Scalextric JGTC_ GT3 Series
Race 1
Race 2
Race 3
Race 4
Race 5
Race 6
Race 7
Final Points
Race Results & Reports
Round 1 - Stratton Valley - 9/5/23
1st - Bruce Thomas
2nd - Phil Kalbfell
3rd - Adrian Gray
1st - Bruce Thomas
2nd - Phil Kalbfell
3rd - Adrian Gray
Round 1 Report
With the final round of the Group C being held last week, a new series started this week, bringing along with it the hope & anticipation that each new series brings. A clean slate, no bad rounds, a new car…..all factors coming together to have each driver looking forward to bigger & better results over the next 7 rounds.
Unfortunately, in the new Scalex Japanese GT/GT 3 series starting this week, if you didn’t bring along a McLaren to play with, it’s going to be a loooong 7 weeks. Well, no, that’s not entirely true, however the first round podium was utterly dominated by the one make in the end.
In 1st, Bruce Thomas (McLaren) on 81 laps, showed complete mastery & control to finish 2 laps clear of 2nd placegetter Phil Kalbfell (McLaren) on 79 laps. It was another 2 laps back to the 3rd McLaren of Adrian Gray who grabbed 3rd spot in a very tight finish from John Batich on the same lap total. JBs very well-prepared Aston Martin was a revelation though, and showed that maybe, just maybe the podium lockout of McLaren might be upset sometime during the series. Good luck JB.
In 5th this week, another not a McLaren, the AMG Mercedes of the writer managed a 75 lap total, which was 2 laps clear of another McLaren in 6th, this time the new car of Dave Bantoft. No doubt with a little of DBs usual development in the next week or two, his car will be challenging up the top & adding to the flock of McLarens already gathering around the podium like seagulls around a person eating chips at a park bench.
In 7th, and on 71 laps, Scott Wymans Bentley provided some more welcome variety in the field as did Schoees Aston Martin who slotted into 8th also on 71 laps for the night.
Dave Gray put together some good heats & finished up 9th just 1 lap back on 70, which was 2 laps clear of Rhys Filbee (10th) on 68 with Thomas Males in 11th on 61 laps on the evening.
With the final round of the Group C being held last week, a new series started this week, bringing along with it the hope & anticipation that each new series brings. A clean slate, no bad rounds, a new car…..all factors coming together to have each driver looking forward to bigger & better results over the next 7 rounds.
Unfortunately, in the new Scalex Japanese GT/GT 3 series starting this week, if you didn’t bring along a McLaren to play with, it’s going to be a loooong 7 weeks. Well, no, that’s not entirely true, however the first round podium was utterly dominated by the one make in the end.
In 1st, Bruce Thomas (McLaren) on 81 laps, showed complete mastery & control to finish 2 laps clear of 2nd placegetter Phil Kalbfell (McLaren) on 79 laps. It was another 2 laps back to the 3rd McLaren of Adrian Gray who grabbed 3rd spot in a very tight finish from John Batich on the same lap total. JBs very well-prepared Aston Martin was a revelation though, and showed that maybe, just maybe the podium lockout of McLaren might be upset sometime during the series. Good luck JB.
In 5th this week, another not a McLaren, the AMG Mercedes of the writer managed a 75 lap total, which was 2 laps clear of another McLaren in 6th, this time the new car of Dave Bantoft. No doubt with a little of DBs usual development in the next week or two, his car will be challenging up the top & adding to the flock of McLarens already gathering around the podium like seagulls around a person eating chips at a park bench.
In 7th, and on 71 laps, Scott Wymans Bentley provided some more welcome variety in the field as did Schoees Aston Martin who slotted into 8th also on 71 laps for the night.
Dave Gray put together some good heats & finished up 9th just 1 lap back on 70, which was 2 laps clear of Rhys Filbee (10th) on 68 with Thomas Males in 11th on 61 laps on the evening.
