MX-5 SUPERCUP GOES LIVE AT THE ROCK
Alan Henderson is the early SuperCup pace-maker. Photo: Jon Elsey
A full grid of BRSCC Mazda MX-5 SuperCup Mk3s heads to Rockingham this weekend for rounds 3 and 4 of the 2015 season, with this year’s championship already set to be even more fiercely competitive than last year! The SuperCup will be supporting the prestigious British GT Championship at Rockingham, which will also see live television coverage of Race 2 of the weekend on Motors TV.
Heading the championship table after the first meeting of the year is new comer Alan Henderson, who made a stunning debut in the SuperCup to take the first pole position and first race win of the year after graduating from the BRSCC Mk1 MX-5 Championship as runner-up in the 2014 season. Henderson didn’t have everything his own way last time out though, as Jonathan Clements fought him every lap of race 2 to snatch the victory and arrive here this weekend just 2 points behind in the standings.
Looking to join in on the action at the front this weekend will be former BTCC race winner and now ITV Sport commentator, Paul O’Neill. Following his guest drive last year in the SuperCup at Oulton Park where he narrowly beat Tom Roche to victory in both races, O’Neill has once again been invited by the Paul Sheard Autos team to take part in the SuperCup. At Oulton Park in 2014, O’Neill was involved in an enthralling race long battle with the championship regulars in both races to win by only the tiniest of margins and he is sure to be in contention for the victory again.
The Rockingham International Super Sportscar Long Circuit with its twisting in-field section and tight hairpins is totally different from the short and simple Silverstone National circuit where the SuperCup drivers last raced. This circuit requires a very different set-up and driving style, so is bound to favour a different group of drivers.
With record grid sizes this year in the SuperCup, there’s a whole host of drivers who are looking to make an impression on the title fight. Liam Murphy showed he has the pace at Silverstone by qualifying second but couldn’t make that pace count in the races. Blendini Motorsport Scholarship winner Jack Harding may be a novice in car racing but has many years of top-level karting experience on which to draw, and after a promising first weekend he’s definitely one to watch. Reigning Mk1 MX-5 Champion James Blake-Baldwin had a nightmare start to his season, having been side-lined by mechanical problems and arrives here with no points on the board, so he will be desperate to get his championship challenge back on course.
Whoever it is leading the pack, the field of identical cars in the MX-5 SuperCup is guaranteed to produce some thrilling racing! Live coverage from the Round 4 of the SuperCup at Rockingham will be on Motors TV at 17.20, Sunday May 3rd.
For more information about the meeting, including the entry list, visit ROCKINGHAM GT WEEKEND
John Davies
