Archive
Round 4, Donington Park
6th July 2009
It was celebrations all round for Roger Bromiley and Rob Wheldon, after they took their works SR8 to a first UK Cup victory at Donington Park. Just to round off the weekend they came second in race two as well, chasing home Terrence Woodward and Ross Kaiser.
Ben Jackson lined up on pole, with Woodward alongside, while Derek Johnston, running solo for the first time shared the second row with Nick Adcock/Massimo Vignali. Colin Noble’s SR3 topped the Supersports, from Paul Thomas/Charles Loughran, while the PR6’s of Tom Ashton and Michael Jackson headed their respective classes.
A healthy 20 car grid lined up for the first 50 minute race and it was defending Champion Johnston that scorched into Redgate to snatch the early lead. Woodward, Bromiley and Jackson tagged on behind, with Adcock, Bob George, Ashton, Tony Freeman, Noble and Manhal Allos completing the top ten at the end of the opening lap.
Johnston wasted no time in building a substantial lead, but exiting the Esses Woodward slowed. “I couldn’t change down,” he explained. Bromiley, Jackson, Adcock and George all surged by into Melbourne before Woodward recovered. George then spun at Goddards on lap four after contact with Woodward, but Bromiley, Jackson and Adcock were nose to tail into Redgate for second. Allos was also on the move with seventh into Redgate.
Johnston’s lead was up to 15 seconds by the end of lap six, even with a half spin at Melbourne, while Jackson had a couple of exploratory challenges on the defensive Bromiley for second. It was all in vain as the safety car brought them all back together while Allos was recovered from the Old Hairpin. Ross Edwards took the chance to dive for the pits for a quick check, while Johnston led round the crocodile for the next three laps, followed by Bromiley, Jackson, Adcock, Woodward, Ashton, Noble, Freeman and Mike Gardiner’s SR3.
From the green flag Bromiley shot past Johnston to lead, with Jackson trying to follow, only to lose third to Adcock as they exited Redgate. Johnston reclaimed the lead but Adcock came close too as they headed down the hill to brake for the Melbourne Hairpin. Woodward and Ashton followed, while Freeman and Nigel Greensall’s SR3 had made it past Noble into seventh and eighth.
Woodward slowed again on lap 12 and plummeted to 13th, but the safety car was out again as Ashton pulled off on the approach to McLeans. As the safety car pulled off into the pitlane most of the field followed, with the exception of Johnston, who sold a dummy to his rivals and stayed out. Greensall had also managed to grab the Supersports lead before the handover, but it was another three laps before the driver changes started to unfold.
Jackson headed for Redgate as Johnston was still in the pitlane, but he was out before Noble came by in third. Wheldon was in for Bromiley and Vignali for Adcock, both progressing past Noble a lap later as Jackson’s lead grew to 9.7 secs. Once into third Wheldon gained rapidly on the lead pair. He took Johnston on the inside of Redgate on lap 22, before reeling in Jackson to lead from the Craner Curves three laps later, to win by over eight seconds. “Astonishing, I can’t calm down I got to the head of the bunch while they fought among themselves and then the safety car helped before it was over to Rob,” Bromiley explained. “Roger did an awesome job and left the easy bit for me,” added Wheldon.
Jackson held on to second, “my tyres and brakes had both almost gone during the second half,” he explained. “My car was going off a bit to at the end,” Johnston added after coming home third. After Kaiser had taken over from Woodward, he clawed their SR8 back up to fourth by heeling and toeing to overcome his change down problems, and was catching Johnston at the flag. “The brakes started to go too so I couldn’t be too brave,” said Kaiser.
Vignali/Adcock had a solitary second half in their SR8. “I was delighted to be on the pace and had a good dice,” said Adcock. “It was scary down the Craner Curves with no brakes, flat out but they came back,” added Vignali. Freeman/Williams completed the top six in the PR6, just ahead of the battle for the Supersports class.
