Sponsor issues for Tom Cave

Tom Cave in action on the Bulldog Rally, but could Sponsor issues force the championship leader out of the competition?

The current leader of the 2012 MSA British Rally Championship, Tom Cave, is heading for the third round of the series, the Pirelli International Rally in a bullish mood after his first international rally win on the previous round. And he is refusing to allow the loss of a major sponsor to affect his plans for the event, even though the rest of his season now hangs in the balance. Following on from his exceptional performance on the Bulldog Rally in a rented car, Tom and the Davies Motorsport Services team have rebuilt his Citroen DS3 R3, which was damaged and thought written-off following component failure on its first test last month. A steering component broke after a small jump and the car came to rest submerged in a pond at the Sweet Lamb venue in Wales. However, after it was confirmed that the initial offer to cover the costs of the rebuild had been withdrawn, Tom and DMS were delighted to find that the damage was not as bad as first thought. Once the car had been dried out and the centre control unit within the cockpit changed, the engine fired first time and the major systems appeared undamaged. The only other component which required changing was the radiator and the car was ready for a shakedown test using parts which formed the included spares package. A short test demonstrated that the DS3 was back to form and Tom is now looking forward to another pre-event test where he hopes rain will feature, so that he can develop a wet weather set-up for the car, since he is happy with the dry settings he developed for the Bulldog. However, he suffered another blow when his major sponsor confirmed it would not be able to continue to support his 2012 BRC campaign. While Tom has sufficient funds for the Pirelli International, he finds himself in the unenviable situation that without securing additional support, his season may well be over halfway through and potentially, with him leading one of the world's most prominent national rally championships. Commenting, Tom said; "I and the DMS team were so pleased when the engine fired up for the first time and we realised that it was OK. We'd spent a fair bit of time to get to that point and frankly, if the engine needed rebuilding, I think that would have been the end of the season. But it didn't and we had a short shakedown test yesterday [Wednesday] to make sure the car worked. "We've now got a proper pre-event test at the Higgins facility in Wales before we head north for the Pirelli. I really hope the weather is wet, as I need to get a good wet set-up of the car. I'm really happy with the dry one we have, from the Bulldog but if the conditions are typical Pirelli, then I'll need that information.  "I think the goal for the Pirelli is a podium finish - if we finish in the top three, then hopefully we'll maintain the lead in the championship. But of course, after the Bulldog, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't aiming for another win. Everything seemed to come together on my 'home' round and the result showed what I have felt for a while - when we manage to shake off the bad luck, we can get a good result.  "Of course, it's entirely possible that the Pirelli could be our last event in the BRC this year. Our main sponsor isn't able to continue with us, which is a real shame. I can just about fund the Pirelli myself but after that, the cupboard is bare, so to speak. We're in discussions with several possible sponsors at the moment but without support, I don't think we'll be able to do the Jim Clark, let alone the rest of the championship.  "With all the bad luck we've had over the last couple of years, it's unbelievably ironic that this happens when we're leading the British Rally Championship! But we'll carry on as best we can." The two-day event is based at Carlisle Racecourse and features two stages run on the evening of Friday 27 April with a further ten stages on Saturday 28 April. The first crews are expected at the finish at 7pm.

Sykes attempts to continue lead of BRC Challenge

BRC Challenge leader Richard Sykes heads to the Pirelli looking to maintain his lead.

Rally driver Richard Sykes, from Stourbridge, is aiming for a podium finish on next weekend’s Pirelli Challenge event as he seeks to maintain his lead in the BRC Challenge rally championship.

The Carlisle-based rally is the third round of the championship with Sykes and co-driver Simon Taylor having already taken a first and second place on the opening two rounds.

Since the previous round extensive work has been undertaken on Sykes’ Bathams Brewery, G I Sykes Ltd, Boroughbridge Marina and Silverstone Tyres-supported Citroën C2 R2 Max including an engine rebuild.

"The engine was getting near to the end of its life and was down on power," commented Sykes. "We’ve done a full rebuild on it ready for the Pirelli and we’ve also done a lot of work to lighten the car."

"We’re focused on finishing the event on the podium to get a good haul of championship points and I will drive within myself to get there but if we are in a position to safely push for a win we will do."

"Last time I did the Pirelli I was the leading Citroën driver part way through the event but went off the road trying too hard for the win so I’ve learnt my lesson from that."

"I am feeling confident and it is great to be able to concentrate on driving and not worry about the bad reliability we have had in the past. We’ve got Simon Hawthorn looking after the car with Martin Billings joining Simon on the events, they are the best guys I have worked with in rallying and their work on the car has meant that so far this year we’ve only had to clean it and change the tyres in service, we’ve had no other problems at all."

Sykes and Taylor will lead the Challenge crews away from the rally start at Kielder Castle on Saturday morning with the crews facing 48 miles of competitive stages in the notoriously tough Kielder forest before the event finishes at Carlisle racecourse.

Matt Cotton set to take on Pirelli International Rally.

