One Second Wonders at Rockingham

01 August 2003

Less than one second separated the top 10 Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Championship drivers in today’s official test session for ‘Racing Rivals – Live’ which takes place at Rockingham Motor Speedway nearCorbyon Sunday (3 August).
 
Championship leader Robert Huff and Gavin Smith, who lies 4th in the Championship, were inseparable at the top of the time sheet, lapping the 2.45 mile Rockingham International Short circuit in just 1min 47.7secs. 
 
Driving his Marshall of Cambridge Leon Cupra R, Robert was fastest in the first two sessions, setting his day’s best time in the second one. Gavin, driving his Smith Hire Centre SEAT, set his day’s best time in the third and final session.
 
Spencer Marsh has returned to form by setting 3rd fastest time in his Shell-backedLeon, a mere 0.2 secs behind. 
 
Having crashed heavily atOultonParkand missed the previous round as a consequence, Stefan Hodgetts was 4th fastest in his black loaded Leon, 0.1sec ahead of the Auto Trader / Track Smart Cupra R of Stephen Colbert.
 
Three drivers set a time of 1min 48.3sec – namely Emmet O’Brien (who had a trouble-free day in hisDABL / Spin 103.8 Leon), Gordon Shedden (who suffered a little with understeer in his Scottish Sun Cupra R and Julian Westwood in his Orange-backed SEAT.
 
James Pickford spent half the test day in the spare Championship car, having blown the turbo on his Abt Sportsline / Haribo Leon. It didn’t prevent him setting the 9th fastest time, 0.1sec ahead of Andre D’Cruze in the Hot Wheels car.
 
Hamish Gordon lost fourth gear towards the end of the day, but nevertheless enjoyed his best outing yet in his Sunday Times – Driving Leon, finishing just 1.6secs behind the fastest drivers. He ended the day 0.1secs ahead of Paula Cook, who looked sensationally fast in her EFSLeon.
 
The red face and beads of sweat on Ben Winrow’s face illustrated how hot it was in his Telemecanique backed car, as the heat from the transmission tunnel really made the Northamptonshire driver the ‘hot local favourite’. He finished the day 0.3secs ahead of Karl Goshawk’s ISG / Siemens Financial Services Leon.
 
Like many of their male rivals, Natalie Barratt (KF Concept Leon) and Melanie Healey (Spur Garage Cupra R) had never driven around Rockingham’s International Short circuit  before - as the first UK Championship test (on April 14) had been held on the International Long track. By the end of the day, both had reduced their laps times considerably – Natalie by almost 2secs and Melanie by 3.5secs – compared to the best times they each set earlier in the day.
 
The Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Championship drivers return to Rockingham on Saturday (2 August) for two qualifying sessions (beginning at 11.40 and 16.40) which will determine the grid positions for Sunday’s two big races.
 
The atmosphere is building into what will surely be a sensational race day at Rockingham on Sunday 3 August, where the stage is set for two fantastic Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Championship races – and a live pop concert with the Sugababes. A huge crowd is expected, and tickets will be available on the gate, priced £15 (children under 16 are free).

See series calendar for SEAT Cupra Championship 2003

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