Caterham Academy Drivers Ready for Castle Combe Challenge

16 August 2006

Britain's newest batch of racing drivers will enjoy their maiden taste of circuit racing on Bank Holiday Monday (Aug 28) when the 2006 evo Caterham Academy competitors take to the track at Castle Combe in Wiltshire.

This season 48 rookie competitors have been learning all about motorsport through the Academy's unique blend of training and varied track disciplines. The championship has brought competitors to their first-ever race via sprint events at Aintree, Curborough, Bentwaters and Lydden Hill and a hillclimb at Harewood.

The concept of Caterham's race-training championship is just right, and the price offers fantastic value. Cost to compete in 2007 is just £16,995, which includes a road-legal 1.6-litre Caterham Roadsport to keep, track licence exam, training seminars and all event and championship fees.

The championship is open to all novices from 16 up, and attracts people from all walks of life. Among this season's intake is a primary school teacher, a tax accountant, CAD designers, City workers, students, company MDs and even a police officer…

So large is the field that the championship is split into two distinct grids. In Group 1, 29-year-old Morgan Parry is the man to beat. A chartered surveyor from Cheshire, Morgan has won all three sprints and the hillclimb to record a perfect score.

Will he be able to keep up the momentum on a full race track for the first time or can the Academy's youngest driver, 17-year-old Lewis Hopkins, from Winchester, narrow the 14-point gap? Lewis was second to Morgan in the sprints at Aintree and Bentwaters.

The other Group 1 podium finishers this season are Stephen Oates, Andrew Thomas, Duncan Winner, Richard Edwards and Westwood-based Matthew Withers, one of two Wiltshire runners.

Group 2 is somewhat closer, with four different drivers having won each round. Points leader is 36-year-old London-based marketing chief Andrew Bell, who topped the scoreboard at Lydden last time out.

Bell is seven points clear of Harewood round victor Nico Master and a further four points ahead of the top man at Curborough, James Sharrock. Aintree victor Barry Smith languishes 12th after a no-score at Harewood.

Group 2's other podium men are Paul Latimer, Michael Elliott, Simon Turner, Steven Wood and James Palmer.

Backers for Caterham Motorsport's UK and European race series include Autosport, Bilstein, Brian James Trailers, Caged, Cheesman Products, Comma, Cosworth, Cooper-Avon Tyres, Demon Tweeks, evo, HSBC Insurance Brokers, Mitchell Cotts, Motorsport News and Stack.

See series calendars for all 2006 Caterham Championships

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