Racing Results 2012
Rounds 5 & 6 Brands Hatch: 9th/10th June 2012
- Race wins for Andy Robinson and Gary Prebble
- Class wins for Ilsa Cox (x2), Nick Hayes, Cees de Haan, Wayne Schofield (x2) and Chris Boon (x2)
Despite the weather forecast, the Arrowpak Euro Saloons were blessed with dry weather for qualifying and both races.
Qualifying:
Another bumper entry for the Arrowpak Euro Saloons with 27 cars lining up for the morning qualifying session. A stunning qualifying session gave a clue to the prospect for the races, with both Gary Prebble (Mitsubishi Evo) and Andy Robinson (Ford Falcon) posting sub-lap record times, Prebble eclipsing Robinson by just 0.13 seconds. Ilsa Cox (Seat Leon) set the pace for Class B just 0.54s adrift of Robinson, with fellow Class B competitor Richard Hawken (Nissan Primera) just 4/100ths adrift of Cox.
While the next places were filled by the heavyweights, Wayne Schofield (Suzuki Cappuccino) set the timimg board alight by placing the little Class D Suzuki up in 9th place, less than a 10th behind its polar extreme, Alex Sidwell's Holden Commodore. 2010 Champion Nick Hayes looked like returning to form as he took the Class C pole in his Seat Leon more than 1/2 second clear of Mark Todd's similar car.
Andy Jordan headed the Clio contingent in Class D but was still 1.7 seconds behind Schofield's class pole, while Chris Boon (Honda Civic) took the Class E pole in 21st overall. Brian Cox (Class B Seat Leon) and local driver Michael Saunders (TVR Cerbera) had issues which left them at the pack of the pack, but promised excitement for the ground as they made they way forwards.
Race 1:
After a second rolling lap to ensure tyres were properly warm, the lights went out and the noise levels rose. Prebble looked to get away quickly, but sheer horsepower won the race into Paddock Bend as Robinson was first down the hill towards Druids. Hawken was slow away, allowing Ilsa Cox to pull clear in the Class B race, while Barry Squibb (Mitsubishi Evo) and Vaughan Fletcher (Subaru Impreza) moved up a place into 4th and 5th respectively. At the back, Brian Cox and Michael Saunders were showing their qualifying issues had been solved, but while Saunders was moving quickly through the pack, 19th at end of the first lap, 15th at the end of the second.
Prebble was hunting down Robinson, going into Clearways they would almost be bumper to bumper, but the Falcon was able to pull a small gap down the straight to maintain the lead as the second lap ended. Lap three was more of the same, Prebble getting closer now, the gap halved to 0.4 seconds as they crossed the line, but Prebble got a better run through Paddock and launched the Mitsubishi up the inside on the run to Druids, coming out in front and looking capable of pulling away. Coming across the line at the end of lap 4, and Robinson was closing in under power, the gap just 0.28 seconds, but Prebble reached Paddock first and continued to lead up to Druids.
All of a sudden the crowd didn't know where to look. Steve Putt (Mazda RX7) was running 10th, swapping places with Schofield's Suzuki when the Mazda slewed left going up the hill towards Druids, had a tankslapper across the gravel before being fired across the track - right in front of Schofield who just missed the Mazda - before glancing sideways into the tyre wall bending a rim and putting Putt out of the race. Almost straight afterwards, the attention was at the other end of the field. Exiting Clearways onto the main straight, Brian Cox and Christopher Murray-Brown (Clio) exited the track together, the barriers took a big whack as did both cars. The race was red flagged and all drivers parked up on track before being led into the pit lane.
After a lengthy inspection, and while the recovery teams were trying to figure how to remove two badly damaged cars, the day's racing was called off as the barrier could not be repaired in time for racing to complete before the circuit's 18:30 curfew. The race was called as completed and the results taken back at the end of the previous lap, giving Robinson the win. Unfortunately Brian Cox injured his hand in the incident. Ilsa Cox took the Class B win 3 seconds and 3 places ahead of Hawken, Nick Hayes took the Class C win from Cees de Haan (travelling across from the Netherlands) by just 1.5 seconds, Schofield was classified 10th and Class D winner, with David Pierce (Clio) just 3 places back having beaten all the Class C cars. Chris Boon too had been having a good race winning Class E in 18th place.
Race 2:
With Cox and Murray-Brown unable to take part, the Sunday race comprised 25 drivers, with Robinson on pole from Prebble, and Saunders now starting from 12th. This time Prebble was able to make the better start and was straight into sub 51 second laps pulling out a 1 second lead on the first race lap, by lap both both Prebble and Robinson had broken the outright Euro Saloons lap record (previous held by Derek Hale - Class B), Prebble lowering it by 1/1000th the following lap before a pair of 49 second laps broke free of Robinson, the gap after 7 laps now being 3 seconds. Once again Saunders was moving through the pack, 6th after the end of the first lap, 4th at the end of lap 4, and closing fast on 3rd placed Barry Squibb.
On lap 8, Saunders passed Squibb for 3rd place, but was still 8 seconds adrift of second place Robinson. The gap dropped 2 seconds on the following lap as Saunders also broke the old lap record. Saunders was closing in fast now, a clearer run through the drivers being lapped helping. By lap 13 the gap was little over 2 seconds with no-one running between them, the pace was now relentless, the old lap record being broken time and again, even if neither Robinson nor Saunders could match Prebble's new mark. Lap 20, the gap was down to 0.66 seconds, and while Robinson was fractionally the quicker on lap 21, Saunders made his move on 22, the final lap, to just cross the line 1/10th ahead of Robinson, 4 seconds adrift of Prebble.
Squibb and Fletcher ensured the first 5 places were locked out by Class A, Ilsa Cox taking 6th place and her second Class B win of the weekend, with second in class Kevin Wendt just 2 seconds adrift in 8th. Splitting them was Schofield, who ran out convincing Class D winner (by 1 second less than a lap from David Thomas) while obliterating the previous Class D lap record.
Cees de Haan made the trip from the Netherlands worthwhile as he took the Class C win from Nick Hayes by 9 seconds, Hayes finishing the race in a clump of 7 cars that crossed the finish line within a second, while Chris Boon also completed his second Class E win of the weekend.
Ilsa Cox played her joker in race two, the double points taking her into the championship on 130 points, from Andy Robinson (120) and Wayne Schofield (106). David Thomas also played his joker and now leads the Mark Fish Renault Clio Cup Challenge with 108 points from Dan Croft (88) and Andy Jordan (82). Cox also leads the Arrowpak Super Touring Cup with 118 points to Derek Hale (70), while Seat narrowly closed the gap (now 448 v 380) in the race to lead the MSE_Performance.com Manufacturers Cup.
The series now moves on to the next race at Rockingham on 30 June/1 July.
With support from :
Mark Fish Motorsport, MSE-Performance.com & LMA Performance
Report by Trevor Nicosia, Car 10 (www.nyssaracing.com )
Click here to link to the full TSL Timing results pdf of the meeting