Sam lands victories

ASHBOURNE racer Sam Randon had another unexpected guest appearance in the GT Cup at Donington Park at the weekend – asked along to help out a team called Topcats Racing, whose boss, Warren Gilbert, had not recovered from a crash in the last round.

Topcats have Ginetta G55 cars competing in the GTA class in the championships, their other driver being 20-year-old Charlotte Birch.

Randon is familiar with the Ginetta from previous teams and was able to help Birch deliver class wins in both the spring and endurance races on both days.

On Saturday, Randon handled the qualifying for the sprint race, leading the class, and Birch was able to hold the position comfortably in the race.

The afternoon’s endurance race was less straightforward as Birch did well in the first stint before an unfortunatelytimed safety car held Randon up as he took over.

He ended up in a gaggle of slower cars but was still able to hang on to the class win.

On Sunday, Birch set the qualifying for Randon to take on the sprint race and there was a hairy moment when he was cut up and hit by a Mclaren but the damage was minimal and he held on for the class win despite struggling on slick tyres after a downpour near the end of the race.

The endurance race was less eventful by comparison and they completed a clean sweep of class wins and fastest laps.

Randon has been invited back to race for Topcats in the last round of the GT Cup at Snetterton next month – a good way to end a season truncated by financial restraints for him.