Mini Se7ens & Miglias Snetterton 13th & 14th May 2023
The Dunlop Mini Se7en and Miglia challenges in association with Mini Spares held their third meeting of 2023 at Snetterton over the weekend of the 13th and 14th of May, using the full 2.97-mile 300 layout.
Mini Miglia Qualifying/Race One: Title race table-topper Aaron Smith snared pole position late in the 20-minute qualifying session, toppling Kane Astin off the top spot by 0.129 seconds. Astin trailed Smith by a single point in the championship standings coming into the weekend. Jeff Smith headed the second row in third, another 0.188 seconds back. Rupert Deeth and Ben Colburn returned to the championship after missing Donington Park due to competing at the Goodwood Members Meeting and lined up fourth and fifth. Phil Bullen-Brown completed the top six and was the last driver to be within one second of pole. Richard Colburn took the Libre class pole. The Miglias were the last race of the day on Saturday, taking place in unseasonably cold weather for May. Kane Astin got away best to head the field into Riches for the first time in the twenty-minute encounter. Rupert Deeth toughed it out around the outside to take second, having gone in three-wide with Aaron and Jeff Smith. Jeff Smith then slewed sideways in the corner and was clouted in the driver's door by Ben Colburn. Smith only lost two places after the rest of the pack checked up and had recovered to fifth by Agostini. Astin completed the opening lap in the lead from Aaron Smith, who retook second from Deeth before Wilson, with the top three having broken clear. Phil Bullen-Brown had Jeff Smith breathing down his neck for fourth going into lap two. Astin defended his lead from Aaron Smith into Riches for the second time whilst Jeff Smith passed Bullen-Brown starting the lap. In an action replay of lap two, Astin stuck to the inside approaching Riches for the third time as they threatened to go three-wide. A defensive Astin kept Aaron Smith wide at the Wilson hairpin so Deeth outdragged him towards Palmer before Smith dived back into second at Agostini. A body-damaged Ben Colburn, his near-side front wing peeled back in the first corner incident, moved up to fifth starting the lap and started to challenge Jeff Smith for fourth, towing past on the Bentley Straight. Smith was soon back ahead of Colburn, repassing him into Riches for the fourth time. Up ahead, Deeth draughted up to second past Aaron Smith on the Bentley Straight. At half distance, Astin and Deeth were abreast through Riches and Wilson but Deeth couldn’t make the move stick on the outside. Aaron Smith got a run on Deeth as a result and made a bold bid for second down the inside into Agostini, the move went awry as his snaking car thumped into the innocent Astin. Former leader Astin spun down to fifth and the delayed Smith to sixth. Deeth now led from a closely following Jeff Smith and Colburn, the Agostini incident having brought the pair into contention. An angry Astin ended the lap in fourth as Bullen-Brown backed his car into Murrays, running onto the grass at the exit and falling behind Aaron Smith into sixth. A storming sixth lap from Astin brought him onto the back of the top three and the 2011 champion relieved Colburn of third around the outside into Riches starting lap seven. After having a sniff at Oggies and Williams, Jeff Smith breezed into the lead on the Bentley Straight as Aaron Smith joined the back of what is now a five-car train. They began the penultimate lap with a little under four and a half minutes remaining and Astin attempted to take second off Deeth on the outside of Riches but the move was rebuffed. Aaron Smith demoted Colburn at the same time and was up alongside Astin into Wilson, Smith successfully completed a move on Astin at Agostini to go third. The jostling becomes more serious heading onto the last lap as Jeff Smith led Deeth, Aaron Smith, Astin and Colburn. Deeth towed past Jeff Smith on the outside into Riches for the final time but was tagged by the three-time Se7en champion, who was trying to fend off Aaron Smith. Smith A slipped by into the lead as Deeth corrected his slide and Smith J eased off. Jeff Smith then attacked Deeth at Wilson but wasn’t given an inch on the outside, Astin held off Colburn just behind too. Another slide from Deeth through Palmer allowed Jeff Smith to dive into second at Agostini, with Astin following him by into Hamilton. Deeth again ran wide at Williams so Colburn was able to draw alongside on the Bentley Straight but doesn’t get the move done. Trying to wrest second from Jeff Smith, Astin was kept on the outside of Brundle so his attempt was thwarted. Up ahead, Aaron Smith opened up a decent lead over the squabbling pack after the Riches contact to take the win by 2.933 seconds. Using a good run out of Murrays and a powerful slipstream, Astin just pipped Jeff Smith for second by a scant 0.009 seconds as they crossed the line almost three abreast. Deeth took fourth, just 0.175 seconds from Astin, and Colburn wasn't far behind in fifth. An amended result after a stewards inquiry saw Aaron Smith dropped to second after the Agostini incident with Astin, whilst Jeff Smith was also put back behind Deeth for gaining an unfair advantage in their Riches incident starting the final lap. That meant Astin took his second victory of 2023 from Aaron Smith, Deeth and Jeff Smith. In the Libre class, Steve Baker led early on just in front of Richard Colburn, who moved ahead on lap two. Baker retook the Libre lead on the eighth lap from a slowing Colburn, who fought back at Oggies. Meanwhile, Josh Evans was also reeling in the tussle. In the end, Baker took the win from Evans in second after Colburn had a grassy moment at Murrays.
