STABLES LOCKED OUT OF TAKING BIKESPORTS CLASS VICTORY
With Lee Torrie absent, Richard Stables could have taken the Bikesports Class A championship with two class wins at Snetterton, but he finished a distinct second in class in race one. The class and overall wins instead went to Joe Lock, taking his first win in the series in dominant style.
“I just tried to get as big a gap as I could at the start and then defend – and luckily I didn’t really have to defend!” said Lock.
“It’s a big step for me; it’s going to be a good stepping stone for every other result I can get next year.”
Richard’s son Joe Stables had already guaranteed the overall and Class B titles but sat out race one after crashing at Coram on the first lap of qualifying. Richard let him take over his car for race two now in teeming rain. Plenty of cars, including Lock’s, left the track and the race was won by Aaron Bailey with Stables second. The race was stopped early after Richard Hardie went off at Riches.
“[It was my] first weekend of actually going off and hitting the wall, luckily it was the end of the season and I’ve already won the championship, so I’m not too bothered apart from the damage!” Joe said.
“My dad didn’t want to go out in the wet so he thought he’d give me a shot!”
Ben Rushworth effectively had his Hot Hatch Class A title confirmed in advance as Alistair Camp entered a Class B machine, meaning Rushworth was close to guaranteed the points to keep him ahead of Steve Sawley. However, the driveshaft on Rushworth’s Honda Integra failed on the first lap of qualifying but, in sodden race conditions and starting from the back, he was in the lead within two laps and that was where he stayed. Class C’s Michael Winkworth secured the overall title with a class win while Rodren Vella clinched the Class B championship. Rushworth also won the dry race two the following day.
Lee Scott in his Ford Fiesta settled the three-way Classic Stock Hatch championship battle in his favour by winning a frenzied race one ahead of title rival Matt Rozier’s Peugeot 205. It also was Scott’s first win of the season. The third title contender, Marcus Ward, had an eventful run to sixth. Ward had the compensation of winning race two, holding off Rozier.
Shaun Traynor only needed to follow rival Ben Rowe home in both races for the MR2 title but instead beat him in both. He won race one while Rowe – struggling with meagre rear brake pads – was dropped from third to sixth after a post-race contact penalty. Then Traynor passed Rowe on race two’s final lap to finish second behind Paul Cook.
Ben Short had a triumphant MX-5 Cup return with three wins, the first in the wet and the final won after starting seventh on a reversed grid. Paul Maguire secured the overall championship.
Matthew Booth in his MK Indy RR took his fifth Sport Specials win of the year in race one, while Lee Emm in his Locost 7 confirmed the overall title with Class B victory. Rob Johnston confirmed the Class A title in race two, despite losing several places on lap one when he thought his engine had blown after hearing a strange noise. Tom Griffiths in a Tiger R10 beat Booth to the race win.
Graham Crowhurst took an astonishing M3 Cup race win in the wet, rising from the back after being spun at the first corner; lapping seven seconds faster than anyone else on lap two. His win meant Tom Coller secured the championship, despite him stopping on lap one with a bent steering arm. Coller then took his first race win of the season in an even wetter race two, making his own comeback after stalling at the start.
Michael Price and Marcus Clutton (Porsche 997S) won the 45-minute Roadsports race, benefiting from making their pitstop under the safety car.
David Heasman pipped David Kempton on the line by a mere 0.02s to win the first BMW Car Club Racing contest. Heasman won race two as well, holding off Michael Cutt who had risen from the back.
Russell Mccarthy clinched the overall BCV8 title, his total made up of Class C and D points. He won the dry first race then won in Class D in the sodden race two wherein the Class C cars better suited the conditions. That race was won by Jordan Spencer.