Night of drama at the Orchard

Under the stars and fireworks, it was the underdogs that were celebrating class wins in the first round of the GWMC Enduro championship.

From the outset the practice pace setters controlled the race and looked set for the wins but their plans began to unravel heading in to the final stages of the race.

The successful event proved popular once again with the track characteristics proving challenging for drivers and heavy on tyre wear. Although some inevitable start issues, multi class contact issues and fatigue crept in, all participating drivers drove a good and measured race and although maybe not mentioned below, deserve congratulations none the less. After all in endurance racing, getting to the end is a result alone.

Class A

Practice pace and pole was taken by Matt Lewis with comfortable margins and for the most part had the edge on race pace. Mike Redman however surprised the class A pack with a consistent performance and was always running a steady but strong speed.

As night fell it would be the leader and not the chaser that made errors as an increase in wing setting left the M-sport car off the pace, getting bottled up behind lapped Class A and B cars. The M-sport team reduced the wing on the next stop but the damage had been done and both Lewis and Redman were now on the lead lap, swapping the place at the pit stops. The defining moment however came when Matt, caught out by a slowing Panoz, lost control and got caught on the kerbing loosing half a lap. This error was then compounded by over filling the car on the final stop.

Matt emerged 20 seconds behind Mike but despite a faster pace, made numerous errors and off track excursions leaving Mike to take a great win with calm and controlled driving.

Class B

A strong class B field was hotly contested with leading GP series drivers from Rusyn, Antares and M-sport. Much like class A, it was the M-Sport liveried Panoz of Tom Castellani that held the pace edge but in this class too it would not prove to be success for M-sport.

Throughout the race AJ Weber and Tom traded the lead by result of differing strategies and going into the final stops it looked like they would emerge very close for a sprint to the end. Unfortunately a technical problem putting Tom out of the running soon after.

AJ went on to claim the win having survived a few attacks from frustrated class A drivers along the way.

Class C

No matter where you went or looked, there always seemed to be a Skoda in front, at least to the Panoz and Proton drivers. The most popular class saw the entire RAC team take to the track in Class C. Chris Jones, Scott Farm and Alex Dorsett were the class of the field but an early exit from Bathurst Class C enduro winner Alex made it a two horse race.

Chris raced hard with Scott Farm all distance long in some of the best action on the circuit. Inseparable to the end it was Chris that would take to the win after a fuel strategy error left him dry with one lap to run.