Team Pasty Muncher takes on the world[rFactor & GTR2]

[Stephen Bailey]

BMW on top in practice

Team RAC's Colin Turkington continued to show the BMW appears to be the car to have round the tight Brands Hatch Indy circuit. Although todays time was slightly slower than the pace Mat Jackson set during the test, it was still good enough to top the time sheets. The next two places were also taken by BMW's, in the shape of Mat Jackson in second and surprise of the session, Rob Collard, in third. Fourth was the first of the VX Racing Vectra's, driven by Matt Neal. Dan Eaves beat young team-mate Bailey (eight) on his way to fifth in the petrol SEAT Leon. Darren Turner was next up in sixth place, although team-mate Plato languished down in 12th. Tom Onslow-Cole finished seventh. Ninth went to the other Motorbase Performance BMW of Steven Kane and rounding out the top ten was Adam Jones in the GR-Asia run SEAT Leon.

Turkington looking strong

Reigning champion, Fabrizio Giovanardi, ended the session with no time at all after his Vauxhall refused to start. The team are confident of having the problem fixed for the 30-minute qualifying session. Certainly not the ideal start to the season for the Italian, who missed out on valuable track time.

Free Practice Times

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Neal edges out Bailey for pole

Matt Neal made a great start on his return to Vauxhall by edging out last years qualifying master, Stephen Bailey, by just .017 of a second to secure pole for the first round of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship. Bailey's lap came in the dying seconds of the session and although his single lap pace cannot be doubted, it was still a surprise to see the Leon up on the front row after struggling alittle bit during testing and free practice. The second row on the grid will be filled by the two SEAT Leon TDI's of Jason Plato and Darren Turner. Despite missing out on getting any track time in practice, Fabrizio Gionanardi still managed to get his Vauxhall up to fifth on the grid. Directly beside and behind him on the grid will be the two Team Halfords Honda Civic's, headed by Gordon Shedden. After them came a trio of BMW's, headed by Mat Jackson, with the Team RAC cars ninth (Jelley) and tenth (Turkington).

Matt Neal has looked comfortable in the Vectra

Qualifying Times

 

[Highlander999]

Great work mate. Second is a real achievment. Looking forward to the race now.

Keep up the hard work mate

 

[treva]

Great qualifiying after a not so great practice. In a good position to get a podium from 2nd. Looking forward to the race...

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Neal converts pole into win

VX Racing's Matt Neal made the most of his pole position to lead from lights to flag in the first round of the 2008 British Touring Car Championship. Although the former champion never pulled out a big gap, he was never really under threat. Neal was followed home by team-mate Fabrizio Giovanardi, although Jason Plato made it easy for him. Plato had held second from lap three onwards, but got his left rear on the grass whilst braking for Paddock Hill Bend and as a result slid wide allowing Gionvanardi through into second. Plato recovered and would finish third. Fourth, and winner of the indepedents, went to Stephen Bailey. Bailey was second in the opening laps but made a small mistake at Graham Hill Bend, followed by a tap from his team-mate Dan Eaves, allowed both Plato and Giovanardi through. Right behind Bailey was infact team-mate, Dan Eaves. Eaves brilliantly fought his way through from 11th on the grid and, apart from the tap, was impressive on his return to the BTCC. A solid display saw Gordon Shedden take sixth in the Halfords Honda. Tom Chilton however had a very short first race in the other Team Halfords Honda Civic. Chilton ran wide at Druids and slammed into the tyre wall, doing a good amount of damage to the front end of the car. Darren Turner came home in seventh, which after starting fourth, would probably be abit of a disappointment for the former Le Mans 24 Hours class winner. A good drive from Colin Turkington saw him as the first BMW home in eighth, after he ran wide out of Paddock Hill on the opening lap. He was closely followed by the Motorbase BMW of Rob Collard in ninth. Andrew Jordan produced a fine performance on his BTCC debut to take the final point. He held off the challenge of Mat Jackson and Adam Jones. Will his dad Mike (17th) be able to hit back in race two? Find out later!

Top six reversed for race two.

Harry Vaulkhard also crashed out at Druids in the Robertshaw Racing Chevrolet Lacetti and would start from the back of the grid for race two with Tom Chilton.

Race one results

Race pictures

 

[Kev]

I see your tweaking has paid off, that looks like a 'proper' touring car race now

 

[thesweepmaster]

Woo! Matt Neal won!!! anyway shame that your 2nd in qualifying didn't pay off but at least Dan Eaves did a magnificent job to get up to 5th from 11th on the grid.
The pictures look superb, the racing looks realistic, so all I can say is keep up the good work Stephen!

 

[Stephen Bailey]

I see your tweaking has paid off, that looks like a 'proper' touring car race now

Oh it's made it loads better, still not entirely satisfied and is still a work in progress! But yes, lots better.

Anyway.....

