Race Report: Snetterton, 26 March 1972

33 cars arrived at Snetterton for round two of the Lombard North Central round, sadly they would only be given 10 laps to strut their stuff.

The track was damp in places for practice and wets were the order of the day for all the drivers, fastest was Mike Walker’s Ensign LN2 from Andy Sutcliffe (GRD 372) and Chris Skeaping (Chevron B20). Row two saw the Palliser WDF3 of Damien Magee sitting next to the Brabham BT38 of Tony Brise who fitted a rear wing when he found the back end of the car a little loose. Rousselot headed row three his GRD running better than of late, whilst next runner Tom Pryce was trying a rear wing but found it was hampering his straight line speed. Roger Williamson sat on the outside of the row, he like all the March 723 runners was unhappy with the handling of the car, the wide track at the front causing wandering problems. Drivers further down than normal were Ian Ashley on row nine with engine and tyre problems and Peter Hull who only managed one lap after a brake pipe failed on his Brabham.

It was Mike Walker who put his Ensign into the lead at Riches on what was now a dry track whilst the next dozen or so cars furiously slipstreamed each other around the lap, over the line at the end of lap one it was Walker from Magee with a damaged nose, Sutcliffe, Brise, Williamson, Maskell, Purley and Skeaping. Lap 2 saw Magee put the wheels of the Palliser on the grass at the Esses immediately spinning, this allowed Walker and Sutcliffe to get away from Maskell and Williamson who were delayed by the gyrating Irishman. Walker began to pull away from Sutcliffe despite grabbing brakes and a problem with third gear selection, the GRD in turn being well clear of Maskell, Williamson, Brise, Pryce and Purley. Brise put his Brabham in third place on lap 5 but it was Williamson again on lap 6, the March was going very quickly despite its wayward handling. It was all change on lap 7 when Walker had to pull off as his engine lost oil pressure along the Norwich Straight and he switched it off rather than risk damaging it.
This left a surprised Sutcliffe out in front with Williamson starting to edge away from the chasing group in second, Williamson really starting flying in the last few laps in an attempt to catch Sutcliffe but the GRD took the flag 3 seconds ahead of the March. It had been Maskell in third until lap 9 when worsening gear selection caused him to spin and then retire when all the gears disappeared. It was Brise who took third ahead of Pryce, Purley and a fast closing von Opel.

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