Noble had looked set to take the class until Ross Allen/Malcolm Barnett’s SR3 suddenly caught them at McLeans with four laps to go, before Allen charged ahead into the Melbourne Hairpin. Andrew/Jeremy Ferguson were third in class, surviving a late challenge from Loughran/Thomas. “Charles was quicker on the loop and pulled me in as I was struggling for grip, then he’d gone,” said Andrew. “It was Paul my co-drivers fault, I thought he said two laps to go, not none, it’s his Welsh/African accent,” joked Loughran after spinning,
RESULTS
1 Roger Bromiley/Rob Wheldon (SR8) 28 laps in 50m07.632s (83.78mph); 2 Ben Jackson (SR8) 50m16.345s; 3 Derek Johnston (SR8); 4 Terrence Woodward/Ross Kaiser (SR8); 5 Nick Adcock/Massimo Vignali (SR8); 6 Tony Freeman/Duncan Williams (PR6); 7 Malcolm Barnett/Ross Allen (SR3); 8 Colin Noble (SR3); 9 Jeremy Ferguson/Andrew Ferguson (SR3); 10 Paul Thomas/Charles Loughran(SR3). Class winners: Masters: as overall. Supersports: 1 Barnet/Allen; 2 Noble; 3 Ferguson/Ferguson; 4 Thomas/Loughran. Prosport: 1 Michael Jackson; no other starters. Invitation: 1 Freeman/Williams (PR6); no other finishers. Fastest lap: Kaiser 1m29.638s 100.40mph).
RACE TWO
There was no surrender from any of the front runners as they headed for Redgate at the start of race two. Bromiley hugged the inside line and the lead, as Johnston hurtled along the grass. Woodward had the lead onto the Craner Curves, from Jackson and Bromiley, but Jackson made his attack too and led into the Melbourne Hairpin.
As they completed the opening lap Vignali was into fourth from Johnston, with Williams, Allen, Thomas, Noble and Greensall completing the early top ten. Noble was first to make a move taking Thomas into Melbourne for second in class. But Johnston upped his pace, took Vignali and challenged Bromiley into Melbourne, but both locked up. Jackson’s lead was growing, but it took until lap five for Johnston to finally get past Bromiley for third, only to come under a retaliatory attack a couple of laps later. Bromiley reclaimed third on lap 11, but Johnston stayed close, as Vignali circulated in a solitary fifth.
Allos worked his way into sixth, with Greensall once again heading the Superports class in seventh, having taken Williams PR6 on lap nine. Allen, Noble, Thomas and Gardiner were next in class after Edwards went off at the Esses.
Jackson’s lead was around four seconds over Woodward when the pit stop window opened, but apart from one lap when Greensall stayed, he retained his lead on rejoining. Noble held second briefly but was soon overwhelmed by Kaiser, and within a lap Jackson’s lead was under serious threat. Into Goddards for the 20th time Kaiser shot ahead, but Jackson slowed and headed for the pits, “the oil temperature was soaring,” he explained.
Wheldon moved into second from Adcock and Noble was up to fourth again when Freeman pitted with a puncture. But with Allos off at Redgate out came the safety car with the clock counting down. From the green flag Wheldon did his best to close and did reduce Kaiser’s lead partially. “We had gears working this time but I think the safety car certainly helped us to the win,” said Woodward. “I tried but didn’t want to throw it off, there just weren’t enough laps,” Wheldon replied. “Shame it wasn’t a clear run for Rob at the end, but still a fantastic result,” added Bromiley.
Vignali/Adcock were third, “we were still learning to get the best out of the car,” said Adcock. “A good start but lost a bit of momentum getting nearer the front,” added Vignali. Noble was aiming for fourth and a class win until the final lap, when Alex Mortimer reeled him in and snatched the place into Redgate. “I said we would come good in the end,” reckoned Mortimer.
Freeman/Williams emerged from the pits to retain sixth, with Supersports rivals Thomas/Loughran, Barnett/Allen and Ferguson/Ferguson heading Michael Jackson to complete the top ten. “Paul set me up for second and class and I brought it home third,” said Loughran.
Down in 11th and 12th however were usual pacesetters Ben Jackson and Johnston. Jackson crawled around the closing laps to secure points, while Johnston flat spotted a tyre and had overheating brakes.
RESULTS
1 Woodward/Kaiser 31 laps in 50m23.100s (85.64mph); 2 Bromiley/Wheldon 51m22.081s; 3 Vignali/Adcock; 4 Mike Gardiner/Alex Mortimer (SR£3); 5 Noble; 6 Freeman/Williams; 7 Thomas/Loughran; 8 Barnett/Allen; 9 Ferguson/Ferguson; 10 M.Jackson. Class winners: Masters: 1 Woodward/Kaiser; 2 Bromiley/Wheldon; 3 Vignali/Adcock; 4 B.Jackson. Supersports: 1 Gardiner/Mortimer; 2 Noble; 3 Thomas/Loughran; 4 Barnett/Allen. Prosport: 1 M.Jackson; no other starters. Invitation: 1 Freeman/Williams; no other finishers. Fastest lap: Wheldon 1m29.849s (100.18mph).
Issued by Peter Scherer for Radial Sports Cars, July 6th, 2009.
