Sunday saw the Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship race at Thruxton. However the day was hampered by torrential rain causing chaos on the track and three safety car periods in one hour.
Qualifying took place on the Saturday, in weather very different to that of the race with bright and dry conditions all day. The Azteca/Neil Garner Motorsport Mosler of Javier Morcillo and Manuel Cintrano took pole for the fourth race in succession and Morcillo again took the pole position points towards the challenge. In class three Andy Schulz put in a fantastic performance with the SB Race Engineering Ferrari 430 and took pole for the class.
Due to a small grid – 6 cars for Britcar class 1 and 2 and just 4 for class 3 – 60% of points were awarded to competitors in class 1 and 2 and 40% to class 3.
Race day saw track conditions at one of their worst at Thruxton for many years, with rain falling from first thing in the morning to last thing at night. The start of the 2 hour endurance race saw a chaotic get away and everyone trying to get out in front.
Cintrano was first in the Mosler for Azteca but spun at the first corner of the first lap in the very wet conditions. A spin into the tyre wall from the Syncro Motorsport Honda in the Production class saw the first of the safety car periods and unfortunately also saw Cintrano drop to the back of the pack.
Sean and Michael McInerney also had trouble in the rain with their Eclipse Motorsport Ferrari 430. The pair had to retire with severe rear-end damage after spinning into the barrier backwards. However the duo remains in joint sixth place in the challenge despite lowering their average point score.
With 50 minutes left on the clock the race series director decided conditions were not getting any better and the checkered flag was waved.
Paul White and Calum Lockie were first over the line scoring maximum points towards the challenge with Lockie also scoring points for placing fastest lap. This meant that Calum has jumped an amazing eight places from 28th to 18th in the overall standings in the Sunoco Daytona Challenge.
Paul Bailey and Andy Schulz put in a fantastic performance despite the wet conditions and finished second overall /first in class taking 40 points towards the challenge. This was a win that they had been waiting for; the pair had been working hard on developing their Ferrari 430 after an unlucky series of events at the previous rounds.
The Azteca Mosler came in 11th overall and took points for fourth place in the challenge due to their class position. The team had pitted to get Javier Morcillo into the car and to take on more fuel so they could finish the race, however after another safety car and the race being finished early due to the bad conditions, Javier could not catch up for the win.
British F3 driver, Felipe Nasr, has had his lead extended due to Javier Morcillo lowering his average point score. This has also meant that United Autosports British GT drivers, Matthew Bell and Michael Guasch, are now in joint second place. Brands Hatch this weekend sees the next round of the Avon Tyres British GT and the Cooper Tires British F3 so expect to see all change again very soon!
Current top 10 standings:
Standings/ Driver Name/ Team/ Series/ Average Points Per Round1 Felipe Nasr Carlin F3 952 Matthew Bell United Autosports British GT3 76.67 3 Michael Guasch United Autosports British GT3 76.67 4 Javier Morcillo Azteca Britcar Class 1 & 2 72.50 5 Lucas Foresti Fortec Motorsport F3 55.833336 Sean Mclnerney Eclipse Motorsport Britcar Class 1 & 2 54.3757 Michael Mclnerney Eclipse Motorsport Britcar Class 1 & 2 54.3758 Marcus Clutton A.B.G Motorsport British GT4 54.33 9 Keith Robinson MJC Britcar Class 1 & 2 51.25 10 Allan Simonsen Rosso Verde British GT3 50.00