Shedden romps to race two victory, disaster for SEAT

Gordon Shedden dominated the second round of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship. The Scotsman made the most of his pole on the reverse grid to win by a massive 8.4 from Dan Eaves in second. Shedden's dominant performance wasn't the main talking point post-race however. On the very first lap, Jason Plato lost the back end of his SEAT Leon TDI on the exit of Graham Hill Bend, which sent cars scattering, but his own team-mate, Darren Turner, couldn't avoid the spinning Leon and smashed into the back of it. The incident caused substantial damage to both cars, meaning there is a very real possibility we won't see either car in race three. A major setback for the team so early in the season.

Following the inevitable safety car period, the Shedden and Eaves pulled away from Bailey in third, leaving him to fend out immense pressure from Colin Turkington, Tom Onslow-Cole and surprise package, Andrew Jordan. Turkington and Bailey swapped positions several times between laps five and nine. The BMW making the most of its straight line speed and Bailey making the most the Leon's capabilities in the corners and under braking. Bailey would eventually hold off the Team RAC BMW driver by .101 of a second. Tom Onslow-Cole drove brilliantly to come from 15th on the grid to finish in fifth and was always close enough to strike had Turkington and Bailey taken eachother off. Andrew Jordan dropped off the battle for third towards the end of the race and had to battle hard to beat off the challenge of Mat Jackson (7th)to finish a fantastic sixth. Eighth was again an encouraging display from the Motorbase BMW of Rob Collard. Ninth place Adam Jones had an eventful race. Starting from twelth, Jones had worked his way up to seventh by lap nine, but then fell back again. However, considering Jones' team received the car late, it's a very good start. Taking the final point for Team RAC, and indeed his ever point in the BTCC, was Stephen Jelley.

With the top twelve being reversed for race three, Fabrizio Giovanardi will line up on pole position. A great opportunity for the defending champion to get his first win of the season.

Race two result

Pictures to follow.

 

[Highlander999]

LOL Go Andrew Jordan :happy

Third isn't bad so good job. Nice read mate

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Race three pictures

__________________________________________________________________________

I've made some changes to the calender. Rockingham became became available for download just last night so that is now the next round of the championship. The first Silverstone rounds will now be 7, 8 and 9, Donington will now be rounds 10, 11 and 12. Castle Combe replaces Thruxton, because the AI really doesn't like Thruxton and Castle Combe is just awesome (this has nothing to do with the fact Castle Combe is only half hour away from where I live. )!

Revised Calender
4,5,6 - Rockingham
7,8,9 - Silverstone National
10,11,12 - Donington Park National
13,14,15 - Oulton Park Fosters
16,17,18 - Castle Combe
19,20,21 - Knockhill
22,23,24 - Snetterton
25,26,27 - Silverstone National
28,29,30 - Brands Hatch Indy

 

[treva]

Great drive to be able to stay 3rd from the start of the race. So far some good races, and it's always nice to see different drivers winning each round.

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Giovanardi opens account with race three win

2007 champion Fabrizio Giovanardi won the final race at Brands Hatch, and with it takes a seven point lead in the early championship standings. Giovanardi, who started from pole, was never under pressure until the very last lap when he was held up badly by Harry Vaulkhard and Stuart Oliver. Stephen Jelley saw an opportunity, but nearly ended up in the pit wall trying get past Vaulkhard. Luckily everyone survived and Jelley finished second. Mat Jackson also closed in whilst Giovanardi was held up and would only be .7 behind as he crossed the line in third. Fourth and fifth and rounding off a great day for Team Eurotech were Mike and Andrew Jordan. For dad Mike, it was a relief to get one over his son after Andrew had beaten him in races one and two. Colin Turkington drove a solid race with the 30kg of success ballast he had and finished sixth, although he was helped somewhat by Stephen Bailey making an error at Graham Hill bend. Last years runner up put a wheel on the grass under braking and the car swapped ends. Luckily for Bailey however he avoided the barriers and there was enough of a gap back to eighth that he rejoined in seventh and would finish there. Eighth went to Rob Collard, and marked a solid return to the BTCC for the 2003 independents champion. He was followed home by Tom Onslow-Cole, who has had a solid if unspectacular start to the season by scoring points in the last two races of the day. Behind Onslow-Cole was the third VX Racing car of Matt Neal. Neal, who won race one, struggled with the 60kg he received for winning that race and only managed 15th in race two, but fought well to take the final points position. A small reward for a tough weekend for SEAT was Jason Plato taking the bonus point for fastest lap right at the end of race three.

Adam Jones blew any chance of a great finish after he made the same mistake at Plato and spun out of Graham Hill Bend on the first lap. Luckily everyone managed to avoid him, unlike the Plato incident.

Race pictures and championship standings to follow.​

 

[thesweepmaster]

That's a shame that you didn't get a great result in the third race but at least you did well in the other two races, especially from a new team. Anyway i've never seen Castle Combe before so I'll look forward to seeing that!

 

[Highlander999]

Wow go Team Jordan. Impressive stuff by them They are obviously better than you and so now have my support from now on :laugh

Nice update mate

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Anyway i've never seen Castle Combe before so I'll look forward to seeing that!

Oh it's fun.

Race three pictures

Championship standings after round three