The Sun Shines on First PowerNights Event
03 August 2007
The first ever PowerNights event was staged at Silverstone with 2000
spectators, the majority of whom were attending their first motorsport
event, and over 400 team members, drivers and officials enjoying a
party atmosphere in glorious summer sunshine.
The eight action packed races organised by the British Racing and
Sports Car Club (BRSCC) had the crowd cheering, with Northampton’s
Gordon Milner becoming the first ever winner of a PowerNights race
in his Toyota MR2 at the start of the evening. Milner then added a
second win later in the evening, overtaking Stephen Lumley on the final
lap to take the chequered flag after starting at the back of the grid.
In the Perrys Trophy Race for Formula Ford it was also a double race
win for a Northamptonshire driver, with Gavin Wills from Rockingham
taking two dominant victories. Silverstone based driver William Zollo
kept Wills honest in race one to finish second and then the 16-year-old
had a good run in race 2 to finish on the podium once again.
The largest group of cars took part in the two races for the Invitation
Classic Saloon with Masters Top Hat and there was also a double race
winner in the category as Nigel Vaulkhard from Newcastle upon Tyne
dominated in his Mk I Ford Escort, triumphing over the Plymouth Barracuda
of Marlow’s Oliver Bryant and the BMW of former F1 racer Jackie
Oliver in the first encounter and then beating Richard Shaw and Brackley’s
Robin Ward, both racing BMW’s in the second.
The Avis Trophy for Invitation Saloons and Sports Cars provided a large
grid of all comers and the handicap system used on the evening had
the faster cars giving a large head start to the slower cars which
provided a great action packed 11-lap race for the spectators to watch
and cheer along. John Coates from Aylesbury stormed through from the
back of the grid in his Subaru Impreza to win race one ahead of the
Caterham R400 of Ben Shalders and in race 2 it was Shalders who triumphed
ahead of Kourash Khani in his Global Light.
The track action was quickly followed by the Party in the Paddock,
with food, drink and music to entertain everyone. Eight members of
the public joined the winning drivers on the PowerNights podium to
collect their Scalextric Power Slide race sets after winning the text
to win competitions held throughout the event.
“We are extremely pleased to have had such a great first PowerNights
event at Silverstone,” said Roger Etcell, PowerNights Event Director. “The
feedback we have been receiving from everyone involved has been extremely
encouraging and, more importantly, everyone has enjoyed themselves.
The atmosphere all evening has been electric and there was a real party
atmosphere in the paddock after the races. The BRSCC had everything
running like clockwork so there was something on track entertaining
the spectators at all times. Our thanks go to the volunteer marshals
and officials who helped stage an extremely successful event.”
“We have learnt from the first PowerNights,” Etcell continued. “We
aim to enhance some areas for the next events at Donington Park on
the 9th August and back at Silverstone on the 30th. However PowerNights
is now a reality and is an important new event on the UK Motorsport
calendar.”
PowerNights aim is to attract a brand new audience to watch UK motorsport
with an entertaining package of track action, stunt displays, interactive
competitions, music and a post racing ‘Party in the Paddock’ that
is open to everyone attending the PowerNights events. Ticket prices
are also very spectator friendly with advance adult tickets at just £10
(£15 gate) and children under 16 receiving free entry.
See series calendars for all 2007
PowerNights
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