Boss Racing blog

It was the closest finish ever seen in a Classic and Sports Car Club race: the first three cars crossing the line separated by just two tenths of a second after 40 minutes of racing, pit stops and a safety car interlude.

The Gold Arts Magnificent Sevens race run on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit on 1 September was dominated by cars prepared and entered by Boss Racing. The previous weekend these same cars and drivers had done the same in both the CSCC Open Series races run on the Indy circuit.

Classic and Sports Car Club, Brands Hatch Indy circuit, 25 and 26 August 

We were supporting cars competing in two of the series being run over the blisteringly hot Bank Holiday weekend for in addition to the Sevens were also looking after Keith Vaughn Williams’ TVR Chimaera.

This car, which has now acquired the nickname of Christine from the movie of that name about a car with a mind of its own, was entered in the Cartek Modern Classics race which opened the week-end’s programme.

Keith qualified sixth on the grid but in the race he moved steadily up the field as some of the quicker runners dropped out. His pit stop went well and he was helped by a safety car interlude. At the finish he was second, 22 sec behind the winner.

Drivers of Boss Racing-supported cars took a clean sweep of the grid for the first of the two Verum Builders Open Series races. Tim Davis (C400 2400) was quickest, followed by Christian Pittard (Seven 2500), Colin Watson (C400 2400 “Spa Special”), Hugh Coulter (C400 2000) and Richard Carter, who had replaced the 2.5L engine in his R300 with a 2.0L unit. Peter Hargroves (Superlight R 2000) was tenth and the father and son team of Will and Charlie Redman started 15th in their 420R 1998.

Tim took the lead at the start and held it for the first eight laps with Christian and Colin in close attendance. But Tim suffered a soft brake pedal and dropped back to third at the finish with Christian in his bright orange car 2 sec ahead of Colin at the flag.

Richard was fourth and first in class, but Hugh inadvertently turned his ignition off while changing gear and coasted into the pits with a dead engine. We managed to get him on his way quite quickly and he finished eighth, just one place ahead of Hugh. The Redmans finished 12th. Colin recorded the fastest lap with Richard quickest in his class.

Colin started the second race from pole position with Tim alongside him. Richard was third, while Charlie Redman started seventh. Christian elected not to start this race and Peter was also a non-starter.

Tim led from start to finish with Colin close behind, although he dropped back with gearbox box issues to finish just over seven secs behind. Richard was fourth and Charlie Redman eighth. Tim put up fastest lap with Richard again quickest in his class.

MSVR Club Championships, Brands Hatch 31 August/1 September

With the series celebrating its first decade, the lure of driving on the grand prix circuit attracted a big field for the Magnificent Sevens race on 1 September with a total of 51 entries.

In qualifying Tim Davis was fastest of them all with a time three-tenths of a second quicker than the next runner with Christian Pittard fourth and brother Jonathan in his matt black supercharged CSR 2500 fifth. Colin Watson in the number 92 C400 2400 was credited with sixth place after being penalised for exceeding track limits. Hugh Coulter was tenth and first in class, while series co-ordinator Peter French (Superlight 1800) was 47th.

The stage was now set for what Autosport described as “frantic action” and that’s what we got. Christian leap-frogged Tim from the second row of the grid but Tim soon passed him to build a comfortable lead, while Jonathan and Colin tussled for fourth. A safety car interlude encouraged Jonathan to be the first of the Boss runners to make his pit stop with Christian following him.

Tim fell to fifth after his stop but soon powered back to second place. This became first when the leader made an unscheduled second stop and he again opened a gap to Christian and Colin. They reeled him in, however, so that the order was closing up again towards the end of the race. Colin dropped back after a quick trip into the gravel at Clearways and Christian snatched the lead from Tim on the last lap.

As Britain’s three fastest Caterham Sevens rocketed out of the last corner on the last lap a determined Tim squeezed past Christian in what Autosport described as an “audacious move.”  Tim said later: “I wanted that one.” he said later. Christian had the consolation of recording the fastest lap. Hugh Coulter was also quickest in his class.

In addition, Tim Ralph (25th), Alex Harbour (27th), Ben Rowsell (33rd) and Chris Biglin (DNF) were all using engines built by Boss Racing.
The result of this Mag Sevens race meant that three different Caterham variants in various stages of development recorded almost identical lap times in their domination of the what is now recognised as the fastest of all the many series for Caterham-type cars.

To put this achievement into perspective, Tim Davis’ pole-winning time would have placed him tenth on the grid for the GT Cup Championship, the week-end’s feature race.

And that’s a great tribute not only to our determined and skilful drivers but also to the whole Boss team who have worked hard to give their customers a unique opportunity.