Cotton and Thomas at high speed during the Bulldog Rally - Credit : Marcel Grabowski Photography

Matt Cotton
Credit : Marcel Grabowski Photography

Cornishman Matt Cotton will head to Cumbria next weekend when he contests the 3rd round of the British Rally Championship, The Pirelli International Rally. With a solid finish on the first two rounds of the series, Cotton has high hopes of obtaining a good result in the infamous Kielder forests.

Cotton returns to the Carlisle based rally after a disastrous end to his 2008 outing on the event when he rolled into one of the infamous ditches that gives the forest complex its nickname of “Killer Kielder”. Partnered once again by long time friend and co-driver Glyn Thomas from North Somerset; the South West pairing know that nothing short of a win will do;

Matt said “I’m really happy with the way the first two rounds have gone this year considering our lack of testing in the car, but we really need to push on this event to make sure we are still in with a chance of winning the championship. It didn’t end well last time I did this event, but that said, I`m really looking forward to getting into the Border Forests again. Its make or break this time“.

The Pirelli International Rally kicks off in the city centre of Carlisle with an autograph signing session on Friday night before the crews head into the woods for 2 stages under the cover of darkness. A brief overnight halt follows as an early start is required on Saturday morning when they head out to complete the remainder of the 95 miles. The successful competitors will then assemble back in Carlisle city centre to receive their awards and spray the champagne to celebrate finishing this tough event.

During the event, Matt will have a dedicated media team on hand to keep you informed with LIVE news from the event as its happening. You will find results, news and images of Matt’s progress both on and off the stages by visiting www.mattcottonrallying.co.uk, following us on Twitter (@mattcottonrally), or finding us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/mattcottonrally).

Group C Cars line up for Donington Historic Festival.

Group C cars are sure to impress visitors to the Donington Historic Festival

Thunder is predicted for Donington Park for the weekend of May 5^th and 6^th in the form of the almighty noise produced as more than 20 Group C racing cars – with a combined 16,000 brake horsepower – compete at the Donington Historic Festival.

Just as 1980s fashion was all about big hair and big shoulder pads, so the sports-racing cars of that era were on an equally lavish scale, as manufacturers including Jaguar, Porsche, Lancia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Aston Martin vied to outdo each other in the power, speed and style stakes.

Spectators hoping for chest-reverberating sound and over-the-top paintwork certainly won’t be disappointed. The big beasts were a real crowd-pleaser at the 2011 Festival, and with the addition of some head-turning newcomers to the grid, the Group C race looks set to get the cameras clicking and the enthusiasts’ forums buzzing once more.

Paul Stubber is travelling from Australia with his Chevrolet-engined Veskanda. One of only two examples built, this is the rarest car on the grid, and was campaigned in the 1985-87 Australian Sportscar series by John Bowe. Other newcomers include Adrian Watt in his Argo JM19 and Trevor Knight who will be driving the Damax Spice SE88. 

Henrik Lindberg's Porsche 962

The most eye-catching livery is likely to be that of Henrik Lindberg’s green and white Tic Tac Porsche 962, and the iconic colour schemes of the Martini Lancia LC2 and Richard Eyre’s Jaguar XJR16 will strike a chord with many racing fans.

In the 1980s, Group C was a real focus for manufacturers, as it allowed them to demonstrate their engineering and motorsport capabilities, and works teams abounded, with Porsche often dominating. However, independent teams were also an essential element – until overwhelmed by manufacturer spending power – and the Group C grid at the Donington Historic Festival reflects that mix.

So, in the C1 class, Eric Rickenbacher in his Cheetah and Paul Stubber in the Veskanda will take on the Tic Tac Porsche and Jaguar, the Nissans of Steve Tandy and Kent Abrahamsson, Gareth Evans in the Silver Arrows Mercedes C11, Paul Whight in Aston Martin AMR1, and up to three Lancias. And, marking the 30^th anniversary of the Porsche 956 (the model that won Le Mans in 1982 in the hands of Derek Bell and Jacky Ickx), Russell Kempnich is flying in from Australia, with his own 956. 

The C2 class is for slightly less powerful – but no less exciting – Group C cars. The line-up here includes Don Miles in a Jaguar XJR 5B, Adrian Watt in the Argo JM19, Jonathan Fay in a Tiga GT2, and a trio of Spices: former Porsche racer Tommy Dreelan's Listerine SE86, Peter Meyrick’s Cosworth DFV-powered, 2011 C2-winning Se89, and – from the USA - Mike Donovan in an SE88.

The Group C cars will be out on the track for qualifying from 12.40-13.20 on Saturday, May 5^th and racing from 15.45-16.45 on Sunday, May 6^th, so even if you can only make one day of the Donington Historic Festival, you’ll still be able to enjoy the Group C spectacle.

Day tickets cost £18 in advance (£25 on the gate) and weekend tickets £30 in advance (£40 on the gate). Children aged 15 and under are admitted free. For more information, and to book tickets visit www.doningtonhistoric.com or call the 24-hour ticket hotline on 0844 873 7355. Advance ticket sales close on April 27^th.

