Round 1 - S1

ROUND 1 – SUNSET PENINSULA FULL & CLUB – 8th NOVEMBER 2009 SUN SHINES FOR VANQUISH Vanquish finally grabs an Enduro win – Double support victory for Gixerben – Supercars dominate Enduro – JC Meister solid start to defence of his crown – Bad day for Favourite Wookie – Many cars suffer rolling incidents.

IN THE JACK – VANQUISH HEADS THE ENDURO PACK ENTRY Gixerben – Mini Cooper, BMW M3 E36, Porsche 997 Turbo Last minute choice to run the Mini meant it was unsorted after his original car falls foul of the scrutinisers’. High hopes for his BMW in the FTCC as he had put some real development into it, as had the pretty Red bull sponsored Porsche that looked very strong. Hoping for a good weekend in fast cars on a very fast track.

JC Meister – Fiat Abrath, VW Corrado, Subaru S22

Return of the Enduro Champion was late in the day so he showed up in 3 very undeveloped cars, and had already conceded that the first round was all about damage limitation.

Major Raver – Alfa Romeo MiTo, BMW 135i, Ford RS200 Martini sponsorship returned to Major’s Enduro car, whilst the Alfa was surprisingly in rear wheel drive pose. Sponsorship deal hadn’t been agreed for the BMW, so it showed up in a pink colour with logo’s for cancer research.

Maverick – Renault Twingo, Mugen Integra, Ferrari 360 CS Problems at his team headquarters meant that they lost the cars and setups they originally had, even having to source their Enduro car from Mart Engineering leaving the ever chirpy Maverick on the back foot.

ScoLancer – Toyota Yaris, Mugen Integra, BMW M3 GTR Scot star Lancer was a late entry to the grid that meant his cars were unsorted but believed he had a good base and platform for development, the Mugen already proving to be a very solid handling car.

Vanquish BHP – Scion XD, Mugen Integra, Lamborghini Muira 06 Vanquish was looking for his and 40 Yarder racing first victory and the team had taken a very different and brave route with the choice of two of his cars, the team even deciding on the Muira over other cars in the Lamborghini stable at the very last moment. Jack Daniels had also stayed loyal to the team in sponsoring all 3 cars.

Wiseoldduck – Mini Cooper, BMW M3 E36, Porsche 911 GT2 Wise had picked up a good sponsorship package that offered hope for a good season, and made two late changes to his car line up with the Mini making its debut and the Porsche being a late change two. Mallard racing had decided to forgo the Seat deal for one with BMW late in the day.

Wookie Pete – Renault Twingo, Mazda 3, Ferrari 360 CS Championship favourite Wookie was overjoyed with a Blockbuster Video sponsorship on race day, and the nippy Twingo not expected to be a pace setter on the faster tracks, looked full of promise. The Mazda a proven winner in the Autumn Cup, and Wookie was confident that his Ferrari was well sorted.

BRAWN FREE – GIXERBEN ON HIS WAY TO HIS SECOND SUPPORT WIN FX ENDURO – SUNSET PENINSULA FULL 25 LAPS With 4 wheel drive cars on the grid the rush to the first corner was expected to be rather hectic, and it was as Raver made a fantastic start from 5th on the grid, diving down the inside of the Lamborghini of Vanquish into the first corner. The first few corners were uneventful everyone being careful and Wookie showed his Ferrari to have good balance as he moved into the top 3. Major was flying along and he had started to open a little gap as they headed on to the banking for the first time, when he clipped the kerb which sent the Martini car on to its roof and out of contention with heavy damage. Amazingly everyone avoided the stricken Ford and this gave Wookie his chance to attack Vanquish, but he found out straight away that although his Ferrari was very well balanced the Muira packed a mighty punch in a straight line. Any hopes of a real ding dong battle out front went on lap 2 when the Ferrari pulled

off with a mystery terminal problem that left Pete out of luck and out of the race. Gixerben now took up the mantle of challenge Vanquish and up until the their pit stops around half distance did a good job, actually closing which promised much for the second half of the race. At the back things weren’t so easy, with Maverick and Wiseoldduck taking it in turns in putting their cars on the roof. Wise was really regretting running the unsorted Porsche and while last season was about blown gearboxes in round 1, this was about crushed roofs and bodywork. Maverick was having the same problems with his unsorted Ferrari and never seemed to be comfortable either as both slipped badly off the pace. Third place was nicely poised, as Lancer had to fend off reigning champion JC Meister. JC’s Subaru looked an awful under steering handful, but he showed his experience and race craft to take what looked like the slowest car in the field in to a respectable position race wise.

ARE YOU GOING MY WAY? – REIGNING CHAMP JC DID WELL WITH AN EVIL HANDLING CAR.

Half distance saw all the major runners having stopped, those at the back more than once and Vanquish looking very unflustered out front. Gixerben started to close but any hopes of victory were crushed as the Lamborghini put in some astonishing laps in the 1:28s, amazing as no one else was dipping into the 1.30s. With Vanquish in control Gixerben wisely decided to bring his car home in one piece, knowing bar a mistake that Vanquish was finally about to take the top step of the podium. It was a sweet moment for 40 Yarder racing that have often tried a different car route, and Vanquish for finally ridding himself of the nearly man mantle that has bugged him in the past. The battle for third was sadly cut short 5 laps from home, with Lancer closing on JC having problems, and meaning

4th was the best he could get. The BMW showed lots of promise to show that on tighter tracks it could be the car to have. For JC Meister it was a great drive, one of his best, possibly the slowest car on the grid and the driver admitting to be rather ring rusty, had sent out a warning shot to the rest of the grid that once car and driver are up to speed a championship challenge is certainly on. Major was a lap down in 5th, a second roll doing his stiffly sprung Ford no good, whilst Maverick did one less roll than Wise and stole 6th place.