Round 2 - Shelmore Park - 16/5/23
1st - Bruce Thomas
2nd - Phil Kalbfell
3rd - Mal O'May
1st - Bruce Thomas
2nd - Phil Kalbfell
3rd - Mal O'May
*Note - many apologies for no reports this week, been a bit preoccupied. I feel particularly for those who managed a top 3 result this week and are not regular visitors to the podium :-)
Round 3 - Gotham Park - 30/5/23
1st - Phil Kalbfell
2nd - Bruce Thomas
3rd - Callan Thomas
1st - Phil Kalbfell
2nd - Bruce Thomas
3rd - Callan Thomas
* a prize next week for the eagle eyed viewer who can spot a non- McLaren runner in any of the round photos so far.......
Round 4 - Stratton Valley - 6/6/23
1st - Bruce Thomas
2nd - Phil Kalbfell
3rd - John Batich
1st - Bruce Thomas
2nd - Phil Kalbfell
3rd - John Batich
Round 4 - Report
A slightly reduced number this week with the usual suspects turning up, minus the following:
Apart from lowering the number of Marshalls available at anyone time, the driving was still quite close, and actually allowed another different make of car to sneak into the top 3 results this week.
In first, however, was (predictably) a McLaren, this being the car of Bruce Thomas who took out the round by 2 laps with an 81 lap total. In 2nd was the McLaren of Phils on 79 laps, a good 3 laps clear of third place John Batich in (shock horror! ) an Aston Martin on 76 laps for the night.
Dave Bantofts slow climb up the results board continued this week and his total of 75 laps was enough for 4th spot. His car might be running very nicely at the end of round 7. In 5th spot, 1 lap back, was the writers AMG Mercedes. Good enough for a 3rd spot in the series the last time this was run….but proving to be rather outgunned this time round. Time stands still for no-one & looking like some significant development will be required down the track (or the purchase of a McLaren).
Dave Schofields Aston Martin grabbed 6th on 72 laps, with Scottys AMG in 7th on 71. Rhys managed to slot into 8th with 69 laps, Thomas Males 9th on 62 laps & Dave Gray was this week’s unfortunate recipient of a mechanical (losing a rear wheel is slightly difficult to manage). He ended up 10th with 43 laps for the night.
A slightly reduced number this week with the usual suspects turning up, minus the following:
- Rob Golley (on some overseas soiree somewhere)
- Callan Thomas (on his regular sabbatical) &
- Adrian Gray (no decent excuse made known to writer).
Apart from lowering the number of Marshalls available at anyone time, the driving was still quite close, and actually allowed another different make of car to sneak into the top 3 results this week.
In first, however, was (predictably) a McLaren, this being the car of Bruce Thomas who took out the round by 2 laps with an 81 lap total. In 2nd was the McLaren of Phils on 79 laps, a good 3 laps clear of third place John Batich in (shock horror! ) an Aston Martin on 76 laps for the night.
Dave Bantofts slow climb up the results board continued this week and his total of 75 laps was enough for 4th spot. His car might be running very nicely at the end of round 7. In 5th spot, 1 lap back, was the writers AMG Mercedes. Good enough for a 3rd spot in the series the last time this was run….but proving to be rather outgunned this time round. Time stands still for no-one & looking like some significant development will be required down the track (or the purchase of a McLaren).
Dave Schofields Aston Martin grabbed 6th on 72 laps, with Scottys AMG in 7th on 71. Rhys managed to slot into 8th with 69 laps, Thomas Males 9th on 62 laps & Dave Gray was this week’s unfortunate recipient of a mechanical (losing a rear wheel is slightly difficult to manage). He ended up 10th with 43 laps for the night.
Round 5 - Shelmore Park - 13/6/23
1st - Phil Kalbfell
2nd - Callan Thomas
3rd - Bruce Thomas
1st - Phil Kalbfell
2nd - Callan Thomas
3rd - Bruce Thomas
Round 6 - Mornington Park - 20/6/23
1st - Adrian Gray
2nd - Phil Kalbfell
3rd - Bruce Thomas
1st - Adrian Gray
2nd - Phil Kalbfell
3rd - Bruce Thomas
Round 7 - Stratton Valley - 4/7/23
1st - Callan Thomas
2nd - Bruce Thomas
3rd - Adrian Gray
1st - Callan Thomas
2nd - Bruce Thomas
3rd - Adrian Gray
Round 7 - Report & Series Summary
The closeness of the driving in the Grand-Am series was matched this week in the final round of the Japanese GT/GT3 Scalex class.
