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News: TTRS 2009 Race Report – Round 7 – Brands Hatch (DTM Support)
The Toyo Tires Racing Saloons series headed to Brands Hatch last weekend (5/6th September), to take its place as part of the extremely prestigious DTM support package. Having been announced as part of the bill last month, everyone involved was incredibly excited ahead of the big weekend.
With an entry list of thirty-three competitors, plus the reserve Tom Bateson within Class E, the series was set for two thrilling races, as ever; however dissimilar to their Brands appearance on 1st August, this time the excitement would be demonstrated around the shorter Indy circuit. The father and son team of Richard and Tom Ibrahim elected to compete in one race each and so also shared the qualifying session between them.
Track conditions for the qualifying session seemed to be catching everyone out, due to a slippery surface. Due to the track difficulties, thought to be caused by the different tyre compounds being used in the various series, and also the different racing lines taken by each, many of the competitors’ fastest lap times were produced later on in the session.
Following the qualifying session, it was John Willcocks in the BMW E30 M3 who secured a pole position start for the opening race, while Andrew Busby lined up along side, making it a definite battle of the Class C men. Stacy Vickers controlled the pace in Class B, having qualified third, with Class A dominator Wayne Howlett fourth. The front man in Class E was Don Hughes, who recorded the ninth quickest time ahead of the first race, while Rob Sadler and Lawrie Dunster dictated Class D and Class F, respectively.
Ken Lark opted to race his VW Vento, as opposed to his VW Corrado, but suffered problems, only allowing him to compete three slow laps. Not the only driver to experience hitches, Charles Moseley, in the Class A Sierra Cosworth, and Gail Hill, piloting the Class B Jaguar XJS, both encountered engine problems which meant they were unable to take part in either of the races. Graham Meeks was another victim, when his Rover Tomcat suffered accident damage which forced him to also sit out of the races.
Having stepped up from PBMW, Julian Newman was happy to complete all of the session, still getting used to his speedy Class A BMW E34 M5.
After experimenting with different springs in his BMW E30, Class F PBMW entrant Richard Thomas endured a car that was very stiff. He decided to swap the springs back overnight in time for the races.
Race 1:
After lining up on the grid following their green flag lap, the field was ready for their first race in the DTM spotlight. As the five red lights diminished, Willcocks lost out, allowing Busby to inherit the lead as they headed into Paddock Hill Bend for the first time. Vickers suffered clutch failure at the start and so failed to initially get away from the line as the lights went out. Fortunately, however, the Mazda RX7 pilot eventually managed to get going and was soon on the tail of the rest of the field.
As the early stages of the race developed, Willcocks managed to regain his place at the front of the pack, demoting Busby, in his BMW E30 M3 DTM Replica, to second, where they stayed for the remainder of the twenty-two laps. Despite Busby’s best efforts he was unable to find a way passed the highly experienced racer; “I saw one or two half chances once we started lapping,” commented Busby, “but he had it covered and we crossed the line a second or so apart.” He added.
Behind, Wayne Howlett and Roger Kneebone enjoyed a fierce tussle for third and fourth, also allowing them to debate honours in Class A. Kneebone originally got the better of Howlett, until a big sideways moment from the former at Paddock Hill allowed Howlett to resume his position ahead. Kneebone managed to save his slide, putting on a great spectacle for the applauding fans sat around Paddock Hill Bend.
Regular front-runner, Colin Tester, in his Class A Ford Sierra Cosworth suffered grip issues for much of the early stages of the weekend. Following low grip levels on track during qualifying, he started the race on old tyres, thinking the grip issue was due to suspension set-up. Despite his initial problems, Tester bolted away from the line, initially launching into third from sixth on the grid. Although he was able to keep with the BMW E30’s at first, Howlett and Kneebone were able to muscle their way though. Regardless of a very close fight with Kneebone during the closing stages of the race, the Sierra Cosworth pilot was unable to make an impression for fourth and was forced to accept fifth place at the chequered flag.
During the later stages of this opening race, Ian Clark’s Class B Ford Capri suffered a blown engine, resulting in a trail of oil on the run up to and around Druids. Luckily the slippery surface flags around the area instructed drivers to be aware, and no-one encountered the trail.
Ken Lark, having started 32nd on the grid, made remarkable progress, passing cars every way possible, putting on a tremendous display for the enthralled fans. As the raced evolved, his VW Corrado began to slow, however he still managed to finish a very respectable eighteenth place. His slowing pace was thought to be as a result of slight contact with James Philpott’s Class D Peugeot 205 GTi, which happened during a spot of lappery. Philpott was in the thick of the action during his first ever race.
After twenty-two laps of pure excitement, it was Willcocks who came through to take the first TTRS victory of the weekend, to the cheer of the DTM crowd, also stealing a hard fought Class C triumph. Busby held onto second, despite putting immense pressure onto the rear of Willcocks’ E30 M3. Howlett completed the podium, also taking number one spot in Class A.