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge GB Highlights

The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge continues at Rockingham over the weekend of 19/20 May. 

Silverstone Classic Hosts AA World

Clearly these vehicles have shrunk in the wash.

 This summer’s exciting new AA World will be Britain’s most complete interactive driving experience featuring a huge range of activities for all ages.

AA World includes:

• Free taster driving lessons for those aged 12 and over (minimum height restrictions apply)
• Skid Pan and 4x4 Experiences
• Meet and greets with Roary the Racing Car and Friends
• Hot Laps on the Stowe Circuit
• Electric Jeeps for juniors
• F1 driving simulator
• Pit-stop Challenge
• Giant Scalextric racetrack
• Car Archery Challenge
• AA Emporium including cooking demonstrations
• Parking Challenge
• AA Grand Tour classic car display
• Special AA heritage display
• Big top and funfair with dodgems
• Racing action live on big screen
• Live music on AA flatbed truck stage

Backed by the Automobile Association ­– the UK’s biggest motoring organisation – AA World is an integral part of the Silverstone Classic powered by the AA (20-21-22 July), the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival with 1,000 historic race cars and 7,000 classic display cars. The three-day event is also a major family attraction with live rock music, air shows, retail village, vintage funfair plus a host of other entertainment in addition to a packed programme of track action showcasing the full spectrum of motor sport history.

We'll have the Sauber Mercedes Group C please.

Based right at the heart of the Silverstone Circuit, close to the venue’s impressive new Wing pits and paddock complex, the new AA World motoring theme park will provide show-goers of all generations with an unprecedented line up of free driving experiences ranging from electric cars for toddlers and taster driving lessons for teenagers to hot laps around the Stowe Circuit in some of today’s latest and most desirable performance cars.

Edmund King, AA president, says: “AA World will get the whole family involved in the fun of driving from Roary The Racing Car for toddlers to hot laps and skid-pan sessions for the grown-ups.

“And pre-driving age teenagers will be able to get behind the wheel of an AA driving school Ford Focus for a first drive at Silverstone.”

“The arrival of AA World will add yet another fantastic dimension to what’s already a great event for car lovers of all ages.” confirmed Nick Wigley, Event Director of the Silverstone Classic.

Something a bit more sensible - Where better to learn to drive than
Silverstone?

The AA World driving experiences will be free to both AA members and non-members. The AA believes that driving is an important life skill and it regularly campaigns on young driver road safety. Earlier this year, it called for driving science to be included in the National Curriculum and its charity offers free ‘Drive Smart’ tuition to young, newly-qualified drivers.

Full details of the 2012 Silverstone Classic powered by the AA – including further information on AA World as well as a comprehensive selection of on-site camping facilities – are available via the event’s official www.silverstoneclassic.com website.   

Shelsley Walsh announces Calendar

If you haven't been to beautiful and historic Shelsley Walsh yet... Why not!? It's a great place to watch motorsport, and see some amazing cars (just look at the photo below). And now you know when to go too!

Neville Rollason in an OMS 25. Photo credit Rich Danby www.zipp.co.uk

As the start of the hill climbing season approaches, Shelsley Walsh Speed Hill Climb announce key dates and headline events for the forthcoming year.

The Midland Automobile Club who manage and organise the events at Shelsley Walsh are pleased to give a brief overview of what is planned for 2012.

May 5^th and 6^th sees the Midland Hill Climb Championship visit the historic venue with celebrations for the 50^th anniversary of The British Women Racing Drivers Club.

The leading ladies of motorsport will be celebrated in style with a dedicated class for BWRDC members.

In June on the 2^nd and 3^rd The British Hill Climb Championship will be in action and the MAC will be organising a gathering of significant BRMs to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Graham Hill winning his first world championship. Two of the iconic front engine P25s have already been confirmed including the “258” that Jo Bonnier raced to BRM’s first world championship grand prix victory at Zandvoort in 1959. A number of key BRM personnel have also confirmed their attendance with Tony Southgate (designer), Tim Parnell (Team Manager) and David Owen OBE. More announcements are due shortly.

June 30th is the annual Reg Philips Trophy meeting with a number of invited groups competing with the REIS HSA Championship and Midland Speed Championship.

The following day on July 1^st the Vintage Sports Car Club have their annual gathering which always proves a very popular meeting with vintage and post vintage thoroughbred cars competing on the hill.

The MAC’s key event of the year is Classic Nostalgia on the 28^th and 29^th July celebrating the 50^th of the MGB with a selection of key cars tackling the hill. The 289 Register will also be celebrating 50 years of the Cobra with a number of historic AC Cobras on display as well as competing. Sunbeam will also be honoured, it is 100 years since they achieved a 1,2,3 in the Coup De L’auto race in Dieppe in 1912.