As usual it has been quite a closely fought series, in fact there have been 6 different cars feature in the top 3 over the course of the series, which is a nice bit of encouragement for the drivers involved.
However, as far as the top placings go, it was a very familiar story again this week. Only the involvement of part-time interloper Callan Thomas impacted the usual top runner of Bruce Thomas. This week it was Callan Thomas who took out the round with a clear 81 lap total. One of the very few drivers who did actually manage to finish on his own lap !
2nd & 3rd were fought out between Bruce & Adrian Gray & both finished on 80 laps. Adrian lucked out again on track position though and it was Bruce 2nd & Adrian 3rd. Adrian has certainly been the most likely driver to upset the Bruce & Phil monopoly this series & with 1 win & two missed rounds, he can consider himself a trifle unlucky to not be well in the final top 3 for the series.
4th & 5th was a battle as well, with 77 laps for both Phil & John Batich. However this tiem it was Phil who scored on track position & grabbed 4th from JB in 5th.
Once again it was a shared lap total of the next two positions (6th & 7th) with Dave Bantoft & myself sharing the laps. DB took the pacing this week however.
The following positions were even more closely fought over, with 8th, 9th & 10th separated by under 1 lap. Dave Schofield took out the battle though & grabbed 8th from Dave Gray (9th) & Scotty in 10th.
Rhys Filbee & Thomas Males battled on this week with Rhys grabbing 10th, just 1 lap back from the big 3 way battle for 8th & Thomas Males in 11th on 61 laps.
The end of the series for another year & it was a well-deserved (and close) win for Bruce Thomas by a matter of 1 point from Phil Kalbfell in 2nd. JB proved the advantage of being consistent to finish in a good 3rd place for the series.
The closeness of the driving in the Grand-Am series was matched this week in the final round of the Japanese GT/GT3 Scalex class.
As usual it has been quite a closely fought series, in fact there have been 6 different cars feature in the top 3 over the course of the series, which is a nice bit of encouragement for the drivers involved.
However, as far as the top placings go, it was a very familiar story again this week. Only the involvement of part-time interloper Callan Thomas impacted the usual top runner of Bruce Thomas. This week it was Callan Thomas who took out the round with a clear 81 lap total. One of the very few drivers who did actually manage to finish on his own lap !
2nd & 3rd were fought out between Bruce & Adrian Gray & both finished on 80 laps. Adrian lucked out again on track position though and it was Bruce 2nd & Adrian 3rd. Adrian has certainly been the most likely driver to upset the Bruce & Phil monopoly this series & with 1 win & two missed rounds, he can consider himself a trifle unlucky to not be well in the final top 3 for the series.
4th & 5th was a battle as well, with 77 laps for both Phil & John Batich. However this tiem it was Phil who scored on track position & grabbed 4th from JB in 5th.
Once again it was a shared lap total of the next two positions (6th & 7th) with Dave Bantoft & myself sharing the laps. DB took the pacing this week however.
The following positions were even more closely fought over, with 8th, 9th & 10th separated by under 1 lap. Dave Schofield took out the battle though & grabbed 8th from Dave Gray (9th) & Scotty in 10th.
Rhys Filbee & Thomas Males battled on this week with Rhys grabbing 10th, just 1 lap back from the big 3 way battle for 8th & Thomas Males in 11th on 61 laps.
The end of the series for another year & it was a well-deserved (and close) win for Bruce Thomas by a matter of 1 point from Phil Kalbfell in 2nd. JB proved the advantage of being consistent to finish in a good 3rd place for the series.
Series Results - Top 3
1st - Bruce Thomas
2nd - Phil Kalbfell
3rd - John Batich
1st - Bruce Thomas
2nd - Phil Kalbfell
3rd - John Batich
