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The Silverstone Finals saw victories for Chris Levy and Andy Lancaster in Rounds 11 & 12 of the Classic FF2000 series. Chris Levy was followed home by Andy Lancaster and Chris Lord in Round 11. In Round 12 Andy Lancaster won from ex Champion Clive Wood, Chris Levy and Chris Lord. –22nd October 2018.

 

Chris Lord took an outrageous overall win in the wet in Round 9 of the URS Classic FF2000 series beating both FF2000 and Classic F3 cars by 18 seconds. He won Round 10 on Sunday too from Wil Arif and Jon Finch  – 24th September 2018

 

Oulton Park was the host for Rounds 7 & 8 at the prestigious Gold Cup event. There were victories for Drew Cameron & Chris Lord. Chris also bagged a second place along with Andrew Lancaster. There were two third places for Ken Thorogood. – 28th August 2018

 

Rounds 5 & 6 saw victories for Andy Lancaster and Rod Toft at Croft Nostalgia. There were second places for Lord and Conway respectively. – 15th August 2018.

 

Ian Pearson took two victories in Rounds 3 & 4 of the Classic FF2000 series on the Historic GP circuit at Silverstone. The impressive debutant Ben Stiles followed Ian home to collect a couple of second places. There were third places for Chris Levy and Andrew Lancaster. Colin Wright won URB in both rounds from Daniel Clayfield. – 18th June 2018

 

Scott Blakeney was the first FF2000 home in both of the Single Seater Races at Thruxton’s 50th Anniversary weekend. Driving his father’s Delta T81, Scott finshed 2nd Overall twice, only beaten by a CF3 entrant for the overall victory. – 4th June 2018

 

Entries are now open for the HSCC Silverstone International Trophy. Rounds 3 & 4 of the series take place on the Historic GP circuit on the weekend of 16th / 17th June. We are expecting a strong turn out for this magnificent circuit. – 20th April 2018

 

Cameron & Levy take wins in Round 1 & 2 at Donington Park (Race reports below) – 9th April 2108

 

Entries for the ‘Spirit of Thruxton’ races at the circuit’s 50th Anniversary (2nd – 3rd June 2018) weekend are now open. – 22nd March 2018

 

Entries for Round 1 & 2 at Donington Park on 8th April close this Friday 16th March – 12th March 2018

 

The HSCC will allow FF2000 cars from 1984 to 1989 to enter the Up to 2Litre race at Thruxton on 2nd/3rd June. It will be possible for later FF2000 cars to mix it with the currently accepted 1974 – 1983 models, along with Pre 84 Formula Atlantic and F3 cars  at this special anniversary weekend. – 12th March 2018.

 

Classic FF2000 drivers are invited to race at Charade, in France, on 23-27th May. The invitation from the HFF2000 association gives the wonderful opportunity to drive this famous circuit. – 27 Feb 2018.

 

Universal Racing Services Classic FF2000 is now a registered series with the MSA. The HSCC have actioned this on Ken Thorogood’s behalf.

CFF2000 will now aim to build momentum throughout the year and drive up grid numbers. The challenge has been set to stage a stand alone race in the near future (the series currently shares grids with CF3 and the HFF2000). 

‘Classic FF2000 currently offers a place to race for the first 9 years of the forumla’s cars (1974 – 1983). We are keen to rebuild the healthy grids this series enjoyed from the mid 80’s, right through to recent years’. –  2 Feb 2018.

 

 

Race Reports:

Silverstone Finals – Rounds 11 & 12 – 20th & 21st October 2018

The last rounds of the URS Classic FF2000 2018 calendar were held at the HSCC Silverstone Finals meeting. A modest entry of URS cars joined the Classic Formula 3s for two races on the National circuit.

The short qualifying session ended in Chris Levy taking pole in his Van Diemen RF83 with a lap of 1.02.7. Behind Levy were a couple of F3s separating him from a line on FF2000s lead by Chris Lord (Van Diemen RF82) and Andy Lancaster (Pilbeam SP1). Fourth was Scott Blakeney, in class a Class B Delta being shared with his father, and Clive Wood, fifth. The remaining positions were made up of Glyn Davies, Rod Toft and Peter Finnigan in their respective RF82s.

Clear, sunny conditions greeted the drivers for Race 1. Chris Lord made a storming start and got in front of Levy to take an early lead. Once the interspersed F3s had gone their own way, Lord, Levy and Lancaster were running line astern. Levy made a move on Lord on run down to Copse and got the lead on lap 6. A lap later Lancaster went passed into second at Copse also. Lancaster chased Levy for the remainder of the race but was unable to get close enough to make a move. Chris Levy took an excellent win by 3 tenths from Lancaster in second and Lord, third. Clive Wood overcame Scott Blakeney’s Delta to take 4th. Davies, Toft and Finnigan all finished as they had started, bring home a complete set of URS cars.