Mini Miglia Qualifying/Race One: Title race table-topper Aaron Smith snared pole position late in the 20-minute qualifying session, toppling Kane Astin off the top spot by 0.129 seconds. Astin trailed Smith by a single point in the championship standings coming into the weekend. Jeff Smith headed the second row in third, another 0.188 seconds back. Rupert Deeth and Ben Colburn returned to the championship after missing Donington Park due to competing at the Goodwood Members Meeting and lined up fourth and fifth. Phil Bullen-Brown completed the top six and was the last driver to be within one second of pole. Richard Colburn took the Libre class pole. The Miglias were the last race of the day on Saturday, taking place in unseasonably cold weather for May. Kane Astin got away best to head the field into Riches for the first time in the twenty-minute encounter. Rupert Deeth toughed it out around the outside to take second, having gone in three-wide with Aaron and Jeff Smith. Jeff Smith then slewed sideways in the corner and was clouted in the driver's door by Ben Colburn. Smith only lost two places after the rest of the pack checked up and had recovered to fifth by Agostini. Astin completed the opening lap in the lead from Aaron Smith, who retook second from Deeth before Wilson, with the top three having broken clear. Phil Bullen-Brown had Jeff Smith breathing down his neck for fourth going into lap two. Astin defended his lead from Aaron Smith into Riches for the second time whilst Jeff Smith passed Bullen-Brown starting the lap. In an action replay of lap two, Astin stuck to the inside approaching Riches for the third time as they threatened to go three-wide. A defensive Astin kept Aaron Smith wide at the Wilson hairpin so Deeth outdragged him towards Palmer before Smith dived back into second at Agostini. A body-damaged Ben Colburn, his near-side front wing peeled back in the first corner incident, moved up to fifth starting the lap and started to challenge Jeff Smith for fourth, towing past on the Bentley Straight. Smith was soon back ahead of Colburn, repassing him into Riches for the fourth time. Up ahead, Deeth draughted up to second past Aaron Smith on the Bentley Straight. At half distance, Astin and Deeth were abreast through Riches and Wilson but Deeth couldn’t make the move stick on the outside. Aaron Smith got a run on Deeth as a result and made a bold bid for second down the inside into Agostini, the move went awry as his snaking car thumped into the innocent Astin. Former leader Astin spun down to fifth and the delayed Smith to sixth. Deeth now led from a closely following Jeff Smith and Colburn, the Agostini incident having brought the pair into contention. An angry Astin ended the lap in fourth as Bullen-Brown backed his car into Murrays, running onto the grass at the exit and falling behind Aaron Smith into sixth. A storming sixth lap from Astin brought him onto the back of the top three and the 2011 champion relieved Colburn of third around the outside into Riches starting lap seven. After having a sniff at Oggies and Williams, Jeff Smith breezed into the lead on the Bentley Straight as Aaron Smith joined the back of what is now a five-car train. They began the penultimate lap with a little under four and a half minutes remaining and Astin attempted to take second off Deeth on the outside of Riches but the move was rebuffed. Aaron Smith demoted Colburn at the same time and was up alongside Astin into Wilson, Smith successfully completed a move on Astin at Agostini to go third. The jostling becomes more serious heading onto the last lap as Jeff Smith led Deeth, Aaron Smith, Astin and Colburn. Deeth towed past Jeff Smith on the outside into Riches for the final time but was tagged by the three-time Se7en champion, who was trying to fend off Aaron Smith. Smith A slipped by into the lead as Deeth corrected his slide and Smith J eased off. Jeff Smith then attacked Deeth at Wilson but wasn’t given an inch on the outside, Astin held off Colburn just behind too. Another slide from Deeth through Palmer allowed Jeff Smith to dive into second at Agostini, with Astin following him by into Hamilton. Deeth again ran wide