After dropping to the back of the field following his start-line problems, Vickers stormed through the field to take a well-deserved seventh as he was met by the chequered flag; this was also enough to secure him honours in Class B.
Class D saw Rob Sadler take the top spot in Class, and also eleventh overall, ahead of a strong second place Class D finish from Dean Keeble. Just ahead of him he witnessed the intense tussle for overall position, between Class E victor Don Hughes and Dean Spurr, in the Class A Rover Tomcat. Hughes was able to chase down and stay with Spurr for the majority of the race.
Lawrie Dunster scored a first in Class F, finishing twelve seconds in front of the next car in class, while back at the front Kneebone was awarded the fastest lap of the race with a time of 55.300 seconds.
Photo: www.snappyracers.com
Commenting on his success, Willcocks said: “I was sorry that Stacy wasn’t chasing for the lead and it was a close run thing with Andrew, but I’ll take the wins as they come."
Second placed Busby remarked: “John could hold the line and drive very cleanly. Everyone was good, we made our way through.” He added: “A couple of times on the start-finish straight I might have had a look, but it was very good, very clean. I’ll definitely be going for it in round two.”
Third place man, Howlett expressed: “I’m very happy with that, it was kind of Roger to fall off at Paddock, but no, really happy.” He added: “[My car] is a little bit heavier, it wears its tyres out quicker, but I’m getting to grips with it now.”
Race 2:
With his promise of “definitely going for it in round two”, Busby made a good start, this time getting the better of Willcocks as the pair swept past the chequered flag, after another thrilling twenty-two laps. This meant Willcocks was forced to play second fiddle not just overall, but also in Class C.
Howlett again completed the podium, paying his second visit of the weekend to the prestigious third step, also storming to the top of Class A. The BMW E36 M3 pilot just managed to keep hold of the position, despite immense pressure from the pursuing Vickers, who was eager to make ground on his difficult opening race. Commenting on the feat, the BMW E36 M3 pilot said: “I was adamant that he [Vickers] wasn’t going to put me under pressure so I just stopped looking at him and got on with what I had to do.” He added: “The main thing is that I came third and I’m happy.”
The remaining classes within the TTRS were again dominated by the usual suspects. Rob Sadler again dabbled in some sideways antics, which obviously seem to work for him as they led to another Class D victory. Don Hughes recorded another Class E triumph and also a fantastic eighth overall, while Lawrie Dunster again soared to the top of Class F. Dunster also experienced a blinding opening lap, which saw him rocket from fifth in class to first in class by the second corner; this was after he was forced to start form the last row of the grid due to a suspected non-finish in the first race.
Stephen Carter enjoyed a strong showing to finish second in Class F behind Dunster. Carter temporarily led the Class, after passing Dunster earlier on; this manoeuvre influenced Dunster’s pace, as he soon stole back the lead, demoting Carter to second. A last attempt to pass Dunster at Clearways sent Carter into a spin; however he managed to recover his BMW E30 to hold onto second in Class F.
Behind the lead quartet, Colin Tester and Sam Clarke, in the Jaguar XJS were involved in a turbulent Class A battle, also fighting over fifth overall. The scuffle was eventually sorted out between the two, with Clarke taking fifth ahead of Tester.
Class D entrant, Tom Ibrahim enjoyed a storming opening lap, thundering from the very back of the grid to take his spot in the middle of the pack, in the Alfa Romeo 33 that he had never driven before. After Richard had driven the car in the first race, they had put more pressure into the rear tyres, in a bid to resolve their understeer at Clearways; something which obviously paid off for the duo.
With half a lap to go, Roger Kneebone pulled into the pitlane as he was worried about the well-being of his BMW E34 M5, bringing his Brands Hatch DTM weekend to an abrupt end.
Commenting on his win in the second race of the day, Busby said: “I was slightly lucky and managed to come out on top, it’s a question of trying not to look too much in the mirror but knowing he’s going to be there or thereabouts.” Andrew also overcame difficulties in the holding area, which saw his glasses break just before going out on track. He was forced to wedge them inside his helmet and hope they stayed there for the race duration.
Photo: www.snappyracers.com
Commenting on his DTM Replica race car, he also said: “I’ve had the car a few years and we did quiet a lot of work over the winter, and it was plain white, so I thought why not do something a bit different and I’m aware of the history of the M3s and the DTM as so forth, so I gave it to the guys who do the graphics and I said I want It to look exactly like that otherwise its not worth doing and they did a fantastic job and we’re very pleased with it.”
Second placed Willcocks said: “It was a very fun race, somehow it was much more relaxing being 2nd than 1st.” When asked about the length of time he’s been racing, Willcocks humorously added: “I raced in Formula Ford in 1976, just one year, and once I’d beaten Nigel Mansell I gave up!”
As ever the TTRS and drivers put on a fantastic display of action to the many fans that had turned out at Brands Hatch. Acting as support for the spectacular DTM package was a superb opportunity for the series, and they didn’t disappoint.
Race Report by Leanne Fahy (leannefahy@hotmail.com) |
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