2008 Radical Club Cup Rounds 1 & 2- Snetterton - 28th April 2008 - Championship points

Race start
Jonathan Wright’s PR6 proved unbeatable in opening rounds of the Club Cup. The former 750MC Roadsports champion led the opener from lights to flag, and only lost out at the start of the second, when he accidentally engaged neutral.

It was a healthy start to the new championship with 23 cars on the grid. The SR3’s of Philip Jenkins and Simon Fish joined poleman Wright in an early break, leaving Simon Tilling’s SR3 in a solitary fourth, as Bill Henderson, Richard Stables and Paul Steele fought for fifth. As Wright’s lead grew, Fish started to pile the pressure on Jenkins for second. Henderson managed to make a slight break from his rivals as they started to run wheel to wheel, Steele finally getting the better of Stables on the 10th lap.

Wright carved his way through the backmarkers with ease, and took the flag nearly five seconds clear. “I backed off mid race as the steering wheel looked out of line. It was a good early lead and I just kept it consistent,” said the victor.

Having briefly lost touch during the lappery, Fish came surging back onto Jenkins tail over the last two laps.  “He got me through he Esses on the inside when I was caught out by a backmarker. I tried to come back at Russell, was late on the brakes and almost alongside, but took to the grass to avoid a collision, spun and stalled,” Jenkins explained. “I just took my opportunity with the backmarkers,” Fish replied.

Having looked to have the measure of Henderson, Steele had to settle for fifth. " I had got past Richard Stables at Sear on the 10th lap and Bill Henderson for the first time at the Esses. I was right with Simon Tilling and went inside him at Sear on the last lap, ran wide and lost two places again,” Steele explained.

 
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After his early skirmish with Steele, Stables was left to claim a solid sixth, with Jon Ali the last unlapped runner. Simon Dolan survived an opening lap spin at Sear to finish eighth on his race debut, with Stephen Lindsay and ex Rallycrosser Simon White rounding off the top ten.

Former Porsche Carrera Cup and MG Trophy racer Colin Willmott coasted into the pits in the closing laps from ninth and Nigel Morrison was a second lap pit visitor from an early eighth.

White’s 1300 SR4 took the Biduro class over the 1500’s of Mark Griffiths and Gary Kane, Griffiths having spun at the Bombhole. In the Clubsport class Andrew Harwood was the only survivor after Ian Charles retired on the fifth lap. Stables was unopposed in the Prosports, while Fish topped the Supersports.

When the lights went out to start the second race it was Jenkins that had the edge. “I put it in neutral by mistake,” said the polesitter and first race winner Wright. His delay was shortlived as he was running nose to tail with Jenkins on the second lap, when the safety car was scrambled. Stables, Steele, Fish, Willmott, Ali, Tilling, Henderson and Dolan formed up behind, as Charles car was recovered.

After two laps the safety car lights went out the race went green again, with Wright surging into the lead at the Esses. Fish also made it past Steele, while further down the order Dolan had edged out Henderson for ninth.

A lap later Stables also lost out to Fish, and the top three went clear, leaving Stables and Steele to resume their duel for fourth. As Stables continued to hold the advantage, they became the head of a four car train, as Willmott and Tiling caught them.

But as Wright’s lead grew again Fish began to chip away at Jenkins second place. Stables and Steele managed to drop their rivals by the end of lap nine, but there was still no more than a few yards between them. Although Tilling had a power advantage over Willmott, he was unable to find a gap to take sixth. “I was just stuck behind him, he made it very wide and hard to pass,” said Tilling. Dolan and Henderson both capitalised on the battle and brought themselves onto the back of the duo.

The safety car was out again for a second stint on lap 11, but managed to miss the leader. “I saw it come out behind me and wasn’t sure what I should have done next,” said Wright. Eventually the whole field was collected by which time four laps had gone by and were set for a one lap sprint to the chequered flag.

Wright kept his cool and collected his second win of the day, “I was happy with that, but had to back off when it was oversteering and got a loose rear end,” he explained. Jenkins, Fish, Stables and Steele all held station behind, but Tilling finally got sixth aided by Willmott spinning and stalling at Russell.

Dolan claimed seventh and Robert Baldock snatched a handful of places to take eighth at the flag, after Henderson spun. “I went off at Sear and I was most impressed that Richard Fearns spun too rather than t bone me,” he said. Gordon Patterson and Lindsay therefore completed the top ten.

Gary Kane won the Biduro class. Mark Boot headed Harwood in the Clubsports after missing the first race. Stables and Jenkins were the other class winners.

Issued by Peter Scherer for Radical Sports Cars, April 28th, 2008.
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