There will also be a Street Concours d’Elegance supported by Classic and Sports Car magazine for cars which are driven to the event. Leading judge will be Simon Taylor, motorsport journalist and competitor.

Visitors and competitors are encouraged to dress up in 50s and 60s style to recreate the glory days of hill climbing and motorsport.

In August on the 18^th and 19^th 50 years of the Lotus Elan will be celebrated with a number of Lotus car clubs attending for what will be a very full on weekend. There will also be a demonstration and parade of historic and notable F1 Lotus cars going up the hill.

The season rounds of in September on the 22^nd and 23^rd with the Midland Speed Championship and REIS HSA Championship with Ferrari, Healey, Morgan and TVR championships included.

To buy tickets or find further information, visit www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk

Porsche Carrera Cup GB hits Donington Park

Michael Meadows continued to underline his 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship bid with victory in rounds three and four at Donington Park on Sunday 15 April. A packed grid of 450 hp 911 GT3 Cup race cars thrilled spectators at the Leicestershire circuit, with the first race seeing just one second covering the top four drivers after 26 minutes of flat-out racing.

In the Pro-Am1 category Ahmad Al Harthy (Redline/Oman Air) remains the current category pace-setter, and Tania Mann (SIBSport) took home maximum points in Pro-Am2.

Round three

Meadows (Banbury) got just the start he wanted to lead the pack into Redgate and edged clear in the opening laps as a fierce battle developed for second between Sam Tordoff (Leeds), Richard Plant (Sheffield), Ben Barker (Cambridge) and Jonas Gelzinis (Lithuania). Gelzinis struggled with his start, the team having fitted a new clutch after qualifying and he got too much wheelspin and he dropped from second place to fifth.

On lap three, Tordoff missed a gear at the chicane and instantly dropped back to fifth, which helped Meadows build his lead to nearly three seconds. But as the race progressed all was not entirely well with the lead car. “Mid-way through the race I was locking the rear brakes,” said Meadows as Plant inexorably closed the gap. But it all went wrong for Plant when a front tyre deflated as he dived down to the Old Hairpin on lap 13.

This saw Barker chasing Meadows while also trying to defend from the challenge of the resurgent Gelzinis and Tordoff. With three laps to go, Meadows had barely half a second in hand as Barker came under intense pressure from Gelzinis and Tordoff. Into the final lap, the four cars were nose-to-tail and a relieved Meadows took the flag just a quarter of a second ahead of Barker with Gelzinis and Tordoff in their wheel tracks.

“I was struggling a bit and had to push harder than I wanted,” said Meadows. “I was just counting the laps down to the finish.”

“It was so tight at the front, ridiculously close,” said Barker. “Michael got a gap when we were fighting, but we got up to him at the end.” Gelzinis completed the podium despite losing time at the start. “I just got my head down and drove very quickly,” he said, after smashing the lap record by half a second. “But I didn’t want to take any big risks,” he added. For Tordoff, fourth place was scant reward for his pace.

Al Harthy always set the pace in Pro-Am1, and had one or two Pro category drivers between him and the rest of the Pro-Am1 field as he claimed a stylish victory. “That was a perfect race for me,” he said afterwards. “I kept my head down and concentrated the whole race.”

Derek Pierce (West Kilbride) was a strong second, following a fierce battle between Glynn Geddie (Aberdeen) and Rory Butcher (Kirkcaldy) for many laps. Pierce then worked ahead of Geddie to take seventh overall. “The car was really good and I’m pleased to have gone from eleventh to seventh,” he said.

Victor Jimenez (Spain) completed the Pro-Am1 podium with a strong run. “That was fantastic,” said the Spanish racer. “Now my start is good.” Meanwhile Mann ran alone in Pro-Am2, but drove well to chase the Pro-Am1 pack for many laps before a quick spin at the chicane.

Round three results:

Pro category: 1 Michael Meadows; 2 Ben Barker; 3 Jonas Gelzinis

Pro-Am1 category: 1 Ahmad Al Harthy; 2 Derek Pierce; 3 Victor Jimenez

Pro-Am2 category: 1 Tania Mann

Round four

While Meadows stayed ahead of Gelzinis to make it three wins from four races this season, Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholar Daniel Lloyd (Huddersfield) starred with a fighting drive to grab third place on the final lap from Tordoff. Despite constant pressure from Pierce, Al Harthy won Pro-Am1 for the second time, while Mann took Pro-Am2 with another strong performance.

Meadows dived ahead at the start from pole position as Gelzinis forged through to second at the expense of Team Parker Racing team-mates Tordoff and Plant. This quartet soon started to edge clear and their escape was aided when Barker spun off into the tyre wall at Schwantz Curve when battling with Lloyd for fifth.

