The Sunoco GRAND-AM 200 Challenge is down to the wire with the Challenge decider due at the final round of the Legends series, Brands Hatch on the 3rd/4th November. Current Challenge leader Lawrence Davey needs to score a total of 343.3 points over the six races to win the race seat in the GRAND-AM 200 raceif he falls below this then second placed Production Touring Car Trophy (PTCT) racer Gary Duckman, who is static on 82.35 average points, will take the win.
27-year-old Lawrence Davey has been racing since he was 8-years-old, starting in Cadet Karts and finishing tenth overall in the British Championship and eleventh in the Mclaren Mercedes Champions of the Future Championship.
From karting we had very limited funds; however I was determined to carry on racing so went into short oval Ministox racing. This is where I learnt to drive a car properly and learnt a lot of driving skill - like running three or four wide on a quarter mile oval. Said Davey.
The Surrey based driver raced in the Ministox for two years and was sitting second in the world finals until his car developed a mechanical failure that forced him to retire with two laps to go.
From here Davey then moved into Legends racing and has been in the championship for the last 12 years:
We were looking for a formula that was very affordable and fun to be involved in. We saw the Legends and were hooked. The cars are very fun to drive and affordable compared to other series.
Lawrence plans for next season are dependant on funding and sponsorship. The Legends racer would like to stay with the series, as well as try a few different things such as the BTCC (British Touring Car Championship.)
My aim is the BTCC for the future but as with most racers it comes down to sponsorship. Im really excited about the prospect of racing at Daytona as I know it could bring with it a lot of opportunityplus driving a Camaro on that famous banking would be mega! Commented Davey.
Sitting in second pace in the Challenge is Gary Duckman, whose racing career also started with karting. Duckman competed for many years, from his mid-teens to late twenties, winning the Southern Enduro Championship and twice winning the La Rose Porsche Championship.
Duckman started full time saloon racing in 2004/2005 with Porsche 924s, where he won Rookie of the year in 2005 and then won the championship in 2006. Duckman then moved onto the Porsche Club in a 968 and then a 993 where he stayed for a few years finishing third in the championship.
The London based racer moved to PTCT in 2010, where he has been ever since: I chose PTCT as I have always favoured saloon and GT racing over open wheeled cars. I see the PTCT as the closest to BTCC, as its multi-marque and the cars are presentable and look good on the circuit. Commented Duckman.
The Sunoco GRAND-AM 200 Challenge is a very sought after prize in the club racing scenegiving the winner a chance to increase their profile across the pond by racing in the support race to the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the GRAND-AM 200 Continental race. The winner will receive a race seat in an American muscle car in the 200-mile race plus pre-event testing at the Roar Before the 24 event in Daytona.
To win Davey needs to average 57.2 points per race in the final roundso finish fourth or above in all six races or fifth to seventh but with the fastest lap for the extra points. Duckmans score is now set in stone as the PTCT have finished their season, therefore the 40-year-old IT and Audio Visual company director has had to keep an eye on Davey to see how his average point score has changed after each Legends round.
Ive been watching the Legends more than Formula 1! Said Duckman. I cant do anything about my point score now but I know I did the best I could. Lawrence is a good racer and I am up against some stiff competition!
For Davey, the pressure at the imminent round is apparent but the racer is up for the Challenge:
Ive lead the Challenge for a while and for it to get down to my last round is amazing! commented Davey. The Challenge is really on but I would love to race at Daytona and am ready to fight for it, so bring it on!
