2013 season review: Mike Comber

The 2012 750MC Locost Champion surprised a few people when having won the title he promptly sold his car. His original plans for 2013 were to build a second car and have a stab at retaining his title, but having competed in the Birkett Relay at Silverstone at the end of the season, he decided that he needed more power.  Option were the rapidly expanding BMW Compact Cup, or to move into Bike-Sports.  Having evaluated both options, out of the blue came a phone call with an offer to race in MX5’s.

Mike decided that as his ex-karting team mate Luke Herbert had made a name for himself along with Rob Boston in the Mk3 and won KX funding, that might be the carrot he needed for 2013. MA5DA seemed to be the organising group and a car previously run as the series celebrity car was purchased from the organiser.

For the benefit of those who don’t know, the BRSCC  took over the running or the MX5 series to the ultimate demise of the MA5DA organisation, but were slow in setting up  schedule for the MX5 Mk3 drivers. A gap had appeared in the Caterham weekends when the R600 failed to materialise on time, so at the first race at Castle Combe at the beginning of April had just a handful of drivers attend.  Mike in his first run in the car gained two podiums, managing to keep previous race winners Andy Clarkson and Matt Davis honest in both 20 minute races. Initial impressions compared to the Locost was obviously the lack of numbers, but the car felt fantastic, with 70bhp more than the Locost, yet still predictable handling.

Snetterton 300 followed just 3 weeks later and enjoyed a doubling of the grid. Some drivers had joined the MAX5 series unsure of where there would be Mk3 racing in 2013, so this was encouraging, with Chrissy Palmer and Paul Sheard making their entrance to the SuperCup. Mike was down on power all weekend, and in round 4 had to pull the car up as it was running on 3 cylinders. This was certainly going to be a learning season, as we discovered that the loom is a Mk3 weakness and would cause two more DNF’s before the end of the season.  Mike had also started to run the car in the Roadsport series organised by the 750MC. His first 45 minute race would have been a victory, but for a certain Josh Barrett interviewing Mike in the pits for 30 seconds longer than his pit-stop window!! The car went well against Toyota MR2’s and Porsche Boxters but Mike was only 20 seconds behind at the flag.

Anglesey was next on the calendar and a good number arrived for a wet and windy three rounds on the coastal circuit. Once again Mike was down on power and changed his manifold for one with a new catalytic converter, but still off the pace by a second a lap. Fortunately Mike's wet driving skills allowed him to keep with the podium pack as he gained a fifth and two third places. We had to find a solution to his problems, so we took the car to a local rolling road and found it was generating 135bhp instead of 160 and that was down to the lack of the VVT working. Option I would have been to find a head, but for speed we purchased a replacement 65,000 mile engine. Mike was still in third place in the championship just 30 points off the leader.

The next BRSCC was in June at Cadwell Park, a circuit Mike has won at in previous years, so with a replacement engine, how would he fare? Despite the red flags and wet weather, Mike managed two third places and a second. This together with success in the Roadsport events at Donington, were showing that he was starting to get the hang of the car.

A month later in July and with the car now running well and on his home track, Mike hoped for a victory and was rewarded with two and just missed the lap record by 2/100ths and was now seoond in the championship with his eyes on getting the top slot after the next two Brands Hatch rounds. 

Brands Hatch was the first weekend in August and the grids were back to 16, with new drivers bringing their cars out of their garages.  Mike qualified quite well, but in race one a front row spinner at the first bend gave Mike no option but a T-bone. The front crumpled and ripped the battery off its mounting in the boot, but Mike regained his composure and was making it back through the pack when the engine gave way. On subsequent inspection, the impact had squashed the big end bearing caps. A DNF in Round 13, and no car for round 14. That lost Mike a potential 200 points.

The final couple of rounds were at Oulton Park and Mike was now down to fifth in the standings. He qualified well, getting pole, but ended up in the gravel. He didn't realise, but his exhaust had suffered terminal damage, and despite his best efforts he slipped down the pack and eventually clipped a tyre bale and retired. The championship was now down to round 16 with Andy Clarkson and Paul Sheard  just 1 point apart. Mike stared last, but fought through the field until the race was red flagged and we assumed that Paul had won. With just 5 minutes before the curfew the race started again and mike was in third, not wishing to upset the front battle. In the end, they both slid off to let Mike pass for another win – that was until the race was awarded to Abbie Eaton. It meant another new winner for 2014, and in the end Mike was just 30 points of winning the championship.

The season finale was the Autumn Challenge, which supported the British GT final round. With the car now fully run in and with the benefit of being able to try out some of the 2014 modifications, Mike won both rounds to end another successful campaign. For 2014, the cars will have potentially 20bhp more gained from the use of a Pipercross cold-air feed and a Racing Beat manifold and Jetex race catalytic converter. The final modification was to in traduce the Eibach fully adjustable sway bars front and rear. Mike thinks that at some circuits the cars will be a second faster and possibly two seconds quicker on tracks such as Silverstone International.

Driver numbers will probably start at around the 20-25 grids, but we know of 10 additional cars being built or upgraded.  Some old specification cars can be purchased from £8000, but a race winner like Mikes will cost close to £12,000. It’s double the cost of a race Locost, but with twice the power and the luxury of driving a current production car.  Race costs are very similar to his experience in Locost at about £1000 a weekend as an independent. Excluding damage and breakages, but £15,000 would easily cover a season including travel and basic hotel.

For anyone considering racing in 2014 with a rough budget of £100 a month, this is attainable with the MX5 NC SuperCup. The driving standards have been excellent and the pit ambiance is one where all participant will assist any driver to get their car our for the next practice/race session. Mike will be offering in expensive taster sessions over the closed season in his race winning car. Contact him on info@michaelcomberracing.com for further details.