SOLE ROCKINGHAM VISIT IN STORE FOR MX-5 SUPER SERIES
There’s only two race weekends left now in the inaugural season for the BRSCC Mazda MX-5 Super Series and it’s safe to say that it’s been a prosperous first year, with more than 30 drivers having turned out at least once this season to help get the series off the ground. This weekend, the penultimate meeting of the year takes place at the Rockingham Motor Speedway in Corby, in what will also be the last time that the BRSCC will visit the venue before its impending cessation of track activities at the end of the year. While it is a sad situation, we’re determined to make the most of this weekend.
Looking at the win tallies for this season, Joshua Jackson currently tops it with 9 victories, while key rival Jake Bailey has four. However, it was neither that would stand on the top step of the podium at the previous rounds at Anglesey on the Welsh coast. Instead, former Mk1 MX-5 Champion and BC Cars team boss Brian Chandler made a surprise re-appearance on the grid in Patrick Collins’ regular race car. In Patrick’s absence, Chandler showed just what both he and the car could really do by taking a front row spot in qualifying, followed by three race victories contending with both dry and wet weather conditions on track. With Brian reverting to his team manager role again this weekend and Patrick back behind the wheel, Chandler’s performances will certainly give Collins some confidence now that his car’s setup will have been refined a little more.
As for Jackson and Bailey, both will simply wish to get back to winning ways. Jackson didn’t see the podium all weekend at Anglesey and was forced to contend with two 4th place finishes and a 6th, results that were less than ideal by Joshua‘s standards. In contrast, Bailey was able to prove that at times he was able to keep pace with Chandler and remain within a second of him throughout the first two races. Jackson has kept his hand in racing a VW Golf in the Volkswagen Racing Cup in between rounds, so should be more than race ready come Saturday afternoon.
The fight for podium places is expected to be fought between Jake’s father Sam Bailey, BLiNK Motorsport boss Richard Breland and Jeremy Crook. All three have made a visit at least once this season and could end up fighting amongst each other all weekend. Another name to throw into the hat is Stuart Symonds, taking part in his second race meeting in the Super Series after debuting at Silverstone and making a decent first impression. Being a regular Mk1 racer, he’s no stranger to the close competition, so don’t be surprised if he steals at least one podium himself.
A number of others drivers will be out there simply to enjoy themselves. James Kell, Xavier Brooke and Alec Livesley all regularly ply their craft in the MX-5 SuperCup, but are all here this weekend for a little extra track time in preparation for the final SuperCup rounds at Donington. Matt Pickford, Simon Woods and the aforementioned Collins should all have fun dicing amongst themselves, while Liz Walton is starting to become something of a regular on the grid and will continue to find pace and confidence in the car with every lap she drives. Plus, Rockingham marks a second appearance from Richard Norris and another brand new name, as Ronnie Garrick swaps the Mk1 MX-5 he’s piloted previously with Track Attack Race Club to try his hand in a Mk3 for the first time.
Scott Woodwiss