Race 2 started in the previous finishing positions so it was set to be a close race! Chris Lord made another strong start, grabbing the lead from Levy and Lancaster also got passed Levy on L1. The order remained the same for a number of laps with Lancaster eventually getting passed Lord on the outside of Brooklands after a number of failed attempts. A charging Clive Wood managed to pass Levy and eventually Lord to take second. Hindered by similarly paced F3s, Lancaster soon found Wood snapping at his gearbox but managed to hold him off to take the win. Levy made a last ditch effort to get passed Lord at the complex on the final lap and snatched the final podium spot! Scott Blakeney finished in 5th ahead of Toft and Finnigan. Sadly Glyn Davies was a DNF.

 

Brands Hatch – Rounds 9 & 10 – 22nd & 23rd September 2018

Report to follow.

 

Oulton Park Gold Cup – Rounds 7  &  8 – 25th – 27th August 2018

The Sunday of the Gold Cup event saw torrential rain. After Qualifying Chris Lord sat just in front of Drew Cameron on the grid. Marc Mercer’s weekend was curtailed by gearbox gremlins and despite incredible efforts from his crew the car wouldn’t appear again over the weekend. As the lights went out 28 FF2000 cars headed towards the first corner in driving rain and thick spray. Drew Cameron, debuting in his Royale RP27, took the lead from Chris Lord. The wet conditions appeared to suit the softly sprung older car. Ken Thorogood came from 4th through to take third place with Andrew Lancaster and Glyn Davies close behind. The conditions were appalling but the race ran its full course and Drew Cameron held on for the win.

 

The Monday finally gave us some Clear weather and the bonus of a dry track. Chris Lord made up for lost ground by catching and passing Drew Cameron for the lead, before going on to take a well deserved victory. Drew lost a front wheel in the chicane before Knickerbrook. A Centre pin had broken and the Royale came to a standstill in the gravel trap. Andrew Lancaster came through the field to take an impressive second place from Ken Thorogood and Glyn Davies.

 

Croft Nostalgia – Rounds 5 & 6 – 4-5th August 2018

Andrew Lancaster took his first URS Classic FF2000 victory in Round 5 at Croft Nostalgia. He put in a flawless display to hold of the charging Chris Lord and took a richly deserved victory. Drew Cameron came home third, followed home by Rod Toft, Glyn Davies and John Conway.

 

Round 6 of the series proved to be a war of attrition. Rod Toft took a famous win from John Conway in P2. Andrew Lancaster had looked set for a second lights to flag victory before an exit into the gravel after a safety car period ended his race. Chris Lord and Drew Cameron both failed to finish with gearbox gremlins and a wishbone failure ended their races early.

 

Silverstone Historic GP – Rounds 3 & 4  –  17th June  2018

Rounds 3 and 4 of the 2018 Classic FF2000 series took place at the HSCC International Trophy on the challenging Silverstone Historic GP Circuit. A bumper grid of 16 cars included the returning faces of past URS champion Ian Pearson and his father Bob, in their pair of Royale RP30s. A new face to the grid, Ben Stiles, who has joined this year driving the immaculate ex-Paul Burt Van Diemen RF82 and Daniel Clayfield in Class B.
 
Qualifying kicked off in drizzly conditions but most still opted for slicks. Bob Pearson’s Royale was an early casualty when he made contact with the barrier after being caught out in the damp at the fast Chapel Curve. Slicks proved to be the correct choice as the circuit quickly cleared and times dropped. As expected, Ian Pearson set a very comfortable pace and put the car on pole by over second from newcomer Ben Stiles. Next up was Drew Cameron, Colin Wright and Chris Levy in fifth. 
 
Race 1 started under a rolling start as is the norm for this event.  All got away on the first lap cleanly and the front positions stayed as they were. An overly optimistic move by Andrew Lancaster trying to pass Erik Pagano at Brooklands on lap 2 resulted in Erik being pushed around and stalling, leaving him out of the race. Drew Cameron ran in third for most of the race but started to suffer with an overheating engine, he limped round and heroically pushed it over the line (….Nigel Mansell would have been proud). Ian Pearson took a clear win, running amongst the F3s, from Ben Stiles in 2nd, making a fantastic debut in FF2000.  Chris Levy fought a close race with Colin Wright before passing him in the final stages to take the final podium spot. Colin Wright took 4th and the class B win.  Andrew Lancaster finished the race in 5th, Chris Lord 6th and another returning face, Amnon Needham, 7th. 
 
Race 2 started in the order of race 1 finish. Ian Pearson took another dominant lights to flag win from Ben Stiles in 2nd, again showing some very impressive pace. Andrew Lancaster just overcame Chris Levy to take third but nearly lost it with a deflating front tyre.  Erik Pagano, who had started at the back of the grid, cut through the field to take 5th from Amnon Needham in 6th and Richard Cooke 7th.  More great racing was has had elsewhere in the field with Rodney Toft or Peter Finnigan in a race long tussle for 8th with Rod eventually coming out on top. The field was brought home by Glyn Davies and Dan Clayfield. Unfortunately Chris Lord was unable to finish due to a back injury and John Conway DNF.
 
