Brands Hatch beckons for Michelin Ginetta G50 Cup season
The Michelin Ginetta G50 Cup is the latest addition to the BTCC-support package and promises to deliver great racing. Rounds one, two and three blast into life at Brands Hatch on April 4/5.
Last year, stalwart British constructor Ginetta celebrated its 50th birthday and did so in style with the G50 taking national racing by storm. The cars ruled the roost in GT racing and the one-make series was a huge success, so much so that the cars join their junior cousins on the BTCC support bill this year.
Powered by 3.5-litre Ford V6 engines kicking out 300 bhp, the spectacular rear-wheel drive cars are sure to provide drama this season with a fascinating entry that includes established Ginetta racers, single-seater converts and champions from oval racing. There’s also the Chairman’s Cup to keep an eye on, open to the over 40-year-old amateur racers who have their own trophy to fight for.
Former Formula Ford champion Nathan Freke heads the entry, the 2006 FF king returning from a disappointing time racing in America. Whilst he may not be a sports car expert (one-off races for TVR and Porsche being the limit of his experience), he is going to take some stopping this season in the Century Motorsport/EOS Productions.
Squaring up against the Kidderminster driver is Carl Breeze (TCR). Breeze, who switched from single-seaters to the BTCC and then to one-make saloons is another sports car newbie but has enough racing knowledge to be a major threat.
So, too, does ex-BTCC racer Mark Proctor (Speedworks Motorsport) whose training in the hurly-burly of Eurocar racing should make him ideal to cope with the demands of one-make sports car racing, whilst Colin White could well be the surprise package of the season: the three-times National Hot Rod World Champion dominated the sport in the late 90s/early part of the decade before trying his hand at ASCAR and Britcar. Many of the circuits will be new to him but the Glastonbury driver should be a front-runner.
Toms Sharp and Dunstan were rapid last year, Dunstan switching from Formula BMW and Sharp from the Ginetta Junior series. Both scored well and with a year of experience under their belts should do well this season, too.
Add in the Speedworks cars of player-manager Christian Dick, Richard Sykes and Tony Hughes plus the Dynojet car of former karting star Frank Wrathall and you have the makings of a superb brace of races this weekend.
Qualifying for the two races takes place on Saturday April 4th, with race one starting at 15:15 over 16 laps. Race two will be on Sunday April 5th at 10:40 over the longer 24 lap duration, as will race three starting at 17:10.