at Williams so Colburn was able to draw alongside on the Bentley Straight but doesn’t get the move done. Trying to wrest second from Jeff Smith, Astin was kept on the outside of Brundle so his attempt was thwarted. Up ahead, Aaron Smith opened up a decent lead over the squabbling pack after the Riches contact to take the win by 2.933 seconds. Using a good run out of Murrays and a powerful slipstream, Astin just pipped Jeff Smith for second by a scant 0.009 seconds as they crossed the line almost three abreast. Deeth took fourth, just 0.175 seconds from Astin, and Colburn wasn't far behind in fifth. An amended result after a stewards inquiry saw Aaron Smith dropped to second after the Agostini incident with Astin, whilst Jeff Smith was also put back behind Deeth for gaining an unfair advantage in their Riches incident starting the final lap. That meant Astin took his second victory of 2023 from Aaron Smith, Deeth and Jeff Smith. In the Libre class, Steve Baker led early on just in front of Richard Colburn, who moved ahead on lap two. Baker retook the Libre lead on the eighth lap from a slowing Colburn, who fought back at Oggies. Meanwhile, Josh Evans was also reeling in the tussle. In the end, Baker took the win from Evans in second after Colburn had a grassy moment at Murrays.
|
|
|
Race Two: Much warmer conditions greeted the Miglias on Sunday morning as the grid formed up. Shaun King was elevated to pole position after the top eight were reversed for race two, with Rob Howard starting alongside. Bullen-Brown and Colburn formed the second row ahead of Jeff Smith, Deeth, Aaron Smith and Astin. The start was delayed to retrieve the stranded Libre class car of Richard Colburn from the outside of Palmer but the race distance would remain the full twenty minutes. As the race got underway, King put on his Sunday best to hold the lead into Riches whilst Jeff Smith went around the outside of Bullen-Brown and Rob Howard into second, with Astin following Smith past into third by Wilson. Deeth would also go by Bullen-Brown for fifth but had a big slide at Palmer which saw the 2022 champion being forced to successfully defend the place at Agostini. Leader King also moved to defend his lead into Agostini but was unable to stop Jeff Smith from draughting into the lead down the Bentley Straight for the first time, with Astin following the ex-BTCC racer through. Current title holder Deeth slid out of fourth after going off at Coram, having got ahead of Howard into Brundle, and rejoined down amongst the Libre class runners. Jeff Smith and Astin pair off heading into the second lap, ahead of a group of three led by King, Bullen-Brown and Aaron Smith. The three-time Miglia champion dived inside Bullen-Brown at Oggies for fourth whilst up front, Astin took the lead turning into Brundle. After getting a great tow along the start/finish straight, Jeff Smith retook the lead on the outside of Riches for the third time, Aaron Smith also passed King for third at the same time and quickly made it a group of three for the lead. Mirroring lap two, Astin breezed by Jeff Smith on the Bentley Straight to hit the front again. Bullen-Brown also passed King for fourth during the lap, sending his pale blue car up the inside into Agostini. The recovering Deeth also broke into the top ten, having fought past a hectic midfield scrap headed by Mark Sims. Just as he did the lap before, Jeff Smith drove around Astin at Riches to lead again. Bullen-Brown was also closing on the leading trio, having got away from King. Jeff Smith headed Astin and Aaron Smith onto the Bentley Straight but it was Aaron Smith who led Astin into Brundle and Nelson. However, Jeff Smith went back ahead of the pair on the outside of the Bombhole as Aaron Smith fended off Astin. Their tussle meant Bullen-Brown was now with them. Half race distance was reached during lap five and Aaron Smith slingshotted past Jeff Smith up the inside into Riches and made a temporary break from the following pair during the mid-section of the lap. Not wanting the leader to get away, Astin towed past Jeff Smith on the Bentley Straight once more, giving him the inside for Brundle. The powerful slipstream