Changeable, would be one word to describe both the weather
conditions and race positions for Race 2b of the Trackday Trophy.
After Saturday's fine weather, Sunday added heavy showers and
strong winds to the mix.
Qualifying stayed dry, the Clio Cup of Team Cream Slice setting
the pace early on. Class A rivals, Team Socram closely followed in
the BMW M3 and looked destined to start second on the grid until
the Class B entry of Team Tactic's Porsche 993 C4 put in a late
charge. Team Cream Slice took pole position with a time of
1m42.991s. The impressive Neil Newstead of NN Racing qualified
fourth in the Class C BMW 328i. Podium Preparation were the highest
Class D entry, starting 13th.
Heavy showers affected the races between qualifying and race
sessions. A number of races throughout the day started dry but then
endured heavy rain half way through. Some of the Trophy drivers
looked on nervous at the prospect of competing at a wet Cadwell
Park, a circuit which some had not raced on until the previous
day.
Remarkably, the track was dry as the drivers made their way to
the grid. Team Cream Slice's fears of getting swamped on the start
by the rear wheel drive driven cars of Team Tactics and Team Socram
proved to be true, as both the Porsche and the BMW M3 got by, with
the Team Tactics Porsche leading the pack into Coppice.
Lap 2, and Marcus Burnett took the lead in the M3, while
electrical issues forced out the Ford Puma of BS Racing. The Saab
CS of WMSS Motorsport retired to the disappointment of drivers
Drummond and Green who did well to qualify second in class. One lap
later, and second placed Team Cream Slice battled for the lead,
almost succeeding with a move down the inside of Team Socram's BMW
on the approach to the Mountain.
Class D leaders Apple Car Centre in their Renault Clio were on
the tails of Class C entry Nigel White in the VW Racing Golf, while
fellow Class D team Carpe Diem battled with Michael Buxton in the
Citroen Saxo. On lap 4, an off for McQ Motorsport in the no.64
Porsche 944 caused the safety car to be deployed.
The safety car period ended and the pit lane was opened for
teams to make their mandatory pit stop. Lap 8 saw the Clio Cup of
Team Cream Slice lead the race after passing the Socram BMW at the
Mountain, heading into the Hall Bends. The intense battle upfront
not relenting, as a lap later the BMW retook the lead. The pair
closely followed by George Wright in the Porsche 993 and Matt
Walton in the Clio Cup. Neil Newstead lay in fifth place, a few
seconds back, eager to take advantage of any potential
incidents.
First to take their pit stop was Nigel White in the Class C VW
Racing Golf, and as he did so, the sky became darker, rain looking
a distinct possibility. The safety car was brought out on lap 11 as
a result of Class D entries Podium Preparation and Speed Merchants
going off approaching the Mountain. A particular disappointment for
Podium Preparation drivers Atkinson and Jebson, who had won Class D
in Saturday's race.
The second safety car session sparked the pit lane into life,
with Class D entries Carpe Diem and Flying Kiwi Racing taking their
pit stops. Fifth placed NN Racing in the Class C BMW were the first
of the leaders to stop, getting into the pits before having a
single lap behind the safety car.A lap later and drivers behind the
safety car, the pit lane saw more cars coming in, among them were
Team Tactics, Team Socram and Matt Walton. Of the leaders, the Clio
Cup of Team Cream Slice stayed out, which would later prove
costly.
Still under safety car conditions, Team Cream Slice took their
pitstop. Unfortunately, the safety car pulled in and they lost
time, coming out of the pit lane and re-entering the race down in
ninth.
Upfront and NN Racing's early pit stop was paying dividends with
a lead of 6.8s over Marcus Burnett's M3 and the 993 driven by
George Wright. With just ten minutes left of the race, the
Class C entry of NN Racing led. The interclass battle continued,
and starting on lap 18, the leaders caught backmarkers on the
start/finish straight, eventually leading to the Class A M3 taking
the lead. Lap 19, saw the Class B Porsche 993 take second place,
dropping Neil Newstead down to third overall.
The battle for the overall win continued in a duel between
George Wright and Marcus Burnett. Having taken second, Wright
caught up to Burnett in the M3 but met traffic at the hairpin,
losing momentum. With two laps left to go, the Team Tactics 993
began to attack for first place. The two, very close on the entry
to the Mountain. However it was on the last lap, that George Wright
made his move taking the lead from Marcus Burnett and making it
stick, clinching the win and seeing the chequered flag with the
last lap action providing the battles that spectators love.
Post-race, 30 second penalties were unfortunately given to NN
Racing and the Citroen Saxo driven by Michael Buxton for pit-stop
infringements. That penalty for NN Racing dropped the team from
third overall (first in class) down to seventh overall (second in
class).
Andrew Calder
