Cliffe well back on track
DRIVING ace Tristan Cliffe, from Mulbarton, went to the daunting Thruxton circuit in Hampshire determined to make amends for missing his last race at Brands - and did it in style.
DRIVING ace Tristan Cliffe, from Mulbarton, went to the daunting Thruxton circuit in Hampshire determined to make amends for missing his last race at Brands - and did it in style.
He was a little apprehensive as he had not driven this circuit before, which is the fastest in the UK.
Qualifying was held in tricky damp conditions, some drivers chose wet tyres, others, Cliffe included, chose slicks.
He took pole position by seven seconds ahead of Jeremy Timms' similar car, and 11 seconds ahead of last year's champion, Neil Harrison.
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The race was delayed due to a very serious accident in the GT Cup race, and after a four-hour wait the race was on.
Cliffe stalled at the start and by some miracle all of the other 30 drivers avoided his stricken car. He managed to restart and gave chase, but was at the very back of the field.
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By the end of the first lap he was already in 16th place, eighth on lap two, fifth on the third tour but still 22 seconds behind the leader.
On lap five he passed Arty Cameron for second but was still 14 seconds behind Timms. He cut the defect by two seconds a lap until the final stages of the very last lap, where Cliffe had one chance, which he took.
He passed the leader into the tight chicane, but Timms had a better line and re-took the position and crossed the finish line just 1.2 seconds ahead of Cliffe.
During this race Cliffe smashed the existing lap record by almost three seconds. Timms set the lap record last year at 1:15.339.
Cliffe's new lap record is 1:12.729 or an average speed of 117mph! The next race is in a fortnight at Anglesey.
