Britcar Dunlop Endurance Championship @ Silverstone International 30/3/19 – Race Report
Race 1 … Class 4 was the most numerous, and whilst the Invitation-entry Mercedes of Mark Murfitt and Michael Broadhurst took the win, some fraught racing culminated in a close finish for the points-paying places; lone-driver Sam Allpass, in the Geoff Steel-run BMW M3, after taking an early stop under the Safety Car, and despite a momentary lapse, was looking good to take the honours, but the Maximum Motorsport SEAT had been assertive all through the race, and Stewart Lines, having taken over from Ollie Jackson, wasn’t seeing failure as an option. It happened on the very last lap, and under as a second separated the green and white SEAT and the works-liveried BMW at the flag.
Marcus Fothergill and Dave Benett, more comfortable in their new class, brought the Bespoke Racing Porsche home next up, ahead of Tim Docker’s Golf, Guy Colclough’s SEAT and Ash Woodman’s similar car, Woodman’s late-race charge causing Colclough to respond. Piers Reid was fifth in his Butler Motorsport-run BMW M3, while stable mate Jasver Sapra was eighth in his “filing cabinet grey” liveried M3, the pair being split by the penalised Bentley/Clonis SEAT and the Team BRIT Aston Martin of Martyn Compton and Warren McKinlay, whilst teenage newcomer Moh Ritson was finding his feet in the senior league, expertly coached by Sarah Moore in the Tockwith Motorsport Ginetta G50 …
And Race 2 … The Invitation-entry Fox Motorsport Mercedes AMG of Mark Murfitt and Michael Broadhurst capitalised on a good starting position and kept out of the mayhem to take the Class 4 win again, but this time the points-scoring places were a little different – a strong opening stint by Sam Neary was complemented by a short but take-no-prisoners finisher by dad Richard, earned them the top class points, with lone drivers Tim Docker (VW Golf) and Sam Allpass (BMW M3) next up.
It’s competitive in Class 4 now – Guy Colclough and Max Coates followed in the DAT Racing SEAT , with Sarah Moore/Moh Ritson’s Ginetta G50, the SEATs of Lines/Taylor and Woodman/Byford, and the Porsche 911 of Dave Benett and Marcus Fothergill all scrabbling for a result, and the valiant Team BRIT squad of Martyn Compton and Warren McKinlay making the finish despite early gear selection problems in the Aston Martin …
Altogether this meeting had signified a new dawn for Britcar; new format, new competitors, new winners, and for all concerned, new challenges. We reconvene back at Silverstone in four weeks’ time.
(COURTESY OF STEVE WOOD)
Click on the attached to see the Current Standings as at 5th April 2019:
2019 Dunlop Endurance Championship 2019 after Round 1 – POINTS BY CLASS as at 050419
2019 Dunlop Endurance Championship 2019 after Round 1 – POINTS OVERALL as at 050419
