Thursday 13 July 2017

Snetterton Mini Festival Report



QUALIFYING:
with an empty track ahead I set my fastest time on lap 3 (1.34.440) putting us on pole for the majority of the session, with Andrew Deviny and Lewis Selby getting closer and closer as the time counted down. I went in search of a bit of track space and was on a hot lap when I had gear selection issues, unfortunately this meant we had to retire to the pits and spectate, whilst Andrew set the fastest time on lap 10 (1.34.307), leaving us to line up second and Lewis Selby in third (1.34.515). 

RACE 1:
My initial getaway was great pulling past Andrew but not enough to pull infront, I braved it on the outside for turn 1 and managed to tuck in to second before the hairpin. Following in Andrew's tow down the straight I had the run going under the bridge but great defending meant I had to settle. I made a small mistake causing me to run wide on lap 2 on the first corner allowing Lewis to overtake going into the hairpin. Even though it was lap 2 we had already started to pull a gap on the pack behind. With Snetterton being notorious for last lap battles I decided to sit behind the front two and build on the gap. Unfortunately after a couple of incidents there was a safety car to clear up the stranded car of Graeme Davis. On the restart we ran three wide in to turn 1 putting me in to second briefly before my exit being compromised and both Andrew and Ashley pulled past. After a lap battling I managed to get past the no.1 car of Ashley Davies and set my sights on the front two who had pulled a gap. With 5 minutes to go I was on the tail of Lewis and Andrew in the prime position for the last lap but another stranded car under the bridge meant the session was red flagged. Happy but not over the moon with a p3 finish. 


RACE 2:
Race 2 was a completely different race - manic from the word go. Being demoted to 6th by the end of lap 1, it was a battle to get back up to third behind Andrew and Ashley. Challenging for the lead on lap 6 side by side with Ashley Davies we both ran wide, unfortunately I was on the outside on the grass, leaving the door wide open for the train behind to steam through, putting me back to 7th. It would be difficult to put into words what happened on the next 7 laps but what I can say is this is the best race I have been part of, positions changing every lap, side by side in flat out corners, nose to tail down the straights with out any contact. Somehow we crossed the line in second, 6 seconds behind the leader. A strong weekend with 2 podiums putting us two points behind the leader Lewis Selby in the championship. It's a long a season and I can’t wait for the next rounds at Donington Park.

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