Gelzinis stalked Meadows for a dozen laps but the decisive moment in the lead battle came when the Lithuanian had a big moment under braking for the chicane and lost nearly two seconds to Meadows. “Maybe there was coolant down on the track,” he said afterwards. “I didn’t want to push Meadows too hard at the beginning.” With two such evenly-matched cars, the gap was now too big for Gelzinis to narrow it down and Meadows was able to carry a two-second advantage to the flag. “We were really quick in that race and I was able to edge out the gap,” said Meadows. “We made quite a few changes to the car for the second race and they worked.”

The action now centred on the contest for third as the trio of young Yorkshire racers from Team Parker provided the fireworks. Tordoff lost third position with a moment on the grass on the exit of Coppice and then set about closing back up to Plant as Lloyd chased them both. By lap 20, they were nose-to-tail and into Redgate with two laps to go Plant locked a wheel and ran wide, instantly losing two places. Now it was Lloyd attacking Tordoff and they ran side-by-side into Redgate for the final time. Lloyd edged ahead on the exit and they raced side-by-side through Hollywood in a display of fine racing.

“Sam went defensive into Redgate and I got a bit of a cut back,” said Lloyd after a great contest. Plant deserved more than fifth for his efforts, and only just held off the charging Butcher on the dash to the finish line.

In Pro-Am1, Al Harthy led all the way but was kept under constant pressure by Pierce and was still less than two seconds ahead at the flag. “It was a very hard race from start to finish,” said Al Harthy. “That’s the first time we’ve had a perfect weekend with two wins.” Meanwhile, Pierce had driven a great pursuit. “I chased and chased and never gave up, but it was his weekend this time.” Jimenez completed the Pro-Am1 podium.

Round four results:

Pro category: 1 Michael Meadows; 2 Jonas Gelzinis; 3 Daniel Lloyd

Pro-Am1 category: 1 Ahmad Al Harthy; 2 Derek Pierce; 3 Victor Jimenez

Pro-Am2 category: 1 Tania Mann

The next round of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship takes place at Thruxton, Hampshire, on April 28/29.

Granite City Rally Update

One of the spectators seriously injured in the crash on the opening stage of the Coltel Granite City Rally on Saturday has said he hopes the accident has not put anyone off the sport. And he has emphasised the incident was "an accident".

Four men were injured when a rally car struck a group who were trying to aid another car which had come off the road on the opening stage of the Coltel Granite City Rally at Durris, outside Aberdeen, on Saturday.

One man, in his 50s, is now described as being "critical but stable" after undergoing surgery.

Speaking on a rally forum, one of the injured men, David Tait, said: "Terrible accident, but that's all it was, just an accident. I really do hope that both crews are ok and it doesn't put them off the sport."

He says both of his legs have been broken and he has had pins put in each.

Another injured party, he names as Joe, also had both legs broken, along with his pelvis. The third man, Jonny, suffered a broken leg.

Two of the spectators who suffered serious leg injuries are expected to leave hospital towards the end of the week. The most seriously injured spectator will remain in hospital in Aberdeen for a longer period.

The event was won by triple Scottish rally champ David Bogie, who claimed his third win of the season in his Mitsubishi Evo IX.

Honda top of table after successful Donington Park Meeting

Gordon Shedden scored a pair of victories - one after a penalty for Jason Plato demoted the MG driver.

Matt Neal had some bad luck at Donington Park

The Honda Yuasa Racing Team moved to the top of the manufacturers’ and teams’ tables in the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship with an impressive performance at Donington Park last weekend.

Despite only being in its second race meeting with the new NGTC Civic, the squad took two wins and five podium finishes across the three races.

Last season’s championship runner-up Gordon Shedden overcame the bad luck he experienced at Brands Hatch earlier in the month to finish a fine second in the first race, just 0.229 seconds behind winner Mat Jackson, before winning races two and three to record his best ever weekend in the championship.

“I think at the end of first practice I’d done more laps than I had during the whole weekend at Brands!” he said. “I was trying everything just to get some points – it was critical for me after Brands – and there were some shenanigans with other drivers in race three.

Shedden’s three podiums move him up to fifth in the driver standings, 15 points behind leader Jason Plato, and he is now ready for a championship fight.

“We’re six races in and you can see how quickly the tide can change – just look at what happened to Matt in race three – but it was crucial for me to have such a good weekend,” he added. “The car was good and consistent all weekend but the game is moving on and there’s a whole lot happening with other teams.”

Shedden’s team-mate, reigning champion Matt Neal, also scored good points at Donington. He followed Shedden home in the first two races – helping the Honda Yuasa Racing Team to its first one-two of the season in the second encounter – and believed a podium was possible in the reversed-grid finale. However, a multi-car incident. triggered by Rob Collard’s BMW, resulted in Neal being spun into the McLeans gravel.

“In race three the car was feeling great,” confirmed Neal. “It was just a catalogue of events and I ended up the worst off, but that’s life.”

“It was a really positive weekend for the team – three podiums for Gordon and two for me. We’ve overhauled MG in the manufacturers’ and teams’ table.”

Despite the race-three disappointment, Neal is only four points away from the championship lead in second. “It’s early days, but it’s always nice to have big points in the bag,” he added. “Every time we go out we understand the NGTC Civic more.”

