BRSCC HEADS EAST AGAIN AS SNETTERTON CALLS
For the second time this season, the BRSCC East Anglian Centre gets ready to host another two days of action packed racing on the Snetterton 300 circuit. A timetable full of saloon and sports car racing awaits and with summer approaching on the horizon, we’re hoping the weather will be great too!
The headline act this weekend is made clear in the title of the meeting, the Nankang Tyres BMW Compact Cup rolls in for a rare two day meeting, seeing as almost all of their rounds take place on a single day, qualifying included. The points battle after two rounds is already shaping up to be a real skirmish between the frontrunners as Ian Jones and double champion Steven Dailly are equal on points heading to Norfolk. Ben Huntley is only another 5 points back, while Masters leader David May makes it twelve points between the top four drivers in the standings. The likes of Mark Skeats, Matthew Parkes, Wayne Flint, Tom Griffiths and the Dobles will be hot on their tail, as the Compact Cup locks and loads for three intense touring car style tin-top races!
More saloon car action comes in the form of the BRSCC Fiesta Championship racing with MRF Tyres, as they already reach the half way stage of the 2019 season this weekend. Last time out at Cadwell Park, David Nye and Zachary Lucas took the spoils of victory, however it’s the young Fiesta Junior graduate James Waite that leads the standings as dropped scores begin to come into play – even though he’s yet to win a race! This proves how crucial consistency is as Waite has been able to bank strong results and podium finishes at every weekend so far. Keep an eye on the likes of Isaac Smith, Ryan Faulconbridge, Jamie Going, Alastair Kellett and Samuel Watkins as they’ll all be gunning for victory as well; all are proven race winners and will certainly be in the mix.
Their younger counterparts in the BRSCC Fiesta Junior Championship racing with MRF Tyres are also ready to go once again as Olly Turner continues to take control of the series with five wins from the first six races. He will be hoping to add to his win tally this weekend, although JamSport teammate Alfie Glenie, Ted Potts and rookie Joseph Loake will be hoping to give chase in both races. Also, this weekend sees a welcome return to the grid for Nathanael Hodgkiss, who is now locked in for the rest of the season.
Snetterton also marks the start of a new campaign for the BRSCC OSS Championship, one of the fastest series in British club motorsport that gives a home to some of the fastest purpose built sports prototypes and sports racing cars. Over the years, it’s been a superb battleground for established manufacturers to duke it out against specially developed machines on circuits that really let them show their speed. Patrick Sherrington looks to be the favourite on paper with the former Sports 2000 star out to defend his Class A title as well as go for overall honours. There’s some exciting machinery amongst the Class B contenders including Jack Fabby’s Tiga, the Nemesis of Will Pringle and the pair of Chirons to be piloted by Richard Wise and Paul Spencer. Class C should also be a fascinating four way contest between the Radical quartet of Robert Gillman, Julian Griffiths, Dominic Langdon-Down and Alastair Smart.
There’s also plenty of “allcomers” style series making guest appearances at Snetterton, the most populated being the Classic & Modern Motorsport Club which brings three different contests to the timetable. The biggest entry by far is found with the Southern Saloon series with a mammoth 38 car line featuring a wide variety of makes and models. Class A in the main Saloon category should be awesome to watch as the Ford Escort Cosworth pair of Rod Birley and Malcolm Wise will take on Mark Death’s Subary Impreza and the thunderous Holden Commodore that Alex Sidwell brings over from Australia as an ex-V8 Supercar. Also included in the entry list are a horde of BMWs, Ford Sierra Cosworths, silhouette racers in Class H, Ford Fiestas, Honda Civics and Citroen Saxos. It should be a busy but exciting pair of races!
Two more CMMC categories will compete in separate races – the Ford Saloon Challenge and Dunlop TVR Challenge join forces to race together on this occasion, where the aforementioned Birley and Wise will be more competition from Dave Cockell’s own Escort Cosworth, with Paul Neville, Neil Jessop and Chris Baker also looking to give chase. The TVR contingent comprises of Michael Blake’s Griffith, the Chimaera of Mathew Smith and Mark Rusted’s Cerbera. There’s also races for the Pre ’64 and Classic Challenge, where you’ll see cars from Alfa Romeo, Lotus, Triumph, Austin and MGA all ready to lock horns around the 300 circuit.
Another pack grid also takes shape thanks to the Track Attack Race Club, with the Nippon Challenge, Multi Marques and Tricolore Trophy once again ready to duel on track. Clive Haynsford’s Mazda RX-8 leads the line in the Multi Marques class against Craig Tomkinson’s Vauxhall Nova and the Suzuki Swift GTi of Andy McLennan, while the Tricolore Trophy is awash with Renault Clios and the ever growing 206 GTi Cup. Over in the Nippon Challenge, Honda Civics are ready to face off with Mazda MX-5s and Toyota in what should be a thrilling contest all in all. Watch out for names such as Tony Hunter, Steve Cassar, Nick Gwinnett, Ash Bruneau and Robert Buckland at the front of the field all weekend.
Scott Woodwiss
