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The LMA Euro Saloons retuned to Castle Combe after missing out here last season. The bumpy circuit would prove a challenging venue for many. Another good entry saw 27 cars competing, maintaining the series high
average grid (27) this season.
 Qualifying
Local driver Dave Nixon headed the qualifying times with his Class B Rover
Tomcat by over a second from Class A leader Tony Soper, back in the Alfa Romeo GTV6. Most drivers were complaining of poor lap times due to oil having been dropped on the entry line to The Esses, certainly more
drivers had stories of big moments there than those who didn't.
Just off the front row, sterling performances from Andrew Ludlow (Rover Metro) and Steve McIntyre (VW Golf) saw them head
the other front runners in Classes B and C respectively. Pete Simpson returned in the Lancia integrale Evo to qualify 6th even though he lost a brake servo hose early in the session.
In the other classes, Tim Morgan-Barrett headed Class D, Simon Taylor was well out front in E with Simon Jackson and Alan Duly heading Classes F and G.
Race
After a cold morning, the sun came out in the afternoon. Certainly lap times were mostly 3-4 seconds faster in the afternoon although some of this may be due to the oil dropped in
qualifying. Tony Soper made a very good start at the front of the field and got away quickly from Dave Nixon with Pete Simpson sitting in close attendance in 3rd, these three breaking
away from the pack. A good clean start despite 27 cars rushing into Quarry saw a lot of position swapping further back. Andrew Ludlow looked set for a quiet race in 4th, adrift of the
front three but with too much for the following cars, but a big moment followed by a collision and damage to his radiator ended his race just over half way through.
 At the front Soper's lead steadily increased over Nixon, and slowly Nixon pulled away from Simpson. Richard Buckley
was chasing hard after Steve McIntyre in order to maintain his 100% class win record and on lap 5 he got passed, from where he went on to win Class C once again, McIntyre holding on for second in
Class C. Dave Nixon had Class B sewn up, but Jason Holmes in a similar Rover Tomcat split the two Class C leaders to finish 5th overall and second in Class B thus maintaining his championship charge.
Simon Taylor justified his playing of the joker to romp away with Class E from Lee Scott, Taylor now heads the championship by 2 points from Buckley. Classes D, F and G were
won by Tim Morgan-Barrett, Simon Jackson and Alan Duly, despite Jackson having his rear bumper rearranged by the Ludlow Metro.
The race ended with a win for Soper by 8 seconds with Nixon finishing second 6 seconds ahead of Simpson.
Simon Taylor now leads the championship with 86 points from Richard Buckley (84) and Jason Holmes (78).
Overall :Winner: Tony Soper (Alfa Romeo GTV6), 2nd Dave Nixon (Rover 220 Turbo), 3rd Pete Simpson (Lancia integrale Evo), 4th Richard Buckley (Honda Integra), 5th Jason Holmes (Rover
Tomcat), 6th Steve McIntyre (VW Golf)
Class Winners: Class A Soper, Class B Nixon, Class C Buckley, Class D Tim Morgan-Barrett (VW
Golf), Class E Simon Taylor (Honda Civic), Class F Simon Jackson (Vauxhall Nova), Class G Alan Duly (Ford Fiesta).
( Click here for more photos )
Report by Trevor Nicosia, Car 10
Photos courtesy of Roger Barker
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