Racing Results 2013
Rounds 13 & 14 Cadwell Park: 21st September 2013
- 2 race wins for Steve Harris
- Class wins for Ilsa Cox, Kevin Wendt and Chris Whiteley (x2)
Another busy day for the Eurosaloons drivers with a double header meeting crammed into a single day at the mini-Nurburgring
Qualifying:
Bright and dry weather is always a bonus at Cadwell Park where parts of the track can be slippery while others are bone dry. Paul Rose (Saker) set the pace with his final lap being 2 seconds under the Eurosaloons lap record, and 2.3 seconds clear of second placed Steve Harris (saker). Doug Ellwood (Marcos Mantis) was next up, showing well and less than a second behind Harris, with David Cockell (Escort Cosworth) another second further back in fourth place.
Ilsa Cos (Seat Leon) had the measure of Kevin Wendt (BMW M3) in the Class B contest as they filled the third row on the grid. Ian Froggatt's Subaru Impreza was down on expected pace in 7th, while Nick Hayes beat Chris Whitelely to 8th on the grid in th contest between the Class C Seat Leons. Steven Dunn (Vauxhall Vectra) took Class D pole in his first race with the Eurosaloons ahead of Mahesh Perera (Toyota Supra).
Race 1
Harris got the better start and despite Rose's superior qualifying pace, led by almost half a second after one lap. Ellwood was about the same distance ahead of Cockell and about 3 seconds behind the lead pair. Cox led Wendt in the Class B race but they were already 4-5 seconds adrift of 4th place. Rose got better drive out of Barn on lap 2 and took the kead from Harris just after the start-finish line. Ellwood and Cockell were maintaining station but lapping 3 seconds slower than the Sakers.
A slow third lap allowed Rose to break free from Harris, but the tables were turned on lap 4 when Rose had a slow lap and the gap closed right back up to half a second. The Sakers proceeded to lap within hundredths of each other, lapping the first backmarker as early as lap 6. Harris closed right up on Rose on lap 10, taking the lead at the start of lap 11. Rose maintained the pressure, as the last lap board came out, there was just 3/10ths between the Sakers. Suddenly Rose was in trouble, a puncture saw him slow dramatically and limp the stricken Saker to the finish line, falling down the order all the way round the circuit. Rose eventually finished 4th while 3 more cars were able to unlap themselves from him - Harris took his first Eurosaloons win from Ellwood and Cockell, the winning margin being some 18 seconds.
The class B battle was over on lap 9, Wendt had been into the pits early in the race and was making his way back into the race. He had repassed Perera but when he came up to Dunn, there was a collision which took both drivers out of the race. Cox had been comfortably ahead of Wendt at the time he pitted, but now she was unopposed and took the Class B win and 5th overall.
Back in Class C, Whiteley made the better start and edged ahead of Hayes. The two Seats stayed in close formation the gap remaining mostly around half a second all the way to lap 12 when Hayes retired on his final lap leaving Whiteley to take the flag uncontested.
Race 2
Wendt was able to get his BMW repaired in time for race 2, Dunn was not so lucky. Also missing was Ilsa Cox leaving Wendt as the sole Class B runner in this race.
With Rose having finished 4th in the first race, he had to start from 4th on the grid behind Harris, Ellwood and Cockell. This left Harris able to take full advantage and pull out a 4 second lead on the first lap from Ellwood, with Rose getting past Cockell for third place and closing fast on the Marcos. Ellwood was soon passed for second place, Rose set a new ap record on lap 3 as he chased after Harris and brought the gap down to under 2 seconds.
Ellwood was now 9 seconds off the lead and once again Cockell was in close attendance, this pair a further 8 seconds clear of Froggatt. By lap 4, the gap at the front was down to less than 0.5 seconds, 2 laps later it was 0.25s. Rose got by on lap 7 while the Sakers were lapping both Perera and Hayes, but a lap later the Sakers crossed the line together as Harris retook the lead. a lead he was able to maintain by around 3/10ths to the end of the race.
Ellwood took his second podium of the weekend in third having dropped Cockell later in the race. Wendt had worked his way through from the back to take the Class B win, 5 laps in he had caught up with Froggatt but was unable to take Froggatt's 5th place in the remaining laps.
Hayes' Seat was still out of sorts and finished a long way adrift of Whiteley who took an easy Class C win and 7th place overall.
Both Harris and Whiteley played their joker in race 2, this has helped them gain on Rose and they now sit equal second in the championship on 238 points. However, Rose now sits on 292 points with just the Donington Park rounds remaining. With each competitor forced to drop their two lowest scores and Rose having a perfect finish record so far, he cannot be overhauled and is the 2013 Arrowpak Euro Saloons champion. Cox's 6th Class win of the season ensures that she wins the Class B championship for 2013 and while Whiteley still leads Class C, Hayes is still in contention for the Class title he has won twice in the previous three years.
Seat are looking unassailable in the MSE-Performance.com Manufacturers Cup as they lead Saker 700-578 with Mitsubishi a long way back in third on 198. The Mark Fish Sports Car Cup and LMA Saloon Car Cup are led by Paul Rose 280-242 from Steve Harris and Chris Whiteley 230-186 from Nick Hayes, both Rose and Whiteley have won these respectively.
Next time out is the final round; Donington Park on 19/20 October.
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