auto italia 79CLASSIC ALFA CHALLENGE: SILVERSTONE
11.93sec) on lap nine. By the end of lap 10, Chris was
running a comfortable 6.7sec clear of David Alexander
with Richard Merrell now third, a further 6sec back and
gaining. Drake, Neumann, Wright and Jupe were next in
line. Alex Jupe’s Alfetta, running a strong seventh at
this stage, was starting to smoke but with gauges
showing nothing alarming, Alex decided to carry on. It
transpired that the dipstick had not been pushed home
and oil was escaping into the engine compartment.
By the end of lap 14 it was clear that Richard Merrell
would take second place from David Alexander, which
he did a lap later when the latter ran wide at
Brooklands. Despite his progress in terms of positions,
Richard had not actually closed the time gap to Chris.
Neumann received a black-and-orange flag for dropping
fluid and pulled into the pits on lap 17, where a split
fuel filler cap rubber seal was detected, allowing petrol
to escape – a sad end to a fine drive. Also unlucky was
Richard Drake, who missed a gear and had to retire on
lap 21 with a damaged engine.
With 30 minutes gone and 25 laps completed, a
delighted Chris Snowdon crossed the line to take his
second Classic Alfa Challenge win, easing off and
heading Richard Merrell home by 8.19sec. David
Alexander kept pushing hard to finish third but
was 30sec adrift at the flag. James Wright led
Bernard Hartogs, Alex Jupe, Richard Ibrahim (Alfasud
Sprint), Jonathan Horsfield, Lawrence Alexander and
Gavin Watson home. It was good to see Richard
Leggett and Henry Chase bring their Alfettas
home in 14th and 15th. III