BTCC Snetterton
The legendary track where legends like Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell raced on has come under a transformation in recent months, turning it from an old, round caterpillar, into a big, bold butterfly. The races proved a step forward was made and here is the summary:
Race 1:
Jason Plato in his Silverline Chevrolet won the first of 3 race's at the newly improved Snetterton circuit. The Norfolk circuit, my local racetrack, added a new infield loop to the circuit, adding an extra mile to the length. The new track goes from the new Montreal hairpin, previously Sear, till the Revett straight, now called Bentley straight. Plato led every lap of the race from pole, and finished 2.2 seconds ahead of team-mate Alex MacDowall. Gorden Shedden was the only Honda in the point's, after team mate Neal was spun off at the first corner after an ambitious move on old rival Plato. Frank Wrathall took 4th in a much improved Toyota Avensis with the NGTC regulations. It was a great start to the race day, and a big step forward after struggling near the back of the pack. Nash and Jackson rounded out the top 6. Paul O'Neil took 7th after an almost race long battle with Jackson, but was unable to get past due to the added power of the turbo engines. Onslow-Cole and Chilton took 8th and 9th after the latter slumped back from 5th on the last lap. 10th was Dave Newsham.
Neal was not the only championship contended not to score, Andrew Jordan had a horrible race after being pushed wide at the Montreal hairpin on the first lap. He finished 12th. New to BTCC Martin Byford and Daniel Welch finished 14th and 22nd respectively. Lee Wood in the Honda Integra didn't even start the race due to a wheel coming lose on the way to the grid.
Race 2:
Gorden Shedden won the second race at the new Snetterton 300 track. Matt Neal was unable to score yet again after coming into the pits due to a vibration. This meant Shedden took over the lead of the championship after a clear win. James Nash came second ahead of Plato who got ran wide at the Montreal hairpin losing 2 places. Wrathell was in contention for a podium and after Nash and Plato got past, he pulled off to the side of the track. It was radiator damage. MacDowall as a close 4th behind Plato with Paul O'Neil 5th and Jackson a closing 6th.
David Newsham took a respectable 7th in his Seat Leon. He had regularly outperformed his team mate Boardman all weekend. Onslow-Cole took 8th for the second race in a row ahead of Andrew Jordan. It was his first points of the weekend after fighting from 12th. The last points position went to Rob Collard after a quiet and uncompetitive weekend.
Surprise for fastest lap went to Rob Austin in the Audi, but sadly one lap later he retired with mechanical problems.
The Reverse Grid pole went to David Newsham in the Seat Leon.
Race 3:
The last race of the day is always a do or die at any circuit, and the action was certainly full of drama. Matt Jackson took his usually race 3 advantage to get ahead of Newsham early on. The result moved the Airwaves Racing driver to the top of the standings. He became the second different leader of the championship in one day.
Second went to Paul O'Neil in the Chevrolet Cruze, showing the true potential of the car. He came across the line ahead of the RML/Silverline works team Cruze of Plato, who got past Newsham on the penultimate lap. After two non-finishes Matt Neal took 4th coming from 17th on the grid, showing the Civic still has the pace. Alex MacDowall, Nash and Shedden took the next 3 places. Shedden had got damage to the left of his car after a brush with the block barrier at the exit of Williams. He then later got a Black and Orange flag, but appeared to purposely run wide at the same turn he hit the block barrier, to knock the flailing bodywork off. This resulted in the drop of the black and orange flag.
Newsham took 8th after running second for much of the race. It all went downhill after O'Neil got past, and he was running 5th until the last turn, when a tap from MacDowall sent him into the gravel. He dropped 3 places. 9th was Nick Foster in the BMW and 10th went to the first points for Rob Austin in the Audi.
Jordan had another bad race after contact with Collard, spinning him around and losing time. This meant his only points came with a 9th in race 2.
The new Snetterton 300 was something to be proud of. Some good overtakes happened in the new loop, and it was a good debut for the touring cars on the new track layout. It definitely gave Snetterton a boost, as well as the surrounding area and racing in the county. Next step, a new pit lane. I hope.
