Pembrey Race Report

From the roller-coaster ribbon of tarmac of Cadwell Park, the Super Mighty Minis Championship headed to the somewhat flatter terrain of Pembrey, Wales, for the finale of the 2017 Championship. And what a finale it would be with 3 action packed races before the championship would be decided.

Clearly the memo about an Indian summer didn’t reach Pembrey where the mid-October weather was decidedly autumnal. Though damp this didn’t detract from the action in qualifying where Alex Comis in the Mini Spares car put in a time that would see him start from the 3rd row.

The grey sky showed no sign of breaking up as the cars were called for race 1 of the weekend. Comis got a flying start though with the pack heading to the hairpin, anything could happen. Taking a tight line, Comis was looking good until getting a tap from behind. Collecting the slide, Comis lost ground but was soon on the attack picking off two places within the first lap. Comis was now up to 5th, and a race long battle with the Kirkpatricks ensued. As things started to heat up between the 2 brothers towards the closing stages, Comis got the switch back at the hairpin and found himself in 2nd place. On the back straight, Nev Kirkpatrick had the tow and got past before Honda corner. Now with backmarkers in the mix, there was another level of complexity that could make or break the race. With the three cars of Comis and the 2 Kirkpatrick brothers within millimetres of each other, it was going to be close and at the flag, only a fraction of a second split them with Comis in 4th.

In Parc Ferme, Alex gave his impressions of the 1st of 3 races. “That was an epic race. Those boys [Kirkpatrick s] know every trick in the book so it’s always going to be entertaining but we were all being fair. 4th is reasonable though hopefully I can do better in the next 2 races.

Race 2 of the weekend was a similar affair. Comis found himself at the back of the pack going in to the hairpin for the first time, however, he was soon on the move and making up 3 places in the opening laps. By mid-distance, he was challenging Dave Kirkpatrick as Dave Rees was backing the pack up into the hairpin. This gave Nev Kirkpatrick the opportunity to close up and join the party. At the flag, again there was nothing to between the four of them though Comis could only manage 6th after getting caught out by some back markers. He did, however, manage to bag vital points for fastest lap of the race.

“A shame I couldn’t put together that lap in qualy” joked Comis in the Paddock.

“I’m not thrilled with 6th, I don’t think it reflects the pace; waived yellows [flags] at a crucial time then backmarkers really didn’t play to my favour but still great to bag fastest lap.”

On to the final race of the weekend, and the long 2017 Championship, the “Supers” launched off the grid for one last time. From 4th, Comis found himself in 1st place within half a lap. By lap 3, however, the newly crowned Champion, Scott Kendal, made a move and snatched the lead. By mid-distance, Comis had slipped to 3rd and then, again, a battle between Comis and Nev Kirkpatrick dominated the race. Unbelievably close, these two racers battled every corner, giving each other just enough room, but nothing more! With Comis in 4th, but with nothing much in it, they again approached backmarkers. Picking them off one by one, Nev and Alex were looking for any advantage. On the last lap the pair of them, nose-to-tail, passed the last pack of backmarkers and then bang! One of the backmarkers seemed to turn in on Comis, clipping his rear wheel. With the car crabbing, there was clearly damage though this didn’t stop Comis passing other backmarkers and crossing the line, amazingly, still in 4th place.

“Ahh, that was a brilliant race with Nev [Kirkpatrick], we could not have been closer and both managed to race each other hard, but without any contact. But it was close at times! I don’t know what happened on the last lap. It was a very strange place to have contact, on a straight, and it ruined my chance for 3rd: I knew where I was quicker than Nev, and it was through Honda, onto the start finish straight. My plan was to try and snatch 3rd at the line. Still, it’s been a great season. The Mini Spares car has been working really well and taking 3rd overall in the championship is a great result for all the hard work. Roll on next season!”

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