 |
|
|
-
-
-
-
-
-
RACE REPORTS 2004
Race No: 12, Donington Park, 29 August 2004
Pickford is the Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Champion!
James Pickford is the 2004 Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Champion, having won the title in a dramatic final race at Donington Park.
Heavy rain saw the final round of the 2004 series declared a wet race, and drivers were given the option of using either wets or slick Pirelli tyres as the sun had come out and a dry line had appeared by the time the final race, which had been shortened to 12 laps because of the conditions, began.
All selected to race on dry slicks except Tom Boardman (Exchange & Mart Leon Cupra R). It was a big gamble we was soon to regret, as he finished last in the race and slipped from a challenging 2nd in the series to 3rd.
Gordon Shedden (Scottish Sun / Tracker / BT Broadband Yahoo! Leon Cupra R) had built up an 11 second lead halfway through the race, before tyre wear problems caused him to slip back. He was quickly reeled in and it was three abreast heading towards the Chicane and the final corner of the final lap of the final race, as Shedden, Lewis Carter (Cobra Group / Europcar / The Scottish Motor Option Group Leon Cupra R) and Oli Wilkinson (talkSport Leon Cupra R) battled for race victory. Oli came out of the Chicane in front to win, followed by Gordon and Lewis in 3rd.
Pickford only had to finish ahead of Boardman to be assured of the title, and with Tom running last James cruised home in 4th to win the title.
Daniel-Lee Stevens (RG Stevens Building Services / CB Tech Motorsport Leon Cupra R) ran 3rd before sliding off the dry line and onto the grass at the Old Hairpin on lap six. He dropped three places and finished 6th behind Emmet O’Brien (Loaded/DABL Leon Cupra R).
Emmanuel Crouvisier (www.racing4cancer.com Leon Cupra R) made a fantastic start and was up to 5th before beginning hit from behind and into a spin on the first corner. From last place the American recovered to finish 8th, behind Simon Hepplewhite (Auto Trader / TSR Performance Leon Cupra R).
Melanie Healey (Spur Garage / Radio Jackie / Secure Valeting Leon Cupra R) scored points in both Donington races with 9th in the final race, finishing ahead of Boardman.
The slippery first corner claimed two potential race winners. Having taken the lead after a fantastic start, Ben Winrow (Telemecanique Leon Cupra R) was hit from behind and spun into the gravel on the outside of Redgate. In a synchronised manoeuvre, Gavin Smith (Smiths Hire Centre / Supagard) also ended up in the gravel, completing what had been a dreadful double DNF weekend for the talented Irishman.
Pickford said: “I’m completely lost for words - the relief outweighs everything at the moment. I just can’t believe I’ve won the title and will be driving for the best team in the British Touring Car Championship next year. I’m a professional racing driver – it’s the first proper job I’ve ever had!”
Oli said: “What an amazing, unreal, fantasy final race! I had a bad opening lap, but I kept my head down because it was very slippery and I thought anything could happen. I kept pushing hard and on the last lap everything just fell into my hands. I’m gutted to have finished second in the series, but if that was destined to happen I couldn’t have wished to have finished behind a better driver than James.”
Tom said: “I gambled on wets because I’ve driven on wets in similar conditions before and I thought there would be a lot of people spinning on the opening lap. I was right about the people spinning, but I was wrong about the tyres!”
|
Race No: 11, Donington Park, 29 August 2004
Boardman storms to Donington victory
Tom Boardman kept his Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Championship title hopes alive with a brilliant drive from 8th on the grid to take victory in the penultimate round of the series in his Exchange & Mart Leon Cupra R.
After an electric start, an aggressive drive through the field saw Tom set the fastest lap of the race on lap four and he overtook Gordon Shedden (Scottish Sun / Tracker / BT Broadband Yahoo! Leon Cupra R) for the lead on lap seven. In passing, Shedden was slowed enough to allow Oli Wilkinson (talkSport Leon Cupra R) through into second, and for the rest of a breathtaking 16 lap race the top three ran nose to tail.
Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Championship leader James Pickford finished 4th in his Haribo / Vivaldi Leon Cupra R, and holds a 12 point lead going into the final event. It was a nerve racking race of the 25-year old Macclesfield driver, for his exhaust had been crumpled after somebody hit the back of his car at the start, and he completed the race with a tyre-induced vibration.
James and Tom have now each won three races, so James needs to finish 5th or higher in the final race of the season to be crowned SEAT Cupra Champion. Both Tom and Oli are still able to steal the title, but Gavin Smith’s mathematical chance of winning the Championship is over, after he ran wide at Hollywood corner and spun to a halt on the grass.
It wasn’t a good race for either Irish driver, as Emmet O’Brien made a lunge down the inside of Lewis Carter at the Chicane. The two collided, but Emmet had to bring his Loaded / DABL Leon Cupra R into the pits with a broken driveshaft. In a super sporting gesture, Lewis and Emmet shook hands immediately after the race, conceding it was a simple racing incident.
|
|
Reports Index
|
|
|
|