Arrowpak Euro Saloons Championship

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Racing Results 2012

Rounds 11 & 12 Oulton Park: 18th August 2012

A familiar Saturday only racing calendar as the Arrowpak Eurosaloons make their annual return to Oulton Park on the full International circuit.

Qualifying:
21 cars spread out across the 2.69 mile International circuit suggested that most drivers should be able to find a clear lap, but also that there would only be time to run a maximum of 10 laps to set their time. With moisture still in the air from the previous night, certain parts of the track would be slippy and require careful negotiation.

Paul Rose making a guest appearance in his Saker was up to speed immediately setting the pole time on only his second lap. The returning Rex Stamp (Lotus Elise) was getting progressively quicker and on his final lap of nine, set the Class A pole just over a tenth shy of Rose. Six time race winner Andy Robinson (Ford Falcon) was going to have a battle on his hands ending the session in 3rd place, despite the Falcon proving a big handful struggling with oversteer and overheating brakes.

Richard Hawken (Nissan Primera) narrowly beat Ilsa Cox (Seat Leon) to the Class B pole, but this pair were down in 6th and 7th place, 4th and 5th being taken by the Class D and C pole drivers Wayne Schofield (Suzuki Cappuccino) and Dennis Crompton (BMW M3), well clear of the other C & D drivers. Ian Craig (BMW M3) and Andy Jordan (Renault Clio) were next up in C & D, back in 11th and 12th respectively.

Race 1:
As the train of cars rounded Lodge and headed towards Dear Leap, those coming over the brow got to see the lights go out while the tail end of the group was unsighted - Stamp tried to hold off Rose through Old Hall, but both Rose and the following Robinson were able to get past, but coming off Shell Oils Corner, the Saker slowed allowing Robinson into the lead with Stamp right on his bumper. The Saker pitted but came straight back out to rejoin at the back of the pack.

More fun further back, Hawken slowed suddenly on the run to Cascades ("box full of neutrals") leaving Doug Ellwood (Marcos Mantis) to take avoiding action, Vaughan Fletcher (Subaru Impreza) braking hard caught out Andy Jordan (Renault Clio) who ran into the back of the Subaru. Out of Shell, Barry Squibb (Mitsubishi Evo) passed Fletcher but then coasted to a halt by the side of the track, engine failure caused by the dry sump drive belt coming off. Steve Putt (Mazda RX7) had a heart in mouth moment as he went to pass Hawken just as Hawken moved over to pass the stricken Squibb, only fast reactions preventing a heavy collision with the Mitsubishi.

Schofield was 3rd after one lap from Crompton, the two would prove hard to separate until late in the race, Ilsa Cox in 5th place already being 8 seconds off the lead and 5 adrift of 4th placed Crompton one lap in. Close behind Cox were Ellwood, sandwiched by the Imprezas of Froggatt and Fletcher.

Stamp took the lead from Robinson on lap 2 and quickly pulled out a 5 second gap which he then maintained until pulling further clear in the latter stages of the race while lapping the slower cars, taking the win from Robinson by 9 seconds. Schofield had been maintaining 3rd place from Crompton but with two laps remaining, a rear support collapsed on the Suzuki, Schofield slowed in order to finish without the wing falling off, allowing Crompton to take the remaining podium slot and Class C win.

Ellwood had passed Frogatt on lap 3, leaving the Imprezas running in close company until Froggatt ran wide and off track at Cascades on lap5 allwoing Fletcher to move up into 7th and pull out a gap from Froggatt. Fletcher was now chasing down the Ellwood Marcos, Cox dropped out with driveshaft failure on lap 7, but Fletcher fell 0.5 seconds short of catching Ellwood before the line. They did manage to pass the slowing Schofield on the final lap to take 4th and 5th places, leaving Schofield in 6th but still Class D winner.

Hawken was struggling with just 4th, 5th and 6th gears which meant the Primera struggled in the slower corners, but brought the Primera home to record his first win of the season with Cox's demise. ANdy Jordan was once again "best Clio" and only Clio to not be lapped by Stamp. Class E winner Boon was running with Craig Odams' Vauxhall Vectra but was unable to get the better of him, ending the race a little over a second adrift.

Race 2:
Last race of the day at Oulton Park, with grid places based on the early finishing order; so Stamp from Robinson, Crompton, Ellwood, Fletcher, Schofield, Froggat, Craig, Rose and Hawken filling the front five rows. Putt and Squibb were unable to repair their cars, and despite Hawken's team stripping down the gearbox, the Primera still only had the top three gears - but would start 8 places ahead of Cox whose Seat now had a full set of driveshafts.

The front row seemed to launch as the pace car pulled into pit lane, Stamp leading from Robinson. Rose had started back in 9th but carved through to end the first lap in second. By lap 2 Rose had caught Stamp and there was a 3 second gap back to third placed Robinson, but Stamp then started to pull slowly clear of Rose, the gap being 1.5 seconds by lap 7, Robinson already 17 seconds further back. Schofield had repaired the rear wing successfully, and both he and Ellwood were able to catch Fletcher napping at the start, Schofield soon chasing down Crompton. On lap 5, after struggling with brakes, Crompton moved aside to allow Schofield through, Schofield then pulled away quickly, the gap soon up to 5 seconds. But for the second race running Schofield was being shown the black and orange flag as the Suzuki's rear diffuser appeared loose, only a red flag after Andy Jordan rolled the Clio over and over at Clay Hill saving the Suzuki from being black flagged.

Knowing that Hawken's Primera was handicapped must have given Cox confidence she could make up the gap and take the class win, but a spin in lap 1 left her well adrift of the pack and although she had reached 10th by lap 7, that was still two places and 20 seconds adrift of Hawken who took his second class win of the day. Crompton's 4th place gave him his second Class C win of the day, from Ian Craig (BMW M3) and Nick Hayes (Seat Leon) who finsihed either side of Cox, Cox just passing Hayes as they crossed the line at end of lap 7. Boon had another race trying to chase downa Vectra, this time he was just 2 seconds adrift of David Hinde's Vauxhall.

The race continued for another lap until the red flags came out, but were counted back to the end of lap 7. As he was not running at the time of flagging, Jordan was disqualified from the results to add further insult to his car's injury. Thankfully a medical checkover showed no personal injury.

Two second places cost Robinson 8 points in the battle for the championship lead, Schofield is now 10 ahead, 240-230 with Cox in 3rd place on 188, although Cox extends further her lead in the Super Touring Cup. Andy Jordan remains in the lead of the Mark Fish Renault Clio Cup, but his lead over David Thomas is back down to 26 points with 4 races still to run, and a car in need of repair. Seat outscored Renault 78-74 so gain four points at the top of the MSE_Performance.com Manufacturers Cup, Renault lead 742-608.

The series now moves on to the next race at Anglesey on 29/30 September.

With support from :
Mark Fish Motorsport, MSE-Performance.com & LMA Performance

Report by Trevor Nicosia, Car 10 (www.nyssaracing.com ) and Jonathan Fletcher

Click here to link to the full TSL Timing results pdf of the meeting