SNETTERTON PREPARES FOR A TEST OF ENDURANCE
A couple of months after our first visit of the season, we’re ready to make another trip east to Snetterton’s 300 circuit as the BRSCC East Anglian Centre welcomes a mix of tin-tops, sports cars, endurance racing on Saturday and high-speed karting action on Sunday. An eclectic mix that’s set to entertain the spectators across both days of on-track action.
The main event on Saturday will be a 4-hour endurance test for our resident long distance series, the ever competitive Fun Cup Championship. Last time out at Anglesey, it was left to the Honeywell and Sheradize teams to pick up their first wins for several races, while the podium places were shared between Team Viking, double reigning champions JPR Uvio and Track Torque 2 Rent Domino’s. On the previous two visits, the Snetterton round has been effected in some context by rain, however the initial forecast predicts a clear and dry Saturday. Whether that’s the case or not, the race should be thrilling from start to finish, as most Fun Cup races usually are!
Tackling their second race meeting of the season, the rapid Speed Group OSS Championship once again brings fast-paced sports prototype racing action to Snetterton’s long straights. The opening rounds took place on the magnificent Silverstone GP circuit a mammoth entry of just over 40 cars, and while this weekend the field is to be somewhat smaller, the quality of the machines and drivers on track remains. Two-time and defending champion Mike Jenvey will be hoping to continue a strong start to his quest for a third overall OSS title, while former multiple champ Josh Smith will do all he can to stop him. The entry is populated with a mix of Radicals, Jade, Paul Walsh’s Ligier, the MCR of Patrick Sherrington and even an old school Tiga entered by Andy Chittenden. One thing this championship certainly provides is plenty of variety.
Heading up the tin-top contingent will be the Teekay Couplings Production GTi Championship, home to two generations of the mighty Volkswagen Golf GTi hot hatchback. The Mk5 Golfs are running as a points scoring class in the main championship for the very first time and a healthy entry descends on Norfolk. John Mawdsley and James Colbourne shared the Mk5 honours at a soaking wet Oulton Park opener, while Tim Hartland is top of the Mk2 table ahead of Dan Gibbs and Peter Milne. A combined total of 20 cars are set to take to the grid this weekend. This championship really does prove to be one of the most cost effective and fun ways to race one of the most iconic and much loved hot hatchbacks of all time and racing is always close.
The Kerax Hyperdrive ST-XR Challenge makes its first trip to Norfolk since the 300 layout came into existence, as 2018 marks one of two visit outside of the championship’s native venues at Oulton Park and Anglesey. With an expanded class structure now accommodating both Ford Fiesta ST150s Fiesta XR2s without limited slip differentials, the usual mix of XR2s and Escort XR3is will certainly enjoy contesting an entirely different venue to that of which they’re typically used to. Justin Roberts is the main in form as he leads the overall and XR2 standings with strong opposition from Steve Poole and Alistair May. The Bowron collective are out in force to do head to head with Matthew Spencer in the XR3i class, while Class E will see Andy Mellor and Tony Mumford battle it out together.
Another championship also making its second appearance of the season is the Dunlop TVR Challenge, a long-standing legacy of the original and much loved TVR Tuscan Challenge from back in the 90s and early 2000s. Jamie Golby appears to be the sole Tuscan in attendance as he brings an old-school Rover V8 example to play, as he looks to be the overwhelming favourite. Class C should also be an interesting contest, as Michael Blake’s Griffith will be up against a quartet of Chimaeras piloted by Andy Race and Michael Coker to name a couple. Make sure you catch these brutes from Blackpool in action on track this weekend.
Finally, Sunday will see the appearance of a unique element to the meeting – superkarts! The Superkarting-UK Cluib Championships brings some of the fastest karts in motorsport to one of the longest and fastest circuits they will appear at all year. With powerful tuned engines, low weight and aerodynamic fairings and big rear wings creating a substantial amount of downforce, these pocket rockets really will stun you with the amount of speed and pace they can produce. If someone like motorcycling legend Valentino Rossi thinks the drivers who compete in these karts are crazy, then it must be true! Sunday will produce two high-speed races that should thrill from start to finish.
As mentioned earlier, the forecast appears to be warm and dry so the sunglasses and suncream may be in order this weekend. Nonetheless, another fine weekend of club motorsport is in store, so make sure you’ve got the best seat in the house and enjoy!
Scott Woodwiss