effect soon brought the lead group back together and Astin hit the front at Riches starting lap six. The new race leader ran wide at the exit but held off Aaron Smith's attention into the Wilson hairpin. Astin's lead only lasted as far as the Bentley Straight, where Aaron Smith breezed back into the lead. A few seconds back from them, the battling King and Rob Howard pair were being reeled in by the recovering Deeth and the reigning champion did likewise, passing them both to reach fifth. Starting the seventh tour, with a little over six minutes remaining, the leaders went three-wide into Riches and Astin took up the lead and Jeff Smith moved into second. It was now Astin's turn to briefly break away as Jeff Smith held off namesake Aaron. For once there was no change amongst the lead three as they went into Riches for the penultimate time but Jeff Smith steamed past Astin down the Bentley Straight to take the lead onto the final lap. That lead doesn't last long as Astin moved back ahead by Riches for the last time. With time running out, Jeff Smith retook the lead from the outside into Brundle and Aaron Smith also got past Astin by driving up the outside towards the Bombhole as Jeff Smith squeezed Astin, who was attempting to come through on the inside. Their in-fighting made Bullen-Brown a real podium threat and the quartet exited Murrays nose to tail for the run to the flag. Jeff Smith just beat triple champion Aaron Smith to the line by 0.152 seconds, whilst Astin crossed the line almost level with Aaron in third and missed second by just 0.056 seconds. Bullen-Brown took fourth some 0.585 seconds from taking the win in a frantic finish, despite not quite having the pace to really get amongst the lead scrap. The flying Deeth closed to within 3.541 seconds of Bullen-Brown in fifth, having set the fastest lap. In the Libre class, Josh Evans and Steve Baker both got ahead of early pacemaker Peter Hills by half distance but Baker's car stuttered exiting the Bombhole, letting Hills through on lap six. That's the way the order stayed so Evans got his third win of the year in the Libres from Hills.
|
|
|
Mini Se7en Qualifying/Race One: Championship leader Joe Thompson arrived from Donington Park protecting a twelve-point lead from Ross Billison. After missing the second race at Donington Park in April on Goodwood Members Meeting duty, Mike Jordan trailed Thompson by twenty points coming into the meeting and would be looking to eat into the deficit. Jordan showed his intent by beating Thompson to pole position in a chilly session by 0.268 seconds. Hoping for a good weekend after his nightmare start to the season, defending champion Connor O’Brien lined up third, whilst Spencer Wanstall jumped up to fourth on the last lap of the session to displace Ross Billison. Michael Winkworth bested Frazer Hack by 0.125 seconds to bag the S-Class pole position, with Matthew Page lining up third for the opening 20-minute race. S-Class championship leader Matthew Ayres had a quiet session, qualifying some 1.146 seconds away from the class pole in fourth. Original fourth-place qualifier Andrew Hack was sent to the back of the grid with a penalty applied for the Donington race two incident in which himself, his son Frazer and Winkworth all came to grief. When the lights went out, the second row away got away better than the front row so the pack arrived en masse into Riches and second starter Thompson emerged from the corner with the race lead ahead of Jordan, who fended off Wanstall on his outside. A tricky opening couple of corners saw Wanstall shuffled down to fifth at Wilson after O’Brien went up his inside exiting Riches and Darren Thomas followed the 2022 champion through. In what would become something of a theme in this race, Jordan took the lead on the Bentley Straight for the first time to head Thompson and O’Brien at the end of lap one. Just behind, Wanstall moved back up to fourth at the Brundle and Nelson complex. The top three started breaking clear of Wanstall and Thomas during the second lap, which ended with Thompson towing up to Jordan as they passed the pits. Thompson completed his move into the lead at Riches beginning lap