OULTON PARK JUNE 19 RACE DAY PREVIEW – BRSCC FIESTA CHAMPIONSHIP
The BRSCC Fiesta Championship entered a new era a few weeks ago at Croft with the introduction of the brand new turbocharged ST240 class into the regulations as a points scoring entity. With renewed interest and something of an all-round revitalization, the momentum and interest generated from those opening two races means that heading to Oulton Park, the first time the championship has visited since 2009, there’s surely to be some exciting racing in store.
The driver that had the honour of taking the first win for the ST240 class was John Cooper, who had spent the previous 12 months alongside other regular Fiesta drivers putting in the development mileage ahead of this season. Despite the best efforts of his teammate and his closest rivals, no-one could knock him off the top spot and he will be keen to hold on to this advantage. Rob Smith was someone who seemed to gel with the new cars very quickly as he collected 2nd and 3rd from Croft to sit P2 in points and there’s every chance that Oulton Park could suit him down to the ground and give him a potential chance to take his first win. Just four points back is former Clio Cup racer Luke Pinder who appears to be enjoying life back behind the wheel of a front wheel drive car again. Racing with 20Ten Racing, Pinder did well to score 2nd place in Race 1 with the fastest lap followed by a top 5 the next day. Knowing how experienced he is, there’s every reason to believe that Pinder still has plenty up his sleeve.
Championship stalwart Simon Horrobin really does look as though he’s found his on-track mojo again in the new cars too, as he followed up a 6th place with a hard fought podium in the second race in 3rd place. On his day, he is just as quick as anyone else and has been a multiple race winner in the past, so expect him to be on the pace from the word go. Last year’s runner up in points Spencer Stevenson may only have a little over 10 races under his belt but is already proving to be a serious contender in the field, although he may still be getting to grips with the ST240 class cars. He heads up three stalwarts in Jamie Going, David Nye and Marco Ricci, all of whom have had their varying levels of success in Fiestas in the past – going has been a multiple race winner and title contender, Nye has been there and done it in Class C in the older ST150s and Ricci simply enjoys turning up and racing and being a part of the paddock, something we definitely don’t object to!
Alongside Zachary Lucas, who could have taken a win had he not suffered problems in both races to make a dent in his points haul leaving Yorkshire, and Dominic Bush, there’s a couple of returning names back on the grid this weekend which are no strangers to the paddock and are definitely ready for the challenge of an ST180 Turbo. Former overall champion Alastair Kellett makes the trip across from Ireland for his first race on UK shores since 2019 and will do in his own ST240 Class car. Joining him is former Class B champion back in the day Stuart Robbins, who is also sampling one of the new machines for the first times. Whispers suggest that if he enjoys this weekend enough, he may well stick around for the rest of the season his #0 car will certainly be one to keep track of.
Of course we still have some of the evergreen ST150 cars on the entry list, starting with the man top of their pile in the overall standings heading here. Ethan Rogers continues to make big strides in his ability and confidence and will be up for the challenge of maintaining his place, but we’re expecting Jack Youhill to get back to the same kind of form we’ve seen him in previously. Briannie Davis and Matt Chambers are also returnees as well, while Alastair Kellett’s son William is also here at Oulton Park with 20Ten Racing in an effort to try and replicate the old man – as the saying goes, like father, like son! Or at least, that’s what William will be hoping for once his first weekend in the championship draws to a close…
Scott Woodwiss
