RACING ROCKS AT THE ROCKINGHAM MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Dean Cook on the road to victory at Rockingham last weekend. Photo: jamesroberts.uk.com

Rockingham played host to a weekend of motor racing, food, music, drink and glorious sunshine for the inaugural ‘Racing Rocks’ event, with the BRSCC Midlands Centre arranging the action out on track.

Nine different series took to the circuit including the BRSCC Formula Jedi Championship, the Teekay Couplings Production GTi Championship, the Arrowpak Sports & Saloons, the Pipe Center Geberit Ford Racing Series and making their 2014 season debut, the Dunlop TVR Challenge.

Double victory for Simon Hill in the Teekay Couplings Production GTi Championship

It was a double victory for Knutsford’s Simon Hill who pulled off a fantastic start in round three to take the lead from pole sitterSimon Gusterson. Despite increasing pressure from Marytn Walsh, the reigning championkept his cool to take the chequered flag ahead of Walsh and John Mawdsley in second and third respectively.

In round four, all eyes were on the battle for second with Marytn Walsh taking position from John Mawdsley on the last lap, as Simon Hill took the chequered flag to claim his second victory of the day. It was a weekend to forget, however, for Simon Gusterson who was forced to retire from both rounds.

Wins for Jack Lang and Dan Clowes in the BRSCC Formula Jedi Championship

Jack Lang took his first victory of the season in round three of the BRSCC Formula Jedi Championship. Despite dropping two places on the first lap, the pole sitter retook the lead on the penultimate lap to take the chequered flag ahead of Scott Stevens and Andrew Dunn. It was a disappointing race for Dan Clowes however, who had to abandon his car on the exit of Deene corner forcing a Safety Car out on lap 5.

An early lead for Alok Iyengar in round four was cut short after the Indian driver, along with James Maclachlan, was handed a 5-second penalty for a jump start. Dan Clowes took the eventual race win ahead of Jack Lang and Paul Butcher in second and third respectively.

Silverware for Dean Cook in the Dunlop TVR Challenge

Dean Cook kick started the Dunlop TVR Challenge season with a double win at Rockingham. Despite a terrible start in race one, the 2013 champion managed to retake the lead in the final few laps to take the win ahead of Christian Douglas and Tim Davis. Keith Vaughan Williams also pulled off a decent recovery to finish in fourth despite spinning off at Deene corner, forcing him to join the back of the pack.

In race two, a jump start by Christian Douglas resulted in a 10 second penalty for the driver, who finished third behind Dean Cook and Tim Davis. A challenge by Tim Davis on lap 4 saw the London driver temporarily take the lead only to run wide at Deene corner a lap later to fall back to second place, handing victory to Dean Cook.

Victory for Mark Biggers in the combinedArrowpak Saloon & Sportscars & Pipe Center/Geberit Ford Racing Series

Mark Biggers took a dominant win in both rounds of the combined Arrowpak Saloon & Sportscar Championship and Pipe Center/Geberit Ford Racing Series.

Aflying start by the Nuneaton driver in race one saw him put his Nissan Skyline ahead of the Porsche 997 of pole sitter Peter Challis to pull out an extensive lead of 25 seconds. Peter Challis finished second and Doug Ellwood third.

In race two, an early Safety Car was called out after a scrap between Peter Challis and Mahesh Perera forced both drivers to spin off at Deene corner. Mark Biggers crossed the line with a six second gap to Doug Ellwood in second and Malcolm Wise in third.

Double victory for Chris Brockhurst in Quaife Intermarque Championship

It was a double victory for Chris Brockhurst in the Quaife Intermarque Championship. Brockhurst, who finished second in the 2013 championship, took a dominant win in round three ahead of Matt Simpson and Lewis Smith in second and third respectively. A vehicle fire for Malcolm Harding on the final lap due to a carburettor backfire put the Reigate driver out of action for the rest of the day.

An early lead by Malcolm Blackman in round four was cut short when he was forced to pit, leaving Chris Brockhurst to take the lead and his second victory of the day ahead of David Brooks in second. Despite a decent recovery by Blackman, the Langley driver was unable to get close enough to challenge Mike Thurley for third, and had to settle for fourth.

Pickup Truck Championship

Paul Tompkins took the win in race one of the Pickup Truck Championship despite increasing pressure from pole sitter Nic Grindrod. A great battle for the lead saw the top five trucks of Grindrod, Wilkinson, Tompkins, O’Regan and Smith with less than three quarters of a second separating them. A Safety Car was also called out on track on lap 15 after Neil Tressler was forced to pull off track at the end of turn four, dropping oil onto the Oval circuit.

Drama on the first lap of race two saw David Weaver hit the outer wall at turn four on the Oval circuit, forcing a Safety Car out onto track. Despite an epic battle for the lead between Nic Grindrod and Pete Wilkinson, it was Grindrod that came out on top to take the chequered flag just 0.059 secs ahead of Pete Wilkinson and Paul Tompkins in second and third respectively.

Glory for Andrew Ball and Rich Hughes in the MSVT Trackday Trophy

Andrew Ball and Rich Hughes of took home the silverware in round three of the MSVT Trackday Trophy in their No. 59 Porsche 968. Despite an early lead by the No. 84Toyota MR2 of Leon Bridgway and Andy Chapman, it was all change after the pit stop window, with the No. 59 Porsche 968 taking the chequered flag with a lead of 1:12:717 over the No. 5 Vauxhall VX220 of Jeremy Hayman and Mark Penny in second place and the No. 69 Renault Clio of Aaron Harding and David Slater.

Darren Goes claims victory in the MSVT Team Trophy

Despite a dominant 12 second lead by the pole sitting team of Preece/Reed in the first half of the MSVT Team Trophy, a Safety Car period andthe mandatory pit stop played into the heads of Darren Goes who took the chequered flag ahead of Preece/Reeds in second and Ricky Coomber in third. It was a race to forget for Mark Nenadic who was forced to abandon his car on the School Straight, forcing a Safety Car out on track, along with Rich Hughes and George Wright who were handed drive through penalties for overtaking under the Safety Car.

For all the results and analysis, courtesy of TSL, visit ROCKINGHAM RESULTS

Donna Kelly