The squad’s next outing at the end of the month will be at the high-speed Thruxton circuit in Hampshire, where Neal and Shedden each took wins last season.

Fans can follow the Honda Yuasa Racing Team’s exploits on Facebook and Twitter for news and race results as the action happens - www.facebook.com/HondaRacingBTCC and www.twitter.com/hondaracingbtcc

Shedden's success moves Honda into the lead of the BTCC Constructor's championship.

Mixed fortunes for MG at Donington Park

Platos MG hits the tyrewall as Collard's BMW spins, Ruining both driver's race

The Donington Park circuit in Leicestershire was the venue for the second race weekend of the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. The MG KX Momentum Racing Team continued their strong start to the season, as Jason Plato once again took the new MG6 to a podium finish.

The MG KX Momentum Racing team book-ended the grid for Race One following Jason Plato’s maiden pole position for the team yesterday, in a qualifying session that saw Andy Neate suffer technical issues. Rob Collard’s BMW lead the race into the first corner from 6th on the grid, dropping Jason to P2. He quickly caught the BMW though and moved to take the lead on lap 5, but as Mat Jackson tried to follow him through, the Ford driver out-braked himself and ran into the back of Jason’s MG6, forcing him across the grass and down to 4th where he would finish.

Andy Neate had an eventful race, after a great start gaining five places he was again low on luck getting into several minor scrapes with other drivers which hampered his progress through the field. He continued to battle though and came home 16th.

Race Two was one to be put down to experience for the fledgling MG KX Momentum Racing team. After a strong start for double BTCC champion Plato, as the leading cars came to complete the first lap, contact between Jason and the BMW of Collard resulting in both cars spinning, with Jason also contacting with the wall. A lengthy pit-stop to repair some damage to the car ended any hope of a points paying position and so the quick thinking Triple Eight team used the rest of the race as a test session, with Jason making a total of 4 pit-stops to try different settings.

Andy again looked to battle through the field from his P16 starting spot and after enduring some tough battles with the mid-field runners, his efforts were rewarded though as he brought home four valuable championship points courtesy of his 12th place finish.

Plato's MG leads Shedden's Honda after a trip through the Gravel.
The positions were later reversed after a steward's enquiry

The reverse grid for race 3 always ensures plenty of action and today’s race was especially eventful! Unfortunately Andy picked up some suspension damage in the melee of the first lap and despite the team’s best efforts to repair it, was forced to retire. Jason started the race from 17th on the grid after his Race Two adventures, but after the frantic opening laps, he had hauled himself into 9th as the Safety Car was deployed on Lap 5. At the restart Jason began to pick his way through the field one by one to incredibly move into a podium position by Lap 15, he then had a titanic battle with Shedden’s Honda that went all the way to the final corner with some contact that saw both cars skate through the gravel and although Jason finished ahead on the road the officials later reversed the positions after an appeal, which still ensured a podium finish for the team.

Jason Plato, MG KX Momentum Racing #99:

“It always seems to be a roller-coaster ride of a day for me here at Donington and we’ve had that sort of day again today. Yesterday’s Pole Position was fantastic, but today’s been up and down with the results, but overall a 4th and a 3rd from the back in Race Three is solid. We will of course look to come back stronger again for Thruxton in two weeks.”

Andy Neate, MG KX Momentum Racing #44:

“I feel empty handed to be honest, especially after the disappointment of qualifying. The car felt better and better as the day went on and I really think we could have come away with something- I was up to sixth after the first couple of laps in Race Three but, I was somehow spun on the start finish straight, which frustratingly ended my weekend. I’m able to go to Thruxton in the knowledge that the car has some real speed and the potential is there.”

Ian Harrison, MG KX Momentum Racing Team Principal:

“It’s been a mixed weekend overall, Jason has again got the best out of the car, but we’ve got into a few situations that meant we haven’t collected the points we perhaps could have. Andy’s been on the back foot since qualifying, through no fault of his own. After solid drives in Race One & Two we’ve had to disappointingly retire his car with significant damage after some poor driving standards in Race Three. Really there’s been too much damage up and down the Paddock today, it needs looking at.

“Looking ahead to Thruxton though, we should be competitive there and will be working to improve the car to ensure we’re as strong as possible.” 

Goff Dominates Clios at Donington Park.

Goff leads the clios through the final chicane at Donington

Jack Goff produced a brilliant performance to win an action packed race at Donington to remain top of the AirAsia Renault UK Clio Cup drivers’ championship table.

Race winner Goff said “I got ahead of Paul after making a rocket start and had a good breakaway on the first few laps until the safety car came out, which got rid of my advantage. I managed to get away again at the restart and paced myself, I knew we didn’t have the pace all weekend but I made the best out of a bad situation.” 

“It was tough holding off Adam,” continued a delighted Goff, “but I defended the place making sure I kept it tight and not to make any mistakes.” 