three whilst Donington race winner Billison climbed back up to fifth at the expense of Thomas. Thompson's tenure of the lead wouldn't last long as Jordan retook the lead on the Bentley Straight. In an action replay of lap three, Thompson hit the front at Riches and Jordan went back ahead on the Bentley Straight again on the fourth tour. Having kept well in touch with the squabbling Jordan and Thompson over the first few laps, defending champion Connor O’Brien's disastrous season continued with another retirement ending the lap, head gasket woes the cause. The lead pair's game of cat and mouse continued past the halfway mark as Thompson led into Riches once more but Jordan would be leading again by Brundle. Thompson led again into Riches beginning the sixth lap but was able to complete the circuit in front but next time around, Jordan breezed back ahead on the Bentley Straight. There was only time for two more circulations and Jordan opened a slightly bigger gap going onto the last lap. His advantage wouldn't last long as a strong run through the infield section placed Thompson in Jordan's tow along the Bentley Straight, the pair tough it out side by side through Brundle and Nelson but Jordan held on as the chequered flag neared. They exited Murrays together and Thompson was closing, closing, closing as they passed the pit entry but Jordan hugged the pitwall to take the win by 0.186 seconds after a superb bout between the pair. Just over six seconds back, Wanstall took third just ahead of Billison. The S-Class battle was every bit as frantic as a four-way lead scrap ended lap one with Michael Winkworth in the tow of Frazer Hack, with Matthew Ayres and Jonathon Page right with them. Winkworth took the lead at Riches for the second time, as Ayres held off Page for third. Next time around Ayres briefly went second at Riches but Frazer Hack retook the place before Wilson and Ayres was further demoted by Page at the hairpin. Later in the lap, the top four became tangled up with Andy King’s Se7en through Brundle and Nelson, which gave Frazer Hack a sizeable break. Page took the opportunity to jump past Winkworth for second at the Bombhole but the 2021 champion fought back through Coram. A rapid couple of laps brought Winkworth back up to Hack junior's bootlid. The defensive tactics from Frazer Hack slowed the pack down to the extent that Andrew Hack took the class lead despite starting at the back of the grid, the lead trio three-wide over the start/finish line ending lap seven. Jonathon Page also usurped Winkworth for third soon after at the Wilson hairpin but contact into Riches saw Page spat out of the squabble starting the final lap. In the end, Andrew Hack just held off son Frazer for a popular S-Class victory from Winkworth in third.
|
|
|
Race Two: The Se7ens were out bright and early on Sunday morning for their second twenty minutes of action. The top eight grid reversal placed Jo Polley on pole position, Graeme Davis joining her on the front row. 2022 S-Class champion Damien Harrington and Darren Thomas made up row two ahead of Ross Billison and Spencer Wanstall on row three, with Joe Thompson and Race One winner Mike Jordan on the fourth row. Reigning champion Connor O’Brien would go from eleventh and was hoping his poor run of misfortune would finally change for the better. Davis, Wanstall, Thomas and Billison all got away well to pass polesitter Polley off the line but contact was made at Riches as four into one didn’t go, Billison looped into a spin and was collected by Polley. Both were able to continue but well down the order, whilst Davis was hit with a ten-second penalty after being adjudged to have got away a little too well. Unaffected by the coming together, Thomas and Wanstall leave the scene side by side and Thomas battled his way into the lead at Wilson running up the inside. His time in front would be short as Wanstall went into the lead on the brakes into Agostini, fourth-row starter Joe Thompson was right with the pair too. Race One winner Jordan sat in sixth behind O’Brien and Harrington, having been delayed in the Riches skirmish. The Midlander soon passed Harrington for fifth through Coram and was