Cooke and Hinson come out on top in MR2 battles
It may have been a late replacement for this month’s cancelled Anglesey meeting, but the 750 Motor Club’s visit to the Snetterton 300 circuit was big on entries and high on action.
The Toyota MR2 Championship provided a major portion of the excitement, with more lead changes in two 15-minute races than certain international series manage all season. Aaron Cooke was the winner of the first race, seeing off a fast-starting Nick Williamson, who had qualified fourth. Williamson remained in the top three for four laps, but he tangled with Paul Cook when both went wide at Turn 3. While Cook held on for second, Williamson dropped to fifth behind
Paul Hinson and Ben Rowe.
Cooke would also have got the win in the second race had Hinson had not appealed a penalty. Hinson finished first on the road, just 0.06 seconds ahead of Cooke, but Hinson was judged to have benefited from contact with Alastair Topley on the last lap. The contact was eventually ruled to be accidental and series returnee Hinson kept his first race win of his comeback.
Championship leader Shaun Traynor was third after an indifferent weekend, and slipped behind Cooke in the points. Topley was fourth, having led the race twice and been part of the leading pack throughout.
The Sport Specials and Ma7da races had a snakes-and-ladders feel to them. Andy Hiley won both in his Chronos HR1S, fending off Paul Collingwood’s Eclipse. Collingwood got great starts both times but was not able to keep up with Hiley, even when Hiley spun on the first lap of race two at Turn 3 – within two laps, he was in the lead again.
This was despite a cracked suspension component on his car. Ma7da spoils were shared by Tom Coller and Ben Powney.
James Harridge continued his clean sweep of the Formula Vee Championship with two wins in his Maverick, as Daniel Hands finished second both times. Ian Buxton was third in the first race after he challenged for the lead at the first corner in a three-wide moment but spun onto the grass. He managed to methodically push back through the field and onto the podium.
Buxton’s start for the second race was more measured and he was running second behind Harridge, but his car started smoking and he had to retire. Third-placed Hands was therefore promoted to the runner-up spot and Colin Gregory picked up his first podium, having overhauled
Peter Studer after a lengthy battle.
Graham Seager won both Alfa Romeo Championship races from a somewhat depleted field; his GTV was the only car in the Modified class. Seager had trouble in qualifying, which left the door open for multiple class champion Tom Hill, who posted a qualifying time three seconds quicker than anyone else’s. Class lap records fell during both races, although when Seager’s car was running properly, Hill’s GT was no match for it. Dave Messenger was twice third in a 156, while the Twinspark class was won by Andrew Bourke both times, with record pace.
The 116 Trophy enduro was a sedate and tactical affair by comparison as Anthony Seddon and Alan Corfield won from Rob and Ian Carvell.