2008 Radical UK Cup Rounds 1 & 2- Snetterton - 28th April 2008 - championship points

Race start
Rob Wheldon and Jonathan Wright took the victory spoils in the opening UK Cup round, after the race was red flagged when Michael Jackson crashed at Coram. But they had to settle for second in race two, when Terence Woodward secured a debut SR8 win with the help of ex-Enduro/Biduro Champion Ross Kaiser.

With the polesitting car of Woodward/Kaiser missing from the grid, Ben Jackson made the best of the start and led a trio of SR8’s into Riches. It was a terrific and hard fought opening lap, with Wheldon darting ahead into the Esses, as Johnston sat and observed in third. Over the line at the end of the lap it was side by side before Wheldon nosed ahead into Riches once more.

Jackson continued to give Wheldon a hard time until, he spun at Coram on the second lap and rejoined over the grass at Russell, still in second place. A lap later Johnston spun at Russell too and dropped to fourth behind Hall, as he fought to regain his momentum.

But it was far from plain sailing for Wheldon, despite having an increasing lead. “I spun at Sear” he explained. Jackson was back in front and Johnston was poised to rechallenge Hall again for third, while behind them  Sam Hancock headed Alex Kapadia for fifth and first of the Supersport class, with Jamie Paterson and John Hewitt battling for third.

 
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The safety car was called out with David Garratt’s SR3 parked at Russell. Jackson dived for the pits with a puncture without losing a lap and from the green flag Wheldon flew and had a 1.8sec lead over Hall into Riches, before Johnston grabbed second into the Esses. Within a couple of laps Jackson was back to fourth too behind Hall.

Wheldon’s lead was up to six seconds when he lost it again on 12th lap and handed Johnston the lead. “It was a wheel on the kerb,” he said. Jackson followed as they both shot past Hall again, and by lap 15 Wheldon took the lead yet again.

With Hall out at Riches, Hancock was up to fourth, but his advantage came under serious threat from Kapadia as the pit stop window approached. Of the leaders only Wheldon, Jackson and Hancock stayed out as the rest made their stops at the first opportunity.

Jackson handed to father Michael who retained the lead for his first lap, before contact at Coram caused an off, bringing out the red flag.

Wheldon/Wright were declared the victors over Johnston/Moseley, with first-time racer Simon Dolan with Sam Hancock third. Kapadia/Laddiman had to settle for second in class and fourth overall. “I will have Sam another time,” Kapadia promised. “I was just playing,” Hancock reckoned. Hewitt/James Saggers and Patterson completed the top six, with Jeremy Ferguson/Ross Allen charging back to seventh after a problems in the opening laps. Colin Noble held onto eighth, with Ian Simmonds/Roger Bromiley and Paul Steele completing the top ten.

Race Two
 Following a downpour at the start, half of the grid satred race two on slicks, and half on wets. Woodward led the first few yards before running wide, as Johnston charged ahead at Riches. “I was on brand new slicks, they still had the stickers on. I just ran wide and concentrated on staying on,” said Woodward. Wheldon followed into Sear, but Johnston was doing his best to make full use of his wets on the damp track. Dolan managed a spin at Riches too, but everyone else managed to survive the opening lap.

Wheldon stuck with Johnston as Woodward started to fall back. Allen was up in fourth and led the Supersports class, from Noble, Patterson, Simmonds, Saggers, Andrew Ferguson and Steele.

On the fourth lap Johnston slowed and dropped to fourth, before heading for the pits. Wheldon was left with a comfortable lead over Woodward, with Allen a clear in third ahead of Noble and Patterson, with Saggers and Simmonds close for sixth after an earlier exchange.

Patterson continued to close on Noble and made it into fourth at Riches on lap eight. Further down the order Laddiman was flying after an earlier spin and was up seventh by the end of lap eight, and closing on Saggers

Wheldon’s lead continued to grow, ready to hand a comfortable lead over to Wright. The rest of the field stayed finally dormant until the stops too, apart from Saggers making it past Noble for fifth into Sear as Laddiman closed and Andrew Ferguson fell off at Riches.

Wright continued to lead but once Kaiser had settled (it took one lap), the lead came down rapidly. Patterson got ahead of Jeremy Ferguson initially but within a couple of laps Ferguson was back to challenge for third.

Although Hewitt was setting a steady pace in fifth, Kapadia was also closing in, as was Hancock after a sterling first stint from team mate Dolan.

After threatening for a couple of laps Kaiser made the decisive move at the end of Revetts straight on lap 33, before pulling out a 25 second plus victory margin for himself and Woodward. “That was just what we needed after missing the first race. I had a couple of looks at Jonathan before I got by, he was very quick,” said Kaiser.  

Wheldon/Wright retained a safe second, and Patterson held onto third and the class win. Hewitt/Saggers therefore claimed fourth and second in class from Dolan/Hancock, after they demoted Noble with eight laps to go. Steele held onto seventh despite a late pit stop, Hall/Osborn were eighth having started from the pit lane, and despite retiring Ferguson/Allen were still classified ninth ahead of David Garratt/Robert Tusting.

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