MORE OF A DAMP SQUIB – IT ALL WENT WRONG FOR FAVOURITE WOOKIE RESULT AFTER 25LAPS 1.

Vanquish BHP

38minutes and 12secs

2.

Gixerben

+12seconds

3.

JC Meister

+1min 07secs

4.

ScoLancer

5.

Major Raver

6.

Maverick

+1 Lap + 1 Lap +4 Laps

7.

Wiseoldduck

+5 Laps

8.

Wookie Pete

DNF

Fastest Lap: Vanquish BHP 1:28:150 (NEW LAP RECORD) CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS AFTER ROUND 1 1.

Vanquish BHP

12 points

2.

Gixerben

9 pts

3.

JC Meister

6 pts

4.

ScoLancer

5.

Major Raver

6.

Maverick

7.

Wiseoldduck

2 pts

8.

Wookie Pete

1 pts

5 pts 4 pts 3 pts

FX SUPERMINIS – SUNSET PENINSULA CLUB 4 LAPS All eyes were on the Mini’s as the cars lined up on the grid but it was Raver who judged the start best moving up from 7th to be right on the tail of Lancer into the first corner. Challenging alongside Raver was Wise, and also Wookie, Wookie diving inside the mini but tagging the Alfa in the process and putting Raver back to last after a spin. In the confusion Gixerben had moved up to second and that became first on the bank straight as the power of the cooper engine put him into the lead, a lead he was never to lose and score his first victory. Behind him and Raver was back on a charge helped by Lancer, Maverick and JC having a few moments and on lap two he slid up the inside of Wookie and Wise off the main straight in a very late braking move. He made it through, but Wise unsighted hit the back of the Alfa and both spun, leaving Wookie clear in second. Wise felt Raver left his braking far too late, whilst Raver believed he was hit in the boot showing the Coca Cola car had made the corner, either way a promising start for both was ruined, and the stewards deemed it a racing accident. For Wise it got worse further around the lap and that left him last but he showed so much potential to know a he has race winning pace in the little cars. With the first two now safe it left

Vanquish clear in third for a podium, whilst Lancer gave chase but with half of the rest of field showing damage the race petered out. Result after 4 Laps 1.

Gixerben

2.

Wookie Pete

3.

Vanquish

4.

ScoLancer

5.

Major Raver

6.

JC Meister

7.

Maverick

8.

Wiseoldduck Fastest Lap: Gixerben 1:10:432 (NEW LAP RECORD) Points after Round 1

1.

Gixerben

12pts

2.

Wookie Pete

3.

Vanquish

6pts

4.

ScoLancer

5pts

5.

Major Raver

6.

JC Meister

3pts

7.

Maverick

2pts

8.

Wiseoldduck

8pts

4pts

2pts

KEEP ROLLING, ROLLING, ROLLING – MAVERICK IS ON HIS WAY UPSIDE DOWN AGAIN.

FTCC – SUNSET PENINSULA FULL – 6 LAPS Rear wheel drive was always likely to be the key here and thus the BMW hoard tore off the line with Gixerben leading down to the first turn, Raver behind him diving up the inside of Vanquish for second until Pete decided to make himself the filling in the sandwich and the pink BMW was spun to the rear of the field. Mavericks hopes of success went as they headed to the banking for the third time as he found his car upside down and sliding down the bank, giving Autumn Cup holder Wookie the chance to chase the leader Gixerben with less presure, with Wise now in third, and Vanquish fourth, Lancer meanwhile having spun in the chicances on the first lap. At the back were both JC Meister and Raver, Raver starting a charge through the field whilst JC was rueing two first lap incidents in his Corrado. Wookie was looking a little flustered and on lap 4th coming out of one the chicanes, he got out of shape and hit the wall hard. With a damaged car he limped around to the pits, only for an unsighted JC Meister to drive in to the back of him virtually putting both out on the spot. For JC and his unsorted new Corrado it was the end of a couple of very fraught support races. Wise was now elevated to 5th, but was unable to get close to the battle between Lancer and Vanquish. Settled in the favour of the latter, both the Mugen’s handling well although Vanquish complained his car was stiff on the kerbs, but breathless down the long fast straights. So a second support win for Gixerben, and Raver over joyed with second, but for Autumn Cup winner Pete it was a bitter pill to swallow in his championship chase.

Result after 6 Laps 1.

Gixerben

2.

Major Raver

3.

ScoLancer

4.

Vanquish

5.

Wiseoldduck

6.

Maverick

7.

Wookie Pete

8.

JC Meister Fastest Lap: Gixerben 1:39:657 (New Lap Record)

Points after round 1 1.

Gixerben

12pts

2.

Major Raver

3.

ScoLancer

6pts

4.

Vanquish

5pts

5.

Wiseoldduck

6.

Maverick

7.

Wookie Pete

8.

JC Meister.

8pts

4pts 3pts 2pts 1pts

ROUND-UP So round 1 for all 3 is over and shock winners in all promise much for the season ahead. Expect better sorted cars for round 2, and Wookie Pete attempting to make up for lost ground. Maple Valley is next and expect many drivers to be very wary of the kerbs at the track after 11 rolls in the

3 races on Sunday. Big question is how will the handicap system effect the Lamborghini Muira, and will Gixerben and his BMW still be as fast in a straight line with a bit of ballest. Roll on Sunday!