Due to unique circumstances Jon Walker was able to win all of the three Superlight R300 races that took place due to the add-on of a replacement race for the red-flagged race at Silverstone that provided an additional race over the normal two.
Over the same weekend, Tony Bennett driving a dpr-motorsport upgraded R300 won 1st in class in a wet CSCC Magnificent Seven race at Spa coming seventh overall. Tony Bennett’s R300 has the Caterham Stage One upgrade producing 200 bhp instead of the standard 175bhp. Due to an inspired switch to new Avon CR500 tyres Bennett was able to capitalise on the wet conditions beating more powerful cars in his own class and the high performance CSR’s with his 7th overall result.
Rockingham: dpr drivers get podiums in all of the team-supported championships
dpr motorsport team drivers gained impressive podium results across all of the team supported championships. Jon Walker driving his dpr motorsport supported Superlight R300 took advantage of the unique three-race opportunity to dominate the opposition by winning all three races, finishing the last race eight seconds ahead of second placed man Trevor Fowell. James Maclachlan took first and second place in Supersport maintaining his lead in the 2010 championship. In Roadsport A Magd Mohaffel gained 4th and 3rd.
Walker dominates the three race Superlight R300 Rockingham weekend
A carry over of the abandoned first race at Silverstone provided a unique three-race format for the Rockingham round of the Superlight R300 championship. Race one at Rockingham was the replacement required after the red-flagged race at Silverstone. Walker’s pole for the Rockingham re-run was determined by the finishing positions in the single completed race at Silverstone. Despite strong pressure in the closing laps from Andy McMillan, Walker held his nerve and crossed the line just 0.159 seconds ahead. Paul Wilson celebrated his return to Superlight racing by setting the fastest lap and gaining an eighth place just behind dpr motorsport driver Mark Shaw in a solid seventh.
The two races within the Rockingham championship round both took place on Sunday with the day starting with a 9 am warm-up session. Whilst the actual Saturday qualifier put Walker third on the grid, Walker made clear his intent by being the only man in the warm-up to get below 1:30 with his time of 1:29.658 almost 0.4 seconds ahead of second placed man Simon Young. Ignoring his third place on the grid Walker made a ballistic start that saw him get to the front by turn one. However Walker’s initial lead became narrowed by the intervention of the safety car resulting in a similar end-game to race one with Walker’s lead over McMillan slightly increased to 0.2 seconds. Mark Shaw improved his race position to 5th place
However as events were to prove the first two Superlight R300 races were a mere prelude to Walkers’ domination of the race weekend in the last race of the day. Walker’s first lap of 1.35.709 was a mighty 1.5 seconds ahead of the next best time set by Ellwood. Until lap five Walker was the only man under 1:31 and his slowest time over all 20 laps was 1:31.367. This consistent pace allowed Walker to run ahead in a race on his own finishing eight seconds ahead of second placed Trevor Fowell. Third placed man Paul Wilson trailed Walker by nineteen seconds. Mark Shaw finished in seventh place with his best lap of 1:30.625 being ahead of Walker and third fastest in the race.
Maclachlan continues his Supersport championship assault with 1st & 2nd
Rockingham saw a repeat of the tussle between James Maclachlan and Robert Smith. Smith demonstrated his pace by gaining pole in qualifying almost 0.5 seconds ahead of Maclachlan. In Race one the two swapped places but it was Maclachlan who crossed the line first with a lead of just under 0.3 seconds, although Smith gained fastest lap. Race two saw a fired-up Smith determined to bring and end to Maclachan’s run of race wins. Smith survived early pressure to keep Maclachlan at bay and finished first to take the first non-Maclachlan win of the year but this time it was Maclachlan who gained the fastest lap. dpr motorsport customer Iain Forsythe gained a creditable 4th and 3rd being his best results of the year.
Mohaffel gets a podium with his 4th & 3rd. Jeremy Webb gets two 1sts in Roadsport B
One again JJ O’Malley took two firsts in the Roadsport A category. dpr team driver Magd Mohaffel gained 4th and a 3rd place podium result in race two. Our congratulations also go to dpr motorsport customer Jeremy Webb who won both of the Roadsport B races.