Next up is Round 5 & 6 at the Croft Nostalgia Weekend  on the 4/5th August where the Classic FF2000s will join the Historic cars for another capacity grid.  Be sure to come along or follow it online!

 

Donington Park – Rounds 1 & 2  –  8th April 2018

The opening two rounds of the year were held at a rather chilly and overcast Donington Park. The Classic FF2000s joined the Classic F3 cars for a busy day of qualifying and two races squeezed into the one day.

Qualifying:

Erik Pagano, returning from a URS hiatus, took pole by 0.4s from Chris Levy in second and Drew Cameron in third. There were a number complaints from drivers of being slower than their usual pace at Donington. Nevertheless, the URS cars were well spread amongst the more powerful F3 machines demonstrating the capabilities of these great little cars!

Round 1:

Erik Pagano made a good start from pole. Drew Cameron kept the gap but it looked set for Pagano to take the win.

An uncharacteristic spin from Chris Levy, struggling on oil dropped by a car ahead, left him well buried in the gravel at the exit of the chicane. This forced the safety car out for a couple of laps. On the restart Pagano, forced to tighten his line on cold tyres, spun into the infield at Redgate and left Drew Cameron to take the lead. Cameron nearly handed the lead on to Chris Lord a lap later after outbraking himself into Redgate but gathered it up to take the win. Chris Lord took second and a recovering Pagano, third.

Behind the lead three, Clive wood finished ahead of Classic FF2000’s stalwart, Rodney Toft and Jeff Williams, 6th. Richard Cooke sadly retired on Lap 3 and would also not make it out for the second race.


Round 2:

Some drizzle and reports from previous races of the track becoming very slippery put the tyre choice for race 2 into question. The majority stuck with slicks but a few, including Chris Lord, opted to chance the wets.

Drew Cameron made a good start to maintain the lead but a rapid Chris Lord overcame Cameron in the tricky conditions to take the lead and was second overall by lap 3. It became apparent after a few laps that that the race was coming back to the slick-shod cars. A nudge from a following car forced Lord to make a trip through the gravel and with overheating tyres he decided to call it a day and pulled off.

Erik Pagano was back in the lead but later also had a coming together with a Ralt F3 car on lap 10. This left him stuck in the gravel at the Old Hairpin and out of the race.

Meanwhile, Chris Levy, who had been forced to start from the back of the grid, drove a faultless race and managed to work his way passed Clive Wood and Drew Cameron to take lead.  After 13 years of trying, Chris took a very much deserved first win in Classic FF2000. Drew Cameron finished second and Clive Wood took the last podium spot. A much reduced FF2000 field was brought home by Rodney Toft and Jeff Williams.

 
 

 

Series Results:
 

                                         Donington Park                  Silverstone GP                        Croft                Oulton Park          Brands Hatch           Silverstone Nat.

                                           R1               R2                     R3             R4                     R5             R6           R7        R8             R9          R10               R11          R12

URA:

6     I. Pearson                                                               P1                      P1

11  J. Williams                P6                  P5                                                                                                                                          P3         P4

12  A. Cameron             P1                   P2                           P7                       DNS           P3        DNF          P1       DNF

16  R. Cooke                 DNF               DNS                        P8                       P7                                                                              P2           P3

20  H. Bishop

33  M. Mercer                                                                                                                                                     DNS     DNS

34  P. Finnigan                                                                    P12                   P9                                                                                                                             P7        P6

35  J. Conway                                                                      P11                    P11             P6        P2

40 K. Thorogood                                                                                                                                                  P3       P3

44 R. Pearson                                                                      DNF                    DNS

49  G. Davies                                                                       P10                      P10             P5        DNF           DNF     P4                                                       P5            DNF

50 C. Wood                     P4                    P3                                                                                                                                                                                   P4            P2

55 J. Finch                                                                                                                                                                                                DNS            P2

56  B. Stiles                                                                          P2                         P2

57  C. Levy                       DNF                 P1                      P3                          P4                                                                                                                       P1            P3

77    E. Pagano                 P3                  DNF                    P13                        P5

80  M. Dunham

98  R. Toft                      P5                      P4                       P9                        P8             P4        P1                                                                                        P6            P5

117  C. Lord                    P2                   DNF                      P5                        P12             P2        DNF            P2        P1                    P1         P1                P3            P4

144 A. Lancaster                                                                  P4                        P3             P1        DNF          P4        P3                                                          P2            P1

149  A. Needham                                                                 P6                         P6

URB:

31  D. Clayfield                                                                P2                         P2

41  D. Mercer               DNS                DNS

71. Wil Arif                                                                                                                                                                                         P1      P1

75  C. Wright                                                                     P1                        P1

188. S. Blakeney                                                                                                                                                                                                                     P1           P1

Ex-Champions from 1987-2018:

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