SNETTERTON- TURNING POTENTIAL INTO PODIUMS

Rounds 12,13 and 14 of MINI CHALLENGE UK saw the championship move east to Snetterton 300. This would be another new circuit to me and after looking at some in-car footage I wasn’t sure I would like the circuit all that much. For this weekend we moved back to the British Truck Racing package but there certainly wasn’t any shortage of spectators along the banks of the three-mile circuit!

After the 6 hour drive across the UK from Pembroke to Norfolk I was eager to kick into action on track. First up on the agenda was testing on Friday. I struggled a little bit at the start of testing to get to grips with the track but after some slight setup adjustments and some more seat time in the morning I was settling in and finding my rhythm much more. The dry running was cut short after the lunch break as the clouds covered the sky and the rain poured down. This wasn’t ideal for me trying to learn a track but I have done very little wet testing in this car so I took the opportunity to gain some wet experience to have in the pocket for later in the year. I finished the day happy with the car and felt ready for the weekend ahead.

The first part of competitive action was qualifying first thing on Saturday morning. The session kicked off at 10:10 and the track was dry. The session was just 15 minutes long and with the lap times being around 2:20 we would only get a handful of laps. I decided that instead of trying to get a tow from someone else on the backstraight I would just go for it myself and see what I could do. I pushed as hard as I could and after 7 laps I set my quickest time on lap 6, which was good enough for P8 on the grid. I was happy with this considering it was without a tow and I knew my race pace was much stronger than it seemed in qualifying.

Race one was next up on Saturday and I was hoping to push into the top 5 for a good grid position for race 2. After a decent get away off the line I went slightly backwards in the order on the first lap, losing a couple of positions. I kept my head down and started to regain some positions and I was moving up until I went for a move coming into turn 2 which led to contact. I finished the race in P6 and rookie winner, but due to a two place grid penalty for contact I would have to start race two from P8.

Race two got underway at 10:30 on Sunday and starting P8 I knew I had a lot of work to do. As the lights went out I made up a couple of places off the start and was sitting comfortably in the 5 car pack battling it out for the podium. I kept my patience and waited for the right time to go for it and go for it I did! Coming into turn 2 I had got right onto the back bumpers of the two cars in front and as they went 2 wide in the braking zone I saw a gap just about the size of a Mini Cooper on the inside. I went for it and came out in 3rd overall. While this battle was going on 1st and 2nd overall had pulled a 7 second gap so I focused on pulling away from the cars behind. I came across the line 3rd overall, Rookie Winner and 2nd fastest lap. This was one of my strongest races this season coming from 8th up to 3rd with such a competitive field of cars.

Race 3 was next up and with the top 6 reversed I would start P4. The racing got underway straight away and I lost a place or two but clawed my way back to P4 with championship leader Nelson King right in front of me. I tried my best to get a move done and after a couple of laps I eventually made a switchback work to take 3rd overall. I then pushed on to catch 1st and 2nd overall and I was right with them. Unfortunately a red flag came out on the same lap and with the countback I was 4th overall on the final results sheet. However 4th overall, Rookie Winner and fastest lap was still a very strong finish to the weekend.

This has been my strongest weekend in the Mini Challenge so far this year with another overall podium and more solid championship points on the board. This solid run of points has moved me from 9th to 6th in the overall standings, only 15 points away from 5th. Three more Rookie Wins also extends my lead in the Rookie championship having won 12 out of 13 races.

I have another 3 races in four weeks time in Donington Park. I can't wait to get back behind the wheel and although Donington will be another new circuit to me, it looks like a mega track.

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"Leagfaidh tua bheag crann mór"

"A small axe can fell a big tree"