some stage during the race used the tarmac run-off at Knickerbrook! Race 2 saw a restart after an accident at Old Hall on the first lap.

The 45 minute Roadsports race was an intriguing one where early leader Steve Hewson's Peugeot 106 brilliantly kept the more powerful Jenson Healey of Alec Livesley at bay until the inevitable happened at Livesley passed for the lead at Lodge and stroked home. 22 cars started and an interesting concept from the club to provide longer races for it's competitiors. Interesting to note the appearance of the VW Caddy van of Neal Martin. Once a regular in the VW Cup for many years the van is now Red in colour and still a fan favourite!

Roadsports action from Lodge Grandstand

This was a very good meeting at Oulton. I couldn't have picked a better way to return to the circuit and left thinking I must come back again soon. The Island hairpin layout helped with the quality of racing too. As Oulton is a MSV owned circuit, the humble spectator is catered for well. Large (and free to use) grandstands at both Lodge and Old Hall were new to me and are a fantastic spot to watch racing from. Druids is out of bounds for most of 2016 though due to extensive groundworks it would seem, as barriers were up at Water Tower stopping pedestrian access. The regulars at Oulton watch from the Knickerbrook area as this is where most of the incident takes place and with views across to Old Hall and Cascades there is plenty to keep the spectator entertained. 

Admission was £15 on the gate and a programme was £3.