Team Pyro’s Goff , who started from second, took the lead from pole sitter and round three winner, Paul Rivett, into turn one after a good start off the line. 

In a frantic first lap that saw several spins and drivers running wide, the safety car made its first and only appearance of the weekend for the recovery of the stricken Scuderia Vittoria’s car of Luke Wright. 

On the restart, a collision between Rivett and Thoroughbred Sports Car Championship racer Josh Files ended Files’ race due to a broken steering arm on lap five. Rivett was fortunate with minor damage, slotting in behind a charging Adam Bonham and Westbourne Motorsports James Colburn. 

“It didn’t go particularly well to be honest,” said Rivett. “There was a lot of damage on the rear of the car and having to fight back from a few places down but apart from that, it was a good race. The car was a little bent after that incident meaning we didn’t have the pace that we should have had,” said a disheartened Rivett. ‘” got a bit of wheelspin off the line at the start, but in general the PER HIRE car has been great all weekend, the Stancombe boys have been great.” 

Focused on making up lost ground, Rivett rapidly closed the gap to 2008 Saxmax champion Colburn putting in a succession of fastest laps, eventually passing him to take third place. 

Next in his sights was Bonham, who himself was eyeing up a pass on leader Goff refusing to let him pull away. The 17-year old consistently threatened to pass keeping Goff honest all the way to the chequered flag. 

Bonham said, “It was a good race. We had the pace to win it probably but I couldn’t manage to get past my teammate Jack. I’m a little disappointed over the weekend having not won a race but obviously chuffed to bits with two second places. I knew the whole time that if I overtook Jack, I would be leading the championship, it was big incentive to make it, but didn’t quite manage it.” 

The midfield battle was also action-a-plenty with 20Ten Racing’s Josh Cook in 7^th, position leading a constantly changing six-car train. It was Cook, and Swedish driver Kim Andersson, who broke from the pack to hunt down the 17-year old Ant Whorton-Eales in a battle for the Rookie Cup. 

With the top three rookies fighting to the end, it was Whorton-Eales who prevailed to take home the trophy in 6^th overall followed by Andersson and Cook respectively, separated by only 0.054 seconds on the line. 

“We had a really good start,” said Whorton-Eales “but unfortunately I dropped into the gravel on the outside of Redgate. Then we had the safety car but once we were racing again I dropped a wheel onto the grass down the back and that was it, the train pulled away.” 

The drivers collect their very shiny prizes on the podium
Left to right : Whorton Eales, Belcher, Rivett, Goff, Bonham 

With very limited running time for ex-rally driver, Bristol-based Adam Gould, who started at the back of the pack, made his way through the frantic field to take home a respectable 13^th place. 

Placing just ahead of Gould, was ex-jet-ski racer Handy Motorsport with Pyro’s Simon Belcher who claimed the ELF Masters Trophy and the lead in the Masters Cup. 

The championship now heads to Thruxton for round three on April 28-29, where Goff will be hoping to extend his championship lead 

Round 4 Results: 

1. Jack GOFF Team Pyro Laps 16 22:21.837
2. Adam BONHAM Team Pyro +0.215
3. Paul RIVETT PER HIRE/SVE +0.437
4. James COLBURN Westbourne Motorsport +0.855
5. James DIXON Scuderia Vittoria +5.342
6. Ant WHORTON-EALES Westbourne Motorsport +7.082
7. Kim ANDERSSON Team Pyro +9.023
8. Josh COOK 20Ten Racing +9.077
9. Mike BUSHELL Mike Bushell +12.082
10. 10. Vic COVEY Scuderia Vittoria +12.608  

Drivers’ Championship after Round 4:

Driver	Points
Jack Goff	112
Adam Bonham	105
Paul Rivett	89
Ant Whorton-Eales	77
James Dixon	74
Josh Files	62
Kim Andersson	52
Luke Wright	44
Josh Cook	39
Aaron Williamson	38
Vic Covey	38
James Colburn	38
William Davison	31
Ignas Gelzinis	28
Simon Belcher	24
Rob Smith	22
Mike Bushell	22
Finlay Crocker	21
Nic Hamilton	18
Adam Gould	17
Darren Wilson	15
Mark Tilbury	14
Jake Giddings	11
Tautvydas Barstys	10
Ronnie Klos	10

Entrants’ Trophy after Round 4: 

Team Pyro	221
Scuderia Vittoria	139
Westbourne Motorsport	136
Stancombe Vehicle Engineering	106
20Ten Racing	54
Finesse Motorsport Ltd	49
Total Control Racing	40
Juta Racing	38
Mike Bushell	24
Silver Fox Racing	14

  

BTCC : Crashes and Controversy at Donington Park

Shedden (52) leads the pack to victory, meanwhile Plato and Collard fall foul of each other.

Mat Jackson and Gordon Shedden shared the wins in today’s three highly-charged Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship races at Leicestershire’s Donington Park circuit. But it is Jason Plato who, despite a crash, still leads the points table as Britain’s premier motor racing series heads south for its next three races at the fastest circuit on the calendar, Thruxton in Hampshire, on the weekend of 28/29 April.

