British GT Snetterton Round-Up
Snetterton welcomed the British GT Championship to the Norfolk countryside with wins for Oman Racing with TF-Sport and Ram Racing in GT3 while in GT4 Team Rocket RJN and Academy Motorsport claimed the honours in the Championship 2x 1hr races.
Race 1
GT3
Starting from pole the Oman Racing with TF-Sport Aston Martin set off into the distance to enjoy trouble free race. With no success penalty to serve in the pits it was left to cruise to the chequered flag and a win for Al Harty and Charlie Eastwood.
With the Aston Martin off and away it was all about who would complete the podium. Paddock Motorsport's Kelvin Fletcher held onto his second place at the start despite pressure from Michael Igoe, who had already moved up couple places off the grid. As the GT3 pitstop window opened the WPI Lamborghini of Igoe got up close and personal to the Bentley and contact was made. Both cars were able to carry on in their respective positions but the Lamborghini had sustained damage to the front.
The WPI Lamborghini had to serve its 7s success penalty and then an additional 10s for its part in the collision with the Bentley and ultimately dropped back. Plowman, who had taken over the Bentley, was now enjoying a slight gap back, this time to the chasing Enduro Motorsport McLaren.
The Enduro Motorsport though was black flagged for failing to serve a drive-though for penalty which was the result of a pitstop infringement. Plowman could enjoy bit more of a breather in his P2.
Barwell's pairing of Leo Machitski and Dennis Lind were seemingly out of the running due to their maximum success penalty, but Lind was going to make sure they were in some of contention and set off in chase of his sister Lamborghini setting fastest lap on the way.
RAM Racing's Mercedes AMG suffered a puncture and had to pit to change while Sandy Mitchell was nursing brake issues which meant Lind could squeeze his Lamborghini at Wilson. This meant Lind was now up-to P4 and chasing down Jonny Adam's Beechdean AMR. GT4 traffic aided Lind in passing Adam on the final lap and the Championship Leader was now on the podium.
Time eluded the Dane in passing Plowman but was just 0.3s behind the Bentley at the flag, but did collect second place points to help with the Championship lead.
GT4
Starting from pole, Alain Valente enjoyed the lead in his Team Rocket RJN McLaren until puncture forced them to pit. Inheriting the lead was the Century Motorsport BMW of Will Burns. The lead was only until the pitstop window opened as the BMW had to serve an extra 5s courtesy of podium last time out at Spa.
James Kell in his Team Rocket RJN McLaren made a great start and wasn't long before he passed Academy Motorsport's Ford Mustang. With Valente's puncture Kell was running P2 at the pitstops. This soon became P1 when Jordan Collard was aboard and the pitstops had all shaken out and a 3s advantage over the rest of the GT4 pack. Collard got his head down and at the flag it was a massive 21s advantage.
Gus Burton, having taken over from Burns, was running P2 after the pitstops but had a stream of cars all wanting that spot. Initially it was Harry Hayek leading the charge but Scott McKenna in his Toyota Gazoo Racing UK's Supra made a move round the outside of Hayek at Coram and proceeded to harass Burton. There wasn't a lot of space between the pair often running inches apart, but Burton defence was impressive and held on to claim P2 despite McKenna's best efforts.
Race 2
GT3
Completely different weather greeted the grid for the days second 1 hour race. Gone was the warm Norfolk sunshine, instead the track was soaked courtesy of a downpour.
Lind started off in pole but at Riches Yelmer Buurman went all the way round the outside of the Lamborghini and off into the lead.
Buurman's advantage was helped by Darren Turner's Aston Martin being in the way once the early safety car period had ended and Lind couldn't overtake. By the time the pitstop window had opened Buurman had built up a 8s lead.
At the pitstop it was the Mitchell Lamborghini who was giving chase to Buurman having passed Lind and Eastwood. Eastwood couldn't match the pace of the Lamborghinis in the damp conditions.
Once the pitstops had shaken out, Ian Loggie and Adam Balon resumed where their co-drivers had left off, still separated by those 8s as both teams had no success penalties to serve. Balon had managed to bring the gap down but once Loggie got into his stride the gap went back again. However as the track dried, Balon closed in but ran out of time as Loggie took the flag 4.6s ahead of the chasing Lamborghini.
Taking the last step of the podium was the WPI Motorsport Lamborghini. Phil Keen stopped his Lamborghini a lap earlier than the rest of the GT3 field. Michael Igoe took over the driving and because of the extra lap was able to get past Andrew Howard as he exited the pitlane. Igoe tried all he could to catch the top 2 setting fastest laps along the way to close a gap of 24s to 8s at the flag.
GT4
The Assetto Ginetta of Charlie Robertson started off well from pole but as the grid exited the Wilson hairpin contact was made with Century BMW, Ciceley Mercedes AMG, Newbridge's Aston Martin and the Toyota Supra. Cue the safety to pick up the pieces.
As the race restarted, Jordan Collard led the field followed the Burton, who escaped unscathed from melee, and Matt Cowley. Unfortunately for Cowley a moment across the grass as he entered Palmer meant he pitted from P6.
Fortune then shone upon Cowley as the top 2 had to serve success penalties plus the Century Motorsport BMW had to serve an additional stop-go which meant that they now dropped out of contention for the win.
Nick Halstead was now defending heavily from Will Moore who by now had taken over the Academy Motorsport driving duties. Moore had benefited from a blinder of a lap by Cowley on his in lap and others around them having slower stops. Moore made his move on the Fox Motorsport McLaren and escaped off up the road to victory.
Pro-Am Halstead did all he could to keep the Silver drivers behind him but Chris Salkeld in his Century Motorsport BMW made his move and up to P2 and stayed there to the flag and more Championship points.
Alain Valente and Michael Benyahia's McLaren passed the Fox Motorsport McLaren to claim the last podium spot.
The next round in this enthralling championship takes place at Oulton Park 11th - 12th September.