quickly onto the tail of Thomas in fourth. At the close of lap one, the top three were abreast passing the pits and Thompson took second into Riches, Wanstall fended off the pair as he swung into the corner. Meanwhile, Jordan moved up to fourth just behind them and soon latched onto the top three as Thompson draughted into the lead on the Bentley Straight. Early in lap three, Jordan took third off Thomas up the inside into Wilson whilst Wanstall went back ahead of Thompson down the Bentley Straight later in the lap. In the battle for fourth, Thomas began falling into the clutches of O’Brien. Starting the fourth lap, Thompson slipped into the lead at Riches and Jordan followed him past Wanstall into Wilson. In a mirror image of Saturday, Jordan then sped past Thompson for the lead on the Bentley Straight. As the race reached its halfway point, Thompson took his turn back in front at Riches for the fifth time but Jordan once more retook the lead on the Bentley Straight. The toing and froing between the pair settled down for a lap or two afterwards, with Wanstall still offering a threat in third. Behind the leading trio, O’Brien got in front of Thomas in a battle that would rumble on as Thomas ended lap six back ahead. With five minutes to go, Thompson made another pass on Jordan into Riches at the seventh time of asking and the pair began gapping Wanstall slightly. For fourth, O'Brien passed Thomas between Wilson and Palmer but Thomas steamed back past on the Bentley Straight. O'Brien then made a bid for the inside of Nelson but Thomas just clung on around the outside. The scene is replayed between the pair on the penultimate lap, with Thomas holding the upper hand into the final tour. Up ahead, leader Jordan was able to break the tow onto the Bentley Straight for the last time when Thompson got a tap from behind courtesy of Wanstall at Oggies and took the win by 0.612 seconds. Thompson also broke clear of Wanstall, who had a sideways moment at Williams after hooking the inside kerb, taking second 2.538 seconds clear. O’Brien took fourth by a nose, pipping Thomas by a slender 0.056 seconds to resolve their ding-dong battle for fourth. O'Brien had got ahead in the infield section before Thomas repassed the defending champion on the Bentley Straight during the final lap. There would be another mad scramble for the S-Class victory, Saturday winner Winkworth got a demon start and was past reversed-grid poleman Prior into the class lead by Riches from eighth on the grid! Prior and Edgcombe disputed second in his wake towards Wilson, where Prior emerged in the class lead again after Winkworth went wide. The 2021 class champion soon regained the lead at Agostini, with Frazer Hack right there too and the yellow Mini moved into second at Hamilton. Race one fourth-placed finisher Jonathon Page also dispensed with Edgcombe for third at Palmer on the opening lap, he then moved up to second ahead of Frazer Hack on lap three and set about reducing the lead margin. Page caught Winkworth within a lap and had brought Frazer Hack with him. With five minutes remaining, Page hassled Winkworth into Agostini and had gone into the S-Class lead before the seventh lap was complete on the Bentley Straight. Not to be outdone, Winkworth went back in front on the eighth lap, taking the long way around Riches, and then Frazer Hack sent it up the inside of Page into Wilson for second. Jonathon Page’s brother Matthew was now also catching lead trio as their fight got fiercer. The conflict reached a crescendo when a locked-up Frazer Hack fired inside Winkworth into Murrays for the final time, their slow exits made it almost four-wide as they charged towards the finish line! Frazer Hack took the win by a narrow 0.015 seconds from Winkworth, Jonathon Page finished just 0.150 off Hack in third and sibling Matthew crossed the line in fourth, with all of them covered by a scant 0.254 seconds.
The Mini Se7ens and Miglias will be in front of the ITV cameras next when they support the BTCC at Thruxton on the 3rd and 4th of June.
The Mini Se7ens and Miglias will be in front of the ITV cameras next when they support the BTCC at Thruxton on the 3rd and 4th of June.
