FUNCUP STARS AS SNETTERTON SIZZLES IN SUMMER SUN

A trip to Norfolk for our competitors this past weekend saw all attending bask in glorious warm weather at Snetterton for the second BRSCC East Anglian Centre race meeting of the season, with blue skies, sunshine and a cooling breeze allowing the drivers and teams to work and compete in near perfect weather conditions. The action on track complimented this as racing on both days entertained the spectators from start to finish.

The main event would see the next instalment of the epic endurance series that is the Fun Cup Championship, with a 4 hour race on the 300 layout marking their fourth round of the 2018 season. The random grid draw was kind to Agua Caliente as they drew pole position alongside Maranello Connoisseurs, while Sheradize UK would start at the back of the grid as per the regulations after winning the second race at Anglesey last time out. They definitely didn’t waste any time, however, as by the end of the first hour they were up to an incredible 2nd place behind leaders CCS Media, with Track Torque 2Rent Domino’s holding station in 3rd place. Eventually, Sheradize UK would take the lead by the end of a safety car affected 2nd hour, however their advantage wouldn’t last as they would retire throughout hour 3. In the end, a superb effort from the Apollo Motorsport trio of Guy and Zoe Wenham and Ryan Burke took an incredible victory ahead of the DespatchBay.com pair of Andy Bicknell and Harry Mailer, with the 2Rent Domino’s duo of Henry Dawes and Chris Hart. The FunCup teams now get to tackle Zandvoort in the Netherlands at the end of the month as part of the BRSCC’s annual Eurofest race meeting that takes place in continental Europe.

Appearing on both days was the Speed Group OSS Championship, not long removed from their opening rounds of the season with a packed grid on the Silverstone GP circuit. Despite reigning champion Mike Jenvey taking a dominant pole position in qualifying for Race 1, that was really the extent of the advantage he would have all weekend, sadly. A mechanical problem put him out of all three races, leaving him to exit Snetterton with zero points and a lot of work to do ahead of the next rounds at Rockingham. As it was, it was left to former double champion Josh Smith to inherit the lead early on in Race 1 to win, followed by two more on Sunday in which he had to hunt down and pass Class A’s Patrick Sherrington on both occasions. Smith’s nimble little Radical PR6 engineered by Bridgwater College managed to get the better of Sherrington’s MCR and complete a perfect hat-trick of wins. Sherrington would finish 2nd and Class A winner in all three races, while Steve Griffiths, Daniel Prendergast and Graham Hill all scored a 3rd place each. Martin Heath took Class B all for himself all weekend in his Juno, while Anthony Ayres was dominant in the Invitation class aboard his Radical.

The Kerax Hyperdrive ST-XR Challenge made their first visit to Snetterton in several years, as they venture to a non-North Western Centre venue for their third appearance of the season. Points leader Justin Roberts couldn’t hold his pole position advantage long as he lost out to Steve Poole in the first half of the race, before retirement for Poole left him out of the race and Roberts would go on to take the win from Michael Heath and Alistair May. Heath would get his revenge in the second race when it was Roberts’ turn to have mechanical melodramas, and picked up Race 2 victory from a resurgent Steve Poole and third placed Adam Brown. Roberts wasted no time from the back of the field in Race 3 to catch both Heath and Poole in the lead and it looked as though he was odds on to take his second win of the weekend. However, heartbreak would cruelly strike as on the final charge to the chequered flag, Roberts’ engine expired in a plume of white smoke, allowing Heath and Poole respectively to tear past and deny him of victory. Tony Mumford couldn’t be beaten in Class E all weekend, while the XR3is saw Lee and Lewis Bowron share the class wins between them.

Andy Race ensured he remained championship leader in the Dunlop TVR Challenge as a reduced field took to Snetterton for what had scheduled to be three races. Race would go on to pick up the overall and Class C win in the first two encounters aboard his Griffith, both times ahead of Class B’s Jamie Golby’s Tuscan and Michael Blake’s Griffith, however as most of their cars sadly suffered mechanical issues one by one, the officials unfortunately had to axe the third TVR race due to a lack of cars still fit to take to the track. The championship will look to bounce back at Castle Combe in August, a real favourite circuit amongst TVR racing fans.

On Sunday, the Teekay Couplings Production GTi Championship made an appearance with a healthy mix of Mk2 and Mk5 Golf GTis in the entry. With warm air temperatures and an even warmer track to contend with, tyres would be the main talking point for all of their competitors. Simon Hill ensured he wouldn’t be caught all day as he went on to pick up the win overall and in the Mk5 class in both races. He was kept honest in both encounters by James Colbourne who would go on to take two 2nd places, while James Howlison secured a pair of 3rds. Martyn Walsh had also been a favourite for victory, but he was forced into the pits just before the start of the race, leaving him to charge back to 7th in Race 1, before his charge to the front was halted in his efforts to keep up with Howlison. In the Mk2s, no-one could stop a very happy Pete Milne, who went to claim class victories in both races. Tim Hartland took 2nd in Race 1 despite last lap contact with reigning champion Chris Webb at the Agostini hairpin, who then lost out on 3rd place to Dan Gibbs. Webb put things right with 2nd place in Race 2 as Gibbs captured another 3rd.

Also appearing on Sunday’s agenda were the Superkarting-UK Club Championship with four classes on track at the same time in both of their races. Nathan Barton was able to streak away to an overall win in the first race from Ben Parkinson and Charlie Johnson, while Tim King would put in a notable performance to win the 125 class. Barton, Parkinson and King all had to retire from the second race, leaving Johnson unchallenged as race winner from Richard Watts and Michael Goff. Tom Riley would finish 4th overall as the 125 class winner.

You can find the full breakdown of results here – SNETTERTON RESULTS.

Scott Woodwiss