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Rockingham Clubmans Cup

20th April 2009

Radical Clubmans Cup

Round One , Rockingham

It was 2008 all over again as Jonathan Wright’s PR6 proved the dominant force in the opening rounds of this years Clubmans Cup Championship.

Wright qualified on pole but was only 0.309s quicker than Darren Luke’s PR6, with Gary Kane a further 0.6s back in third.

Race One

There were no absentees after qualifying and so a healthy 26 car grid lined up in the sunshine for the start. Wright flew through Turn One to head the PR6’s of Kane, Nigel Place and Colin Millar into Deene. But way down the order was Wright’s front row partner Luke, “I got it wrong at the start, stretched the chain and could just limp around to the pits,” he explained.

But Wright was already pulling clear with Place looking to challenge Kane for second and Paul McClughan all over Paul Steele for fifth.

Flat out through Turn One for the third time, Place made his move on Kane and had inches in hand as they turned into the Deene Hairpin. Kane did his best to retake on the exit, before tucking back in third.

Millar had also consolidated fourth, while Steele had the pressure on him lifted after Charles Loughran’s SR3 demoted McClughan.

Barring mishaps, Wright’s win looked a foregone conclusion, but Kane refused to give up his quest for second and kept the pressure on Place. Millar continued to dominate the Supersports class, as he, Steele and Loughran all looked fairly settled. But McClughan continued to have a fight on his hands and shared numerous exchanges with David Thorburn’s SR3.

At the flag Wright opened his account with victory by over 13 secs. “I expected Darren to put some pressure on me at the start, but after he had gone I decided I was too old to wait for the others,” he said. Kane sustained his racelong pressure on Place, but still had to settle for third. “When Nigel got me I thought I had seen a yellow flag, so backed off and didn’t see any more, so I thought I had better close up again,” Kane explained.

Millar took a fairly solitary Supersports class win with fourth overall, but just behind it was considerably closer. Steele had been caught by Loughran in the closing laps and almost nipped by into Tarzan on the last lap. “He was in a tuned car, I could stay with him in the corners but not on the straights,” Loughran explained after sealing the class win.

As McClughan slipped back Thorburn almost caught the Loughran and Steele battle too, but it was even closer behind. Bill Henderson had battling ex-bikers Steve Burgess and Richard Carver to contend with. His SR3 finally secured eighth with Burgess and Carver completing the top ten. “Absolutely brilliant and my first ever car race,” Carver enthused.

After Rachel Davies retired her SR4, James Cook was left with a solo run to take the Biduro class. In the Clubsports Mark Boot had battled past Simon Garmston into Yentwood on the fifth lap, only to lose his class win on the final tour. “I ran out of fuel,” he explained. “I had a good few laps but then Mark got away a bit,” replied Garmston after picking up the win.

1 Jonathan Wright (PR6) 15 laps in 20m07.323s (86.76mph); 2 Nigel Place (PR6) +13.820s; 3 Gary Kane (PR6); 4 Colin Millar (PR6); 5  Paul Steele (SR3); 6 Charles Loughran (SR3); 7 David Thorburn (SR3); 8 Bill Henderson (SR3); 9 Steve Burgess (SR3); 10 Richard Carver (SR3).

Class winners: Charles loughran (SR3); James Cook (SR4); Simon Garmston (Clubsport). Fastest lap: Jonathan Wright 1m18.622s (88.82mph).

Race Two

All 23 cars made it to the grid again for race two, but Luke had his work cut out having to start from the back of the grid after his earlier non-finish.

Wright once again scorched through Turn One as the rest were left in his wake. “I am not usually that good at starts, but that was two already,” he said. Place was initially second but Kane’s determination took him through under braking for Tarzan and he just held on at the exit.

Steele, Millar, Henderson, Burgess and Loughran all followed, before the flying Luke began to reel them in.

Wright and Kane consolidated their places within a couple of laps, but one by one Luke picked off his rivals and was into third at Tarzan by lap four. Place seemed to be struggling, but his quest to retain fourth was helped by Steele and Millar’s duel behind.With Wright long gone Kane became powerless as Luke chipped away at his once safe cushion in second, but as in race one Kane continued to press on unabated.

Behind Steele and Millar’s fifth placed scrap, Loughran had battled his way to the front of the next, but Burgess challenged him at Tarzan on the fifth lap and almost spun. They were side by side again a couple of laps later before Burgess eventually made it through.

Back at the front Wright cruised through the remaining laps for win number two. “I set myself a 10 second gap. I got seven and then had to up the pace again,” he explained.

Although Luke had managed to catch Kane and was almost through at Tarzan on lap nine. Kane successfully kept his rival at bay for another four laps, before losing out at Tarzan. “We caught a backmarker and I was slightly distracted and missed a gear. I looked down and Darren was through,” he explained.

Having shadowed Steele for much of the race Burgess claimed fourth on the final tour and took a comfortable Supersports win, after both Place and Millar expired in the closing laps.

Thorburn also finished strongly and took Loughran on the last lap for both sixth overall and second in class, leaving Henderson, Carver and Gary Marsh to complete the top ten.

Rachel Davies comfortably led Cook for the whole race to take the Biduro class and Boot gained his revenge with a clear win in the Clubsports over Garmston. “Much better, it does help when you carry enough fuel,” he concluded.

1 Jonathan Wright  (PR6) 15 laps in 20m18.048s (86.00mph); 2 Darren Luke (PR6) +7.118s; 3 Gary Kane (PR6); 4 Steve Burgess (SR3); 5 Paul Steele (SR3); 6 David Thorburn (SR3); 7 Charles Loughran (SR3); 8 Bill Henderson (SR3); 9 Richard Carver (SR3); 10 Gary Marsh (SR3).

Class winners: Steve Burgess (SR3); Rachel Davies (SR4); Mark Boot (Clubsport).

Issued for Radical Sportscars by Peter Scherer, April 20th 2008.