|
|
|
Other Highlights
|
|
|
Despite landing at Heathrow airport at 06:00 that same morning, Nicky Taylor set the pole-winning time and won the opening race in the MINI Challenge Trophy, having broken clear of what had become an eight-car fight for the lead from 2022 JSCC champion Maximus Hall. A robust move from Hall during the race had seen him docked two places to fourth for Race Two but a successful appeal put him back on the front row mere minutes before the race was due to start, causing some confusion among the starting officials as he sought to take his spot on the front row. Poleman Taylor took the lead off the start, whilst a great getaway from Hall's JSCC rival Harry Hickton put him second into Riches from Hall. Hall was soon back into second on the Bentley Straight before going to the front at Agostini on lap two. Tom Ovenden and Alex Solley started reeling in the top three towards half distance, where Hall was able to make a break after Hickton went wide after grabbing second at Agostini and Taylor hip and shouldered his way back into second at Hamilton. Soon after, Ovenden spun on his own fluid at Brundle whilst Hickton bounced across the infield. Most of the field went straight on into the escape road to miss the chaos. The Safety Car was soon deployed with the top four not picked up, leader Hall slowed the pack down and the Safety Car passed them but, with insufficient time for any more racing, the Red Flag was brandished with Hall taking the win from Taylor and Hickton. Race three was a busy affair in which Hall broke away to his second victory of the weekend ahead of six cars disputing second on a hectic final lap. Jack Byrne defended from Solley into Agostini with Rhys Hurd taking a look at James Black’s fourth spot. Hurd made contact with Black trying to get up the inside at Oggies, which allowed Nicky Taylor and Hickton to leapfrog the pair of them. Hickton then attempted to go inside Taylor for fourth at Brundle but was forced wide at Nelson by Taylor and lost four places. Byrne held off Solley for second whilst Black emerged from the chaotic final lap in fourth ahead of Hurd and the Taylors in fifth, sixth and seventh, Nicky ahead of Franky. The Caterham Graduates Sigma 150 and Sigmax contested three encounters over the weekend and in race one, long-time leader Harry Senior lost the lead to James Wingfield on the last lap but towed alongside over the start/finish line and fell an agonising 0.048 seconds short of claiming the win. Marking his debut in a Caterham and on his 21st birthday, Thomas Horton took the Sigmax win in sixth overall. After his first race loss, Senior made no mistake in the second to break the tow on the last lap and bag the win from Wingfield and a threatening Rob Warner. The longer 25-minute third bout was a typical Caterham slipstreamer with six cars contesting the lead but Will Stilwell looked as if he'd done enough to be safe from the tow to the line. Heartbreakingly, he missed a gear exiting Murrays and Wingfield gratefully scampers past to steal the win right at the death. The sister Sigma 135 category also took part in three races, Theo Theato setting three laps fast enough for pole position in each of them. Theato converted his pole start into the first race victory, coming out best in a four-way scrap. The same top four made the running in race two but it looked like Theato had built a race-winning margin on the final lap until he slithered wide onto the grass at Nelson, Ben Wheatley and Richard Groom gladly pounced on the opportunity to take first and second whilst Theato held off Tom Power for third. The longer third race saw Richard Groom speed away to an unusually comfortable 11.902-second victory, Groom had Ben Wheatley for company for the vast majority of the race but Wheatley's ignition frustratingly switched off at Oggies for the last time and he plummeted to fourteenth. The pair had escaped from a major bunfight for second, which was eventually topped by Stefano Marra from Theato in third. Jason West took a double victory in the two Kumho BMW Championship races, pushed hard by James Card in each. Polesitter Bryan Bransom took two third places in his orange E36 M3 despite fluffing the start of race one and the East Anglian would also take the Snetterton Saloons win in a grandstand finish with the similar car of Jasver Sapra/Kevin Clarke. The two MGOC Championship races featured a tough fight for honours between Steve McDermid and Scott Bugner, McDermid took the first one after a wild moment for Bugner at Coram before Bugner passed long-time leader McDermid late in the race to exact his revenge in the second. Italian Luca Staccini-Anzanello sped to both Hyundai Coupe Cup wins but neither race started easily. He fell to third in the first off the line as Paul Lawrie and Darren Ford, who'd flown up from starting eighth, got ahead into Riches but he made his way to the front on lap two and pulled away. In the second bout, the Italian fluffed the start after becoming distracted and missed the lights going out but recovered to take the lead ending lap one and drove off into the distance, waving to his adoring fans as he went. Early leader Ford was second but had to retake Lawrie to do so after running wide at Murrays at the end of the first lap.
|
|
|