Servo Failure Halts Howell Charge
Round 4 of the 2007 RRCi championship brought the drivers to the home of Coventry Model Car Club to race on their recently created grass/dirt track. For once the great British weather worked in the organisers favour for, despite a lot of rain around the region,
Baginton was relatively dry in the preceding few days and so they held firm on their decision to use the dirt track and not the well known Astroturf track adjacent. As it was the sun shone most of the day further proving CMCC?s optimism.
Round-by-round qualifying was the format chosen by race director Les Hobday, with the best two scores from four rounds to count. CML team driver Jon Howells drove his new Picco powered HoBao Hyper 8.5 to pole position in round one with team mate Andy Reynolds not too far back in fifth. Both drivers choosing HoBao angle spikes to deal with the early morning dampness.
Gradually the track began to dry out and several ruts and holes were opened up by the passage of more than 70 buggies and truggies. The battle to take TQ was fierce; Greg Hill was very strong in rounds two and three, leaving Jon with a tough job in the final round on a deteriorating surface if he was to add another TQ point to his championship haul. Sadly it wasn?t to be and Jon eventually lined up third behind Greg and second placed Jess Saunders. Meanwhile Andy was relieved to make the last A-final spot in tenth after a promising final round run was ended prematurely.
Both Jon and Andy stuck with their tried and trusted Pro-Line tyres, the pair settling on Crimefighters for the final round qualifying and the A final.
Mathematically today was the first opportunity for Jon to win this year?s series and so defend his 2006 title, but circumstances would prevent this as a steering servo failure while leading the A-final put paid to his efforts. Meanwhile, after the usual first corner pile-up, Andy patiently worked his way up to fifth place by half way. And with support from Jon?s girlfriend Claire and fellow CML team driver Liam Galvin working in the pits to keep the O?Donnell fuel flowing, Andy kept it clean to come home in fifth, and so stays third in the championship.
The eventual winner was Jess Saunders followed home by Mark Redmond and Greg Hill.
Can Jon do what it takes to win the championship at his home track of Frankley in round five on 12th August? Wait and see!
