British GT – Knockhill – Race One
Two Hat-Tricks
Knockhill circuit greeted the British GT Championship’s first ever 40 minute sprint race with bright and windy conditions. With new and returning cars on the 17 strong grid, it was a healthy entry on the short and twisty Scottish circuit.

GT Race

The lightning fast getaway from Shaun Balfe looked likely to be the start of a disappointing race for the trio of T400Rs, as the #33 Mosler edged away from Tom Herridge in the #22 Mosler. Piers Johnson in the #69 Eclipse Motorsport TVR was already struggling to keep in touch. “Every lap was like a qualifying effort, we could pull back time under braking but everywhere else we were losing out.”

Such was the pace of the leading car that by the end of lap two there was a full two seconds between the two big MT900Rs but that didn’t mean the race was looking dull. Far from it.

Peter Le Bas had made a great start from the third row in the #50 Xero Motorsport Corvette, up to fourth place and battling hard with the CDL and Race Sport Salisbury TVRs. The Master Motorsport Ultima was running well too, Steven Brady pushing on hard to catch the GTO pack after a qualifying session hobbled by set-up problems.

One car with problems though was the #31 Jaguar XK8 of Allen Lloyd and Gerry Wainwright. Lloyd was pushing hard and looking for a way around the Cup class leading Morgan of Neil Cunningham. “I knew where I could most safely pass him but needed to carry speed through the chicane. I’ve gone through there all weekend with no problems at all but I’d guess this time the rear tyres weren’t warmed up properly.” Result? The car snapped sideways and into the tyre wall. With the marshals unable to move the big green beast, a safety car was inevitable and the Jaguar’s race was over. The good news was that the damage was minimal, and the gorgeous XK8 would be out for the second race later in the day.

The Safety Car bunched up the field again and with the clock ticking towards the ten minute mark, race strategy came to the fore. The first car to pit as the window opened and the SEAT safety car was withdrawn was the second placed #22 Mosler, Tom Herridge passing on the reins to Rob Barff: the Mosler rejoined down in 13th place.

Balfe meanwhile was making good his escape as others diced behind him. The Ultima was making up ground, up to sixth place before pitting to give Aaron Scott his race debut, a stall on leaving the pit delaying the car substantially. The Corvette’s mighty battle with Gareth Evans and John Hartshorne was fully joined, the bright yellow V8 all over the back of the T400Rs through the back of the circuit but missing out badly on low down grunt out of the hairpin to complete each lap. The move on Evans finally stuck as the CDL Racing TVR pitted for Steve Hyde to take over the reins.

Rob Barff was now up to eighth slot but was struggling to match Balfe’s ultimate pace ahead, indeed the ‘red’ Mosler was romping away, up to a second per lap quicker than anyone else.

By the halfway mark Aaron Scott had recovered to eighth place and the ‘Vette was now hassling John Hartshorne for fourth overall. Hartshorne pitted to hand over to Graeme Mundy and the C5 took third before pitting next time around for Peter le Bas to hand over to Ricky Cole: a great stint from the Irishman and the best race yet from the Chevy so far.

Piers Johnson was next to stop and the overnight pit stop practice was put to good use, Shane Lynch emerging ahead of Rob Barff, the #69 TVR still second but with the ‘blue’ Mosler closing in and just three seconds behind.

With just two minutes of the 20 minute pit stop ‘window’ remaining the leader pitted, more than 40 seconds to the good at that point, and another well drilled stop saw the lead retained as Jamie Derbyshire rejoined. Barff was now pushing hard though, closing up onto the bootlid of the Eclipse TVR and finally carving time out of the leader too.

But Lynch was the first target and as the two roared along the start finish straight the Englishman made his move, the Irishman defending vigorously “Firm but Firm” was one onlookers reaction, there was contact and both cars had a very quick trip into the gravel, the Mosler bouncing high but making the move stick. Next time around with six minutes to run the gap was 14.8 seconds to the leader. Was there time to close it?

Barff certainly seemed to think so and pushed harder than ever, pulling ever closer.

The Corvette’s exciting race was continuing, but this time the boot was on the other foot, the #23 TVR hunting down Ricky Cole in the closing stages. It was a brave defence but Graeme Mundy took 5th place with a great move with just a handful of laps remaining. In the end it was down to Rob Barff to determine whether any of the top six would finish outside their grid order at the start of the race. The gap was coming down…12 seconds became 10, then nine and with just two laps to go and Jamie Derbyshire responding, Barff wasn’t seriously in with a shout. At the flag it was a 7.2 second gap and a hat trick of wins for the Balfe Motorsport pair. Great stuff.

Cup Race

This race within a race saw a great battle for the lead throughout, with Neil Cunningham in the #66 Richard Thorne Morgan initially chasing the polesitting Glenvarigill Ferrari 360, hunted in turn by Patrick Pearce in the #76 GruppeM Tech 9 Porsche.

Cunningham is thoroughly enjoying his Morgan ride and it showed, the Aussie hitting the front to lead the class with Ferrari and Porsche battling hard behind.

The chase was proving a tough one though for TVR Tuscan racer Tim Bartlett in the Ferrari and a spin at Clark saw the 360 go backwards into the gravel trap, a whole lap lost and the battle for the lead lost for now, although the team though hope to be back in other selected rounds.

When the safety car emerged for an attempted recovery of the stricken Jaguar, the #46 Morgan pitted but before the driver change window. The first stopper within the window was class leader Neil Cunningham, driving solo he got out of the car, had a 10 second chat with the pit crew and hopped back over the running board of the Aero 8 to rejoin the race.

The Porsche was next to pit, Mat Griffin taking over in a very slick GruppeM Tech 9 stop, and gaining the advantage over the Morgan.

All of this left a rather surprising class leader, the debuting #29 GulfAir VW Golf GTI Turbo of Steve Wood well clear of a further gaggle of Cup Class runners. This was a controversial entry to the class but is wonderfully prepared and very ably driven. The news that the team will now continue in the Championship will be very welcome indeed to the organisers.

Next up was Alun Edwards in the #44 ISL Motorsport Marcos Mantis, handing over the car to Jeff Wyatt from second in class. This team is thoroughly enjoying its British GT Championship campaign, racing hard and smiling throughout, although a quick spin from Wyatt at the hairpin might have slightly taken the edge off his day.

The Golf finally pitted with just 14 minutes remaining, Stuart Scott taking over. The race order that now emerged was Matt Griffin ahead of, guess who, Neil Cunningham, with Keith Ahlers some way back in the #46 Morgan Aero 8.

Now though we were about to get fireworks. Cunningham wanted the win and was pushing very hard indeed to get it. The class battle got closer and closer by the lap, interrupted only when the pair were hauled in by GTO runners looking for a way by. For lap after lap the Aussie and the Irishman went at it hammer and tongs. As Cunningham later said, “he did a fair few things that made me angry, but he was doing exactly what I’d have done if I was sitting where he was.”

In the end the Morgan just couldn’t quite make it – six tenths adrift at the flag, but on this circuit at least, the unbeaten Griffin / Pearce pair had been seriously threatened. But it was a hat trick of wins for the #76 GruppeM Tech 9 squad, and a Morgan two-three.
GG