After a fairly moist outing at Silverstone, rain - not Pete Sparrow, was looking like becoming the dominant force in 2CV racing in 2008! The forecast was pretty bleak as the cars rolled in to Pembrey Circuit on the South coast of Wales.

However, Pete Sparrow set the pace in qualifying with a gap of nearly a second to Matt Riley, with Mark Turner and Christian Callandar/Gary Byatt not far behind.

There was some controversy in the paddock before the event. The Tete Rouge team, Trevor Williams, and one other car were deemed 'ineligible' by the scrutineers for having sliding seat mounts. It was judged by the scrutineers that slots cut into seat mounts were not acceptable. Due to driver changes during 2CV races, quite a few cars had these slots built in, to allow quick changes of seating position, and some hasty last-minute modifications were needed to get the cars to pass technical inspection. All of the cars, barring Trevor Williams', were modified and passed scrutineering. Sadly, Trevor took no part in the meeting.

On a fairly dry track just after lunch, Pete converted that pole position to a lead on lap 1, and as the pack steamed into Hatchetts Hairpin, an audible gasp was heard from the commentators and spectators alike, as 26 cars piled into the tight right hander at more or less the same moment. A few went wide, but there were no accidents. Riley settled into 2nd, Turner 3rd. It was 4 abreast for the lead into Brooklands on lap 1.

Steve Panas came charging through from 6th on lap one, up to 2nd on lap two, almost swapping places with Matt Riley, who slipped down to 5th. Darren Baker and Richard Hollis were looking feisty further down the field.

A lead change on lap 3 saw Mark Turner claim the place at Hatchets. Phil Myatt had got past Matt Riley and was making up ground. Richard Hollis was now playing with chairman Aubrey Brocklebank, and Pete Sparrow had not given up the fight - going around the outside of Brooklands and Honda curve. This slowed the leaders up a little, and gave Phil Myatt the opportunity to go for the lead. Sure enough, on the charge down to Hatchets on lap 4, Phil was in the lead, with Matt Riley clinging on to his coat tails in 2nd, then Panas, Sparrow, Martin Hindley, and Turner making up the top 6.

The Hollis brothers were challenging Aubrey and Darren Baker, but as the lead cars charged into the hairpin once more, it was Hindley's turn to take the lead, closely followed by Myatt. Pete Sparrow was briefly demoted to 4th, but was challenging again for the lead the next time around. Bumpers were being bashed up and down the field now, with battles going on between all of the top 6. Matt Riley spun at Dibeni, and Benjy Straw entered the race, over 5 laps down, from the pitlane, at about the same time that Nick Roads was making an unscheduled pit stop. Darren Baker was now in a Hollis sandwich further down the field, with Richard Hollis just slightly ahead.

As the leaders came through to complete 7 laps, Pete Sparrow was once again on top, with Hindley in 2nd, followed by Myatt, Panas, Andy Smith, Turner, Callander, Wheeler, and Pirt making up the top 9. Panas dropped back a few places, and Smith and Turner swapped places on lap 8, and Myatt and Turner swapping on lap 9. Turner was now 3rd. Chairman Aubrey was fighting off the attentions of Wayne 'Gadgit' Cowling.

Turner and Hindley were neck and neck at Hatchets on lap 10, with the former just taking the lead. Sparrow 3rd and Smith 4th, with Myatt and Callander completing the top 6 group. Wayne was now being hassled by Steve Cowell as the field was starting to get a little strung out. Hindley took the lead around the hairpin for lap 11, with Turner dropping back a few places, and Andy Smith coming through to 2nd. Neil Thompson was battling for 12th place with Steve Jaques.

Smith led briefly for lap 12, but by the next lap it was Sparrow back to the front. Turner now in 2nd, and Smith back down to 3rd. Richard Hollis was now keeping Sammie Fritchley honest, while brother Matthew was fending off Darren Baker.

Sparrow and Myatt were now side-by-side for the lead on lap 14. Then Turner, Smith, then a little gap before the next gaggle of cars. Jaques was pushing Thompson hard, while Fritchley and Panas were pushing Richard Hollis.

Turner took back the lead around the hairpin on lap 15, with a little pushing from Myatt. Sparrow in third. Jaques now just ahead of Thompson, and the battle was really on between Smith, Callander and Hindley for 5th. There was some contact. Myatt and Turner took turns for the lead on laps 16 and 17, with Hindley now in 3rd and Callander 4th. Sparrow dropped back a little from the leading 4 cars, possibly due to some damage at Honda. Rich Hollis had split up Jaques and Thompson, and Sammie was now being threatened by Derek Coghill in 'Nessie', with Derek really leaning his head into the corners more like a bike rider.

The final lap came after 25 minutes of hard fought action - lap 18, and Myatt was in charge at the front with Turner in very close company, then Callander, Hindley, Smith, Riley, Sparrow, Pirt, then Panas. Sparrow's car was smoking from one of the tyres. Then another little group, Rich Hollis, Neil Thompson, Steve Jaques, Derek Coghill and Sammie Fritchley. Then a gap to Helen Deeley, then Matt Hollis and Darren Baker.

At the front, Turner was on a charge on the last lap, and made a last minute drive around the outside of Myatt to take the win. Myatt took 2nd and Callander 3rd. 4th went to Hindley, then Andy Smith, Matt Riley, and Pete Sparrow with a rubbing tyre taking 7th, just ahead of Pirt, Panas, and Wheeler making up the top 10.

Click here for the full results sheet (PDF format)
More pictures in the site gallery, here and here.