Leon Cupra R Title Goes Down to the Wire at Thruxton
04 October 2007
When the Blaupunkt
SEAT Cupra Championship rolled into Thruxton in May, it was Jonathan
Adam (Total Control Racing) and Freddy Nordstrom (Advent Motorsport)
who stole the show, both taking double victories in their respective
classes. Adam went on to record another five wins in the New Leon Cupra
class and clinch the title in front of his home crowd at Knockhill,
while 18-year old Nordstrom has gone on to have a turbulent season,
leaving him in 4th place in the Leon Cupra R class. Harry Vaulkhard
(Volkis Boozer’s/Triple R) heads Nordstom, with Ian Churchill
(Churchill Motorsport) and Adrian Churchill (Churchill Motorsport)
taking the positions directly behind him.
Despite the Leon Cupra R
class crown being unattainable by Nordstrom now, he’s proved
throughout the season that he’s quick and could still mathematically
take 3rd place. Barring any technical problems you can be certain he’ll
want to end the season at Thruxton on a high and take as many points
away from the top three as he can. But clearly neither Vaulkhard nor
the Churchill brothers are cursed with snail’s pace, the three
of them setting a total of 13 fastest laps between them this season.
While the older 1.8-litre cars may not have the speed to keep up with
the New Leon Cupra class around Thruxton, you can expect a tough battle
at the front as a win from Vaulkhard in Round 19 should almost certainly
hand him the title. Should Vaulkhard fail to score in that race though
and either Ian or Adrian Churchill take the win then Round 20 will
be the most dramatic race of the season, taking the Championship right
down to the wire.
In the New Leon Cupra class it’s unlikely that
Adam will want to end the season anywhere else but on the podium, but
there may just be a few drivers who want that flying finish even more.
Behind Adam in the standings sit Fulvio Mussi (Total Control Racing),
Carl Breeze (Blue Chip/CMS Motorsport), Neil Waterworth (Total Control
Racing) and Gareth Nixon (Nixon Motorsport) respectively, none of whom
will feel their current positions are true reflections of their ability.
In a dramatic season, no driver in the class has managed to finish
every race they’ve started, yet of these top five drivers only
Adam and Waterworth have failed to score points just the once. However,
at the last visit to Thruxton all five of them finished within the
top six in both races, with Daniel Welch (Marriott/Welch Motorsport)
getting amongst them in Round 5 with a memorable 2nd place. With shares
of the £250,000 prize fund and the chance to test the SEAT BTCC
car for the 2nd and 3rd placed drivers, it’s likely you’ll
see each driver going hell for leather to get into those coveted positions.
And
it’s not just those still in with a chance of a top three
finish that should be looked out for. While pre-season tip and local
driver Alan Blencowe won’t be competing at his local circuit,
Welch, Tom Boardman (Triple R) and Stewart Whyte (SWR) all have the
pace to score the higher points. In fact 2005 Champion Boardman, who
joined this year’s Championship almost half way through the season
has won two races and is more than capable of taking victory at Thruxton.
Welch has already proved he can go well here, while Whyte, who runs
a self-funded team, would certainly be sitting on a lot more points
if he hadn’t failed to finish six races out of the 18 already
competed for this year. Towards the end of this year he has looked
quicker and quicker, so if he can avoid disaster he may finish the
season by gaining that illusive podium position.
Thruxton is a fast
circuit that many drivers cite as one of their favourites on the calendar.
The two classes should soon separate out leaving the crowds to watch
both thrilling championships reach their climax in tremendous style.
No driver will want to end their season with a bad result, so spectators
will be holding onto their seats as they revel in a feast of fast-paced
SEAT action
SEAT
See series calendar for SEAT
Cupra Championship 2007
Related Story 23.08.2007 - Adam Aims for Cupra Title on Home Ground
