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Silverstone MotorSport Vision Racing Meeting Delivers High-Octane Action
The recent Silverstone MotorSport Vision Racing event showcased a thrilling weekend marked by unpredictable weather, ultimately leading to intense competition. The standout performances were seen in the Pickup races, characterized by captivating close-quarter racing and impressive engine roars across both heats and the final round.
In the opening heat, Ryan Hadfield initially dominated until Dale Gent’s departure due to a broken driveshaft. Meanwhile, Matthew Simpson and Aaron Thompson emerged as formidable competitors in the latter stages, with Thompson clinching victory after Simpson was penalized for going beyond track limits. Gent made a strong comeback in heat two, securing first place while Hadfield once again claimed the runner-up spot. The fight for third was intense, with Thompson battling fiercely but ultimately falling short against Simpson after an off-track excursion.
The final race saw David O’Regan contesting fiercely at the forefront alongside Hadfield and Simpson. Gent, having started from ninth position, made an impressive surge to the front before he too had a misstep. As the race unfolded, O’Regan ultimately triumphed in a gripping finish, edging out Hadfield by a mere 0.360 seconds.
The Porsche Boxster Cup opened with dramatic flair, as rains on Saturday created challenging conditions for drivers. In his debut, former Junior Saloons competitor Bertie Bream took first place, showcasing his skill on the tricky, slippery surface. Brenden Haffner initially challenged for second before technical issues sidelined him. Barrington Darcy managed to recover from two spins to secure a third-place finish behind Perry Darling, while Max Watt fought his way back to fourth after a stall and a spin earlier in the race.
Conditions brightened for race two, where Bream once again demonstrated his dominance, cruising to another victory. Mike Thompson, a perennial contender for the championship, started strong but settled for a distant second, while Scott Evans edged out Darling for third.
In the Porsche Club Championship, Jake McAleer experienced a dramatic race. After an unsteady start that dropped him to ninth place, he stormed back to claim victory, finishing just ahead of his father, Mark McAleer, who had seized the lead from Simon Clark but lost valuable time in traffic. The race concluded with the top three drivers separated by just 1.3 seconds.
The McAleers continued their competitive edge in the next race, where Clark initially led before McAleer Jr. overtook him as they lapped another car. In a close finish, McAleer Jr. secured his second victory of the day with only a 0.4-second gap between him and Clark.
Leo Panayiotou saw a turn of fortune in the Focus Cup, winning race two after suffering a driveshaft failure in the first race that denied him victory despite a strong performance leading up to that point. Ian Mitchell won race one against late pressure from Lewis Clark, while John Baker rounded off the podium. In the finale, Panayiotou climbed from the back of the grid to finish first, leaving Baker and Clark in his wake.
Past champion Steve Dickens had a stellar performance in the Clubmans Sports Prototype category, achieving a clean sweep of victories despite facing challenges like reliability issues for his peers. Dickens’s consistent dominance saw him take the lead in all three of his races, while Michelle Hayward encountered mechanical failures that hindered her chances of podium finishes.
The Sports 2000 opening race saw reigning Duratec champion Michael Gibbins fend off Joshua Law to secure victory. In the subsequent race, Gibbins faced mechanical troubles, allowing Law to seize victory, with Timothy Tudor finishing in second place, breaking the dominance of Gibbins’s MCRs.
Bernie’s V8s season kicked off with an entertaining mix of American and British cars. Jake Swann shined in race one with his Chevrolet Camaro, competing fiercely against the more agile TVR Tuscans. Stewart Robb emerged victorious, maintaining a comfortable lead ahead of Dan Birch and Steve Hyde. In race two, Robb again showcased his prowess, while Michael Saunders rose from an earlier non-finish to secure second place.
In the Production GTI series, James Colbourne achieved a narrow victory over Simon Vercoe in the opener, but finished second in race two as reigning champion Simon Hill claimed the top spot.
Overall, the Silverstone MotorSport Vision Racing meeting proved to be an exhilarating weekend filled with unpredictable outcomes and outstanding performances from a diverse field of competitors.
Source
www.autosport.com