 

Plato had given his MG KX Momentum Racing MG6 a first-ever pole position in Saturday’s qualifying session. But he could only finish fourth in today’s first race behind Jackson’s Redstone Racing Ford Focus ST and the Honda Yuasa Racing Team Honda Civics of Shedden and team-mate Matt Neal.

 

Shedden then led home Neal in race two for a dream 1-2 result for the factory Honda squad with Jackson following in third. It also meant the season’s first five races had each been won by a different driver, while Neal now took over the championship lead after Plato crashed out in a tangle with Robert Collard’s eBay Motors BMW.

 

In race three Jackson crossed the line in first ahead of Plato and Shedden. But officials then demoted Plato to third with a time penalty after they judged he had unfairly bumped Shedden off the track at the final bend. Officials also later excluded Jackson from the results after it was discovered his car had exceeded the permitted turbo boost limits, meaning the Warwickshire driver had to be content with just the one win on home ground.

 

His exclusion also meant Shedden inherited the victory ahead of Plato and a jubilant Tony Gilham who, in his Team HARD. Honda Civic, had achieved a maiden top three result as well as his first maximum score in the Independent Drivers Trophy. Plato also moved back to the top of the standings as Neal, the reigning Champion, span out of the race in a clash with Pirtek Racing Honda driver Andrew Jordan.

 

Oxford racer Plato, aiming for a third BTCC title in 2012, commented: “It’s been a very topsy-turvy day for me. The speed of the MG was clear for all to see with that brilliant pole position lap but then things just didn’t go our way in the races. My crash was just a racing incident but then to drive through from 17th to finish on the podium in race three again underlined just how special the MG is and I believe it will fly at Thruxton.”

Worcestershire’s Neal said: “Everything was going great until race three – a third in race one and then a great result for Honda in race two. But race three showed just how quickly it can all change in the BTCC and now I find myself chasing Jason again as we go to Thruxton. But the main thing is we’re still right in the hunt and my Honda won’t have quite so much success ballast to deal with as his MG around there.”

Following a torrid opening round two weeks ago at Brands Hatch, Fife ace Shedden, who becomes the first driver to win twice in 2012, has vaulted to sixth in the championship. He said: “I feel we’ve got our just rewards today despite Jason’s best efforts! The Honda has been fantastic all weekend around Donington and that’s a great sign for Thruxton where again having a good car in high speed corners counts for a lot. It’s the perfect way to bounce back after Brands Hatch and my championship is now back on track.”

Jackson was left to rue what might have been, saying: “Losing the win in race three is a big blow but a win and a third in the first two races are still two very good results. It’s shown we’re capable of taking it to factory teams and I’m going to Thruxton fully intent on rattling their cages again.”

 

Meanwhile Honda/Dynamics and the Honda Yuasa Racing Team respectively have moved to the top of both the Manufacturers/Constructors and HiQ Teams championships. Jordan and his Pirtek squad have also increased their leads in the Independent Drivers and Teams title races.

 

Elsewhere a number of teams and drivers were penalised by officials at Donington Park. MG KX Momentum Racing, Rob Austin Racing and Thorney Motorsport all received verbal warnings for moving their cars into their pit garages without permission before the session had ended. Chris James received an official reprimand and 2 penalty points on his competition licence for an on-track incident in race one plus, later, a further 3 penalty points and a £1000 fine for using abusive language and behaviour within the venue. Jeff Smith, Dave Newsham and Andrew Jordan received verbal warnings for on-track incidents. Jason Plato received a 2-second penalty for gaining an unfair advantage on-track. Mat Jackson was excluded from the results of race three for a technical infringement.

 

2012 Dunlop BTCC Drivers’ Points after Donington Park (round 2 of 10):

1. Jason Plato, 84 points

2. Matt Neal, 80

3. Andrew Jordan, 76
4. Robert Collard, 71

5. Gordon Shedden, 69
6. Mat Jackson, 60

 

Manufacturers/Constructors’ Points:

1. Honda/Dynamics, 168

2. MG/888, 160

HiQ Teams’ Points:

1. Honda Yuasa Racing Team, 146

2. Pirtek Racing, 129

3. eBay Motors, 112
4. Redstone Racing, 104

5. MG KX Momentum Racing, 93

6. Team ES Racing.com 54

Independent Drivers’ Points:
1. Andrew Jordan, 98

2. Robert Collard, 80

3. Mat Jackson, 70
4. Jeff Smith, 69
5. Tom Onslow-Cole, 59

6. Dave Newsham, 56

 

Independent Teams’ Points:

1. Pirtek Racing, 102

2. Redstone Racing, 92
3. eBay Motors, 91

4. Team ES Racing.com, 75

5. Team HARD., 65

=6. Speedworks Motorsport & BINZ Racing, 46

*All points remain provisional