Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup, Pembrey June 26/27th
RACE ONE
Championship leader Adrian Churchill kept his title chase on track after his second triple win of the season at Pembrey’s 20th Anniversary meeting. But his Courtenay Sport Vauxhall Astra VXR had taken second at the flag in race three, until Craig Currie was penalised after contact.
Only 0.673s seperated Churchill and Dunlop backed Ryan Bensley after qualifying, Bensley had a new turbo on his Astra VXR.
At the start of the first race Churchill hit the front from Bensley and the Seat’s of Gary Duckman and Dan Malone. Stuart Clarke’s Astra soon found a way past Malone, but the leading trio were quick to breakaway.
Duckman was the man on a mission and was all over Bensley at every opportunity, which allowed Churchill to consolidate his lead. It was another five laps though before Duckman finally made it through only to lose out under braking again at Hatchets two laps later.
The battle for second had also allowed Clarke to close up and he sneaked past Duckman too into Hatchets on lap 14. It was side by side for a couple of laps which gave Bensley a break to consolidate second too.
Churchill came home with well over three seconds in hand over Bensley. “My car was awful at the beginning, stepping out at the rear on my old tyres. But once I shook off Gary it seemed OK,” said Bensley.
Clarke just managed to retain third over Duckman, “that was hard work. My brakes were fine after problems in qualifying, I don’t remember a lot apart from being so hot and uncomfortable. But had a nice slide at Dibeni before catching the second place battle,” said Clarke.
Duckman was disappointed to lose out on a podium place, “I had understeer most of the race and was just trying to get traction out of the corners. But I am slowly getting used to the car now, “said the former Porsche 924 Champion.
Malone couldn’t quite get onto the back of the battles ahead from fifth place, “I was pulling them in on the curves but lost out on the straights,” he explained.
Craig Currie just made it home in sixth in the only Nissan 370Z, after Endaf Owens had been sidelined with a broken damper in qualifying. “It went into limp mode and I had no top end power,” said Currie.
In class B Kevin George’s Vauxhall Corsa was clear of its rivals from the second lap and won the class by over 28 secs from Jordan Witt’s BMW 120D. “I was already well clear when they hit each other, so it was all good for me this time,” said George. Witt made the finish but rival Andrey Magiy’s didn’t. “I left my braking a bit too late at Brooklands, hit Jordan and broke my radiator,” explained the Mini Cooper S driver.
RESULT
1 Adrian Churchill (Vauxhall Astra VXR) 18 laps in 20m13.721s (77.73mph); 2 Ryan Bensley (Vauxhall Astra VXR); 3 Stuart Clarke (Vauxhall Astra VXR); 4 Gary Duckman (Seat Leon); 5 Dan Malone (Seat Leon); 6 Craig Currie (Nissan 370Z); 7 Kevin George (Vauxhall Corsa); 8 Jordan Witt (BMW 120D); no other finishers. Class A: top six as overall. Class B: 1 George; 2 Witt; no other finishers. Fastest lap: Churchill 1m05.990s (79.43mph).
RACE TWO
The temperature was already soaring as the grid lined up on Sunday morning for the second race of the weekend.
Churchill lined up on pole again with Bensley unable to match the championship leaders pace at they arrived at Hatchets for the first time. But it was Duckman who had got away well and managed to oust Bensley from second as they arrived at Spitfires.
Clarke was fourth but had a huge slide at Dibeni which forced Malone to back off slightly, while behind him Currie headed Owens in the battle of the Nissan’s.
By the end of the second lap Churchill was well clear. Although Duckman and Bensley had become established in second and third, the fight behind was far from settled. Currie had started pressurise Malone, which upped his pace and brought them back onto Clarke’s tail. Currie made it through on lap three and left Malone to defend sixth from Owens.
The class B battle had been much closer, nose to tail between all three at times. George had the advantage again while Magiy kept Witt at bay. But exiting Honda for the fourth time Witt put a wheel on the grass on the outside and it fired him head on into the pit barrier. With the car stranded in the middle of the circuit and debris well scattered, the race was red flagged. “I just got on the grass and it fired me back. I could see it all unfolding, but couldn’t stop it. It was a big impact,” said Witt after walking away shaken but otherwise uninjured.
The restart was over 12 minutes and just happened to coincide with live coverage on Motors TV. Magiy was in the pitlane with overheating problems and only managed a few laps of the restart.
