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MAGIC MURPHY

from BRSCC Yearbook 2022-23

from BRSCC Yearbook 2022-23, page 48

2023: NEW HORIZONS

The Avon Tyres Northern & Super Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship once again provided some thrilling single-seater action on circuits around the North of England. Dave Williams is the man to introduce you to another excellent year of racing.

Of those drivers registered for points in SCA, John Murphy swept the board at each of the six double-header meetings. His Van Diemen RF90 was typically fastest in qualifying and regularly took the chequered flag first. He also picked up the extra points for fastest lap in class in 11 out of the 12 rounds, only Alaric Gordon (Swift SC92F) denied him a very Grand Slam by beating Murphy to fastest lap by half a second at Oulton Park’s opening round.

Murphy also took overall wins at rounds one and two at Oulton Park but found SCB entrant Nick Barnes (Swift FB89), able to give him a run for his money at Croft. Murphy twice made the best start in the North East but Barnes had the most pace this weekend. His quest to take the lead in race one was thwarted when the red flags came out but he was able to make a pass and seize victory when the second encounter ran its full duration.

On the series’ first visit of the year to Anglesey, Murphy had to pass the SCB Van Diemen RF88 of Peter Daly in the first encounter and Gordon in the second to take a brace of overall wins. Having yielded the lead, Gordon had a spectacular exit from the race when Garath Buckingham’s Van Diemen RF88 rode up onto the top of his Swift and briefly trapped him in the cockpit.

It was hot, hot, hot when the series resumed after the Moose Trophy at Oulton Park in July and headed back to Anglesey in mid-August. The sultry weather meant tyre management was the order of the day and when Murphy’s rubber began to fade in the closing stages of race one, SCB driver Andrew Schofield nipped ahead in his

Reynard 89FF to see the chequered flag first. The weather had cooled for the second encounter so Murphy’s tyres were in better shape enabling him to pass Schofield and remain ahead to take the overall win.

Moose Trophy winner Callum Grant reappeared to run as a guest at Donington Park in a Van Diemen RF91 and was uncatchable. He gave many drivers competing in the same races for National Championship points plenty to think about and was the only person to beat Murphy in a SCA car this season.

Again, Murphy missed out on overall victory when the series returned to Oulton Park in October for the final pair of rounds. This time he had to give best to Doug Crosbie who was running as a guest in SCB behind the wheel of a Van Diemen RF89. Murphy was struggling with an engine issue and finished race two behind Nick Barnes who was in the process of claiming the SCB title.

Barnes had suffered with a lack of engine power for much of the season but was always close to the front-runners.

Doug Crosbie’s dad, Paul, steered his Van Diemen to the SCC championship while the SCD title went to Phil Nelson (Hawke DL2B) who enjoyed many battles with Merlyn Mk20 driver Roger Arnold.

For 2023, this series will be solely for Super Classic Pre ’99 FF1600 cars. The final winner of the Post ’98 Northern Championship was Peter Atkinson who took part in both of the Anglesey meetings in his Van Diemen RF02.