The British Open Championship returned to Bath for the first time in 4 years on 26 January 2003. This was the last but one round of the 2002/3 BOC.
Thanks to Roy Norwood , Steve Harwood and all at the Bath club for such an enjoyable meeting. (lots of us will be back on 2nd March for a Southern 32 round). Also thanks to Dave Coward and Mark Witham for helping run the meeting.
Two shots of the Bath track from the driver's rostrum. At Bath the drivers stand at one end and the cars are mostly going away and towards the drivers (unlike many tracks where drivers stand alongside the longest straight and the cars mostly go from side to side) .
(Photo Copyright C.Frost)
Congratulations to James Cleave - two wins and a second giving him yet another maximum points score, (which in fact will be a dropped when the championship is calculated, he'd already scored the maximum possible championship score!) Charlie Gooding gave James a close race, with a win and two seconds. Vince Lee and Mike Gibbons contested their first rounds of the championship, and both achieved excellent results.
Here's the top dozen in each class, and also the top dozen in the Championship. James has already taken the championship, with Charlie looking pretty secure in second. Mick Langridge now leads a bunch of 4 grade B drivers in the title chase, while the grade C is wide open. A full report will be appearing in "Slot Car Racing News".
| 1 | James Cleave |
| 2 | Charlie Gooding |
| 3 | Brian Saunders |
| 4 | Ian Fisher |
| 5 | Keith Gibson |
| 6 | Dave Coward |
| 7 | Mike Gibbons |
| 8 | Chris Frost |
| 9 | Mick Langridge |
| 10 | Mick Thomson |
| 11 | Vince Lee |
| 12 | Neil Obee |
| 1 | James Cleave |
| 2 | Charlie Gooding |
| 3 | Keith Gibson |
| 4 | Neil Obee |
| 5 | Graham Woodward |
| 6 | Vince Lee |
| 7 | Dave Coward |
| 8 | Mike Gibbons |
| 9 | Mick Langridge |
| 10 | Ian Fisher |
| 11 | Chris Frost |
| 12 | Mark Witham |
| 1 | Charlie Gooding |
| 2 | James Cleave |
| 3 | Keith Gibson |
| 4 | Vince Lee |
| 5 | Ian Fisher |
| 6 | Dave Coward |
| 7 | Neil Obee |
| 8 | Chris Frost |
| 9 | Mark Witham |
| 10 | Mike Gibbons |
| 11 | Mick Langridge |
| 12 | Brian Saunders |
| 1 | J.Cleave | 100.00 |
| 2 | C.Gooding | 93.83 |
| 3 | N.Obee | 85.50 |
| 4 | B.Saunders | 85.50 |
| 5 | K.Gibson | 84.00 |
| 6 | G.Woodward | 77.17 |
| 7 | I.Fisher | 77.00 |
| 8 | P.Harwood | 67.20 |
| 9 | M.Langridge | 64.50 |
| 10 | C.Frost | 61.20 |
| 11 | M.Witham | 58.67 |
| 12 | D.Coward | 57.20 |
Above - James Cleave's winning Saloon - his Nationals winning Betta chassis
(Photo Copyright N.Connolly)
The Saloon A final drivers James Cleave (red) Ian Fisher (green) Brian Saunders (yellow) Charlie Gooding (blue)
(Photo Copyright C.Frost)
James Cleave's winning Grand Prix car
(Photo Copyright M.Witham)
(Photo Copyright C.Frost)
Above the car and driver line up at the start of the a final - Dave Coward (red) Charlie Gooding (green) Brian Saunders (yellow) and Graham Woodward (blue). On the left of he rostrum is Mark Witham ready to marshall.
Left - Charlie Gooding's winning Tornado 2b Sports car
(Photos Copyright C.Frost)
Copyright © 2003 British Slot Car Racing Association include photographs that are copyright N.Connolly, M.Witham and C.Frost All rights reserved