As the lights went out it was Churchill heading Duckman, Bensley, Currie, Owens, Malone, Clarke and George. But as they came past the pits to complete the first lap Owens got alongside Currie and was ahead into Hatchets. The Mini aces charge continued and he was on Bensley’s tail the next lap, with Currie only inches behind.
Both the Nissan’s made it by a lap later before Currie moved back ahead of his team mate, as he started to slow. Owens was falling back rapidly, while during the sort out Clarke and Malone had started to edge towards fourth placed Bensley.
By lap seven Currie was in striking distance of Duckman, but as Bensley fought for his place Malone made it past Clarke at Hatchets. Just as Owens had before him Currie suddenly slowed again, “it went into limp mode again and I was looking for a possible second. Had a great drive with Endaf too,” said Currie.
Churchill cruised home for his second win of the weekend, with Duckman a delighted second. “Solved my gear selection and the handling was better. It was great,” he enthused.
Bensley made it back into third after Currie’s demise, but had Malone still closing at the flag. “I was happy with that, especially when I could see Ryan at the end,” added Malone. Currie still limped home fifth, with Clarke sixth. “I lost ABS and we didn’t have our usual suspension settings,” Clarke explained.
Owens also crawled to the flag in seventh, ahead of George the sole class B representative.
RESULT
1 Churchill 11 laps in 12m19.377s (77.98mph); 2 Duckman +3.21s 3 Bensley; 4 Malone; 5 Currie; 6 Clarke +0.657s; 7 Endaf Owens (Nissan 370Z); 8 George; no other finishers. Class A: top seven as overall. Class B: 1 George; no other finishers. Fastest lap: Owens 1m05.650s (79.84mph).
RACE THREE
Owens found himself on pole for the drawn grid in the final race of the weekend, while Churchill was back on the fourth row.
It was a Nissan lock out at the start, Owens just had the lead over Currie, followed by Duckman, Clarke, Malone, Bensley, Churchill, George and Magiy.
Bensley and Churchill had both made it past Malone by the end of the opening lap, but it was into Hatchets for the third time that Currie made his move and emerged with his nose in front.
But Owens wasn’t about to give in gracefully and the duo almost rubbed door handles through Dibeni before the former biker made it stick. Churchill was also on the move and after taking Bensley and Clarke on the same lap, he had Duckman in sight by the end of lap five.
Owens dropped back from Currie as he appeared to miss a gear going past the pits for the fifth time, but from third to seventh places it had become a virtually unbroken train and it was Duckman that lost out. The Seat driver made a smokey exit a lap later as Churchill was poised to challenge Owens for second place.
Currie was still in the clear but once Churchill had made it into second at Hatchets on lap nine, the race was on. Back in fourth Clarke had Bensley almost pushing him as they began to form a queue behind Owens.
Into Hatchets for the 12th time both Clarke and Bensley ousted Owens and Malone followed at Spitfires, as the guesting Nissan driver was struggling for pace again and finally headed for the pits. “I lost fifth and sixth gears, it was awesome fun though and a good weekend,” he concluded.
It was far from over for Currie though as he arrived at Hatchets for the 12th time with Churchill alongside. The Astra driver snatched the lead as they turned in, but there was contact on the exit and Currie was back in front. “I got that fair and square then he hit me,” Churchill explained. Although Currie led the remaining laps he was later penalised for the incident, which handed Churchill the win after he was relegated to second.
Clarke successfully kept Bensley at bay for third. “I messed up my start then when I tried to get Gary my brake pedal went solid and Adrian got me,” Clarke explained. “I was still struggling with the handling again,” Bensley added.
Malone was only fractionally adrift in fifth and could so easily have taken third in the closing laps, “I loved the play at the end but I think I need to be more aggressive,” he said.
George completed a hattrick of class B wins as Magiy managed to go the distance but somewhat off his normal pace.
RESULT
1 Churchill 18 laps in 20m21.579s (77.23mph); 2Currie +0.034s; 3 Clarke; 4 Bensley; 5 Malone; 6 George; 7 Magiy; no other finishers. Class A: top five as overall. Class B: 1 George; 2 Magiy; no other finishers. Fastest lap: Churchill 1m06.194s (79.18mph).
Published by Peter Scherer for Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup, June 29th, 2010