The legendary track where legends like Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell raced on has come under a transformation in recent months, turning it from an old, round caterpillar, into a big, bold butterfly. The races proved a step forward was made and here is the summary:
Race 1:
Jason Plato in his Silverline Chevrolet won the first of 3 race's at the newly improved Snetterton circuit. The Norfolk circuit, my local racetrack, added a new infield loop to the circuit, adding an extra mile to the length. The new track goes from the new Montreal hairpin, previously Sear, till the Revett straight, now called Bentley straight. Plato led every lap of the race from pole, and finished 2.2 seconds ahead of team-mate Alex MacDowall. Gorden Shedden was the only Honda in the point's, after team mate Neal was spun off at the first corner after an ambitious move on old rival Plato. Frank Wrathall took 4th in a much improved Toyota Avensis with the NGTC regulations. It was a great start to the race day, and a big step forward after struggling near the back of the pack. Nash and Jackson rounded out the top 6. Paul O'Neil took 7th after an almost race long battle with Jackson, but was unable to get past due to the added power of the turbo engines. Onslow-Cole and Chilton took 8th and 9th after the latter slumped back from 5th on the last lap. 10th was Dave Newsham.
Neal was not the only championship contended not to score, Andrew Jordan had a horrible race after being pushed wide at the Montreal hairpin on the first lap. He finished 12th. New to BTCC Martin Byford and Daniel Welch finished 14th and 22nd respectively. Lee Wood in the Honda Integra didn't even start the race due to a wheel coming lose on the way to the grid.
Race 2:
Gorden Shedden won the second race at the new Snetterton 300 track. Matt Neal was unable to score yet again after coming into the pits due to a vibration. This meant Shedden took over the lead of the championship after a clear win. James Nash came second ahead of Plato who got ran wide at the Montreal hairpin losing 2 places. Wrathell was in contention for a podium and after Nash and Plato got past, he pulled off to the side of the track. It was radiator damage. MacDowall as a close 4th behind Plato with Paul O'Neil 5th and Jackson a closing 6th.
David Newsham took a respectable 7th in his Seat Leon. He had regularly outperformed his team mate Boardman all weekend. Onslow-Cole took 8th for the second race in a row ahead of Andrew Jordan. It was his first points of the weekend after fighting from 12th. The last points position went to Rob Collard after a quiet and uncompetitive weekend.
Surprise for fastest lap went to Rob Austin in the Audi, but sadly one lap later he retired with mechanical problems.
The Reverse Grid pole went to David Newsham in the Seat Leon.
Race 3:
The last race of the day is always a do or die at any circuit, and the action was certainly full of drama. Matt Jackson took his usually race 3 advantage to get ahead of Newsham early on. The result moved the Airwaves Racing driver to the top of the standings. He became the second different leader of the championship in one day.
Second went to Paul O'Neil in the Chevrolet Cruze, showing the true potential of the car. He came across the line ahead of the RML/Silverline works team Cruze of Plato, who got past Newsham on the penultimate lap. After two non-finishes Matt Neal took 4th coming from 17th on the grid, showing the Civic still has the pace. Alex MacDowall, Nash and Shedden took the next 3 places. Shedden had got damage to the left of his car after a brush with the block barrier at the exit of Williams. He then later got a Black and Orange flag, but appeared to purposely run wide at the same turn he hit the block barrier, to knock the flailing bodywork off. This resulted in the drop of the black and orange flag.
Newsham took 8th after running second for much of the race. It all went downhill after O'Neil got past, and he was running 5th until the last turn, when a tap from MacDowall sent him into the gravel. He dropped 3 places. 9th was Nick Foster in the BMW and 10th went to the first points for Rob Austin in the Audi.
Jordan had another bad race after contact with Collard, spinning him around and losing time. This meant his only points came with a 9th in race 2.
The new Snetterton 300 was something to be proud of. Some good overtakes happened in the new loop, and it was a good debut for the touring cars on the new track layout. It definitely gave Snetterton a boost, as well as the surrounding area and racing in the county. Next step, a new pit lane. I hope.
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