The Brands Hatch GP circuit was the host and UK debut
for the Belgian-based Belcar GT Endurance series together
with support races from Britcars, Britsports and Production
S1s.
The Belcar series attracts seriously big powerful
sports cars like the Chrysler GTS-R running head-to-head
with Porsches, BMWs and Chevrolet Corvettes. Deafening
thunderous rumbles and burbles of these monstrous
machines filled the air leaving my ears ringing –
a bit like when you fall out of a nightclub after
dancing all night next to the speaker to find your
ears hurting like hell, just that with this scenario
you don’t have the urge for a big greasy kebab
afterwards.
Tiny, Stu, Gem and I sneaked into the pits on Sunday
to hang out and get under the feet of the very friendly
Daikin BMW Mini Racing Team. The Daikin Racing Team
girlies, Vanina Ickx and Alexandra Van de Velde did
their best in the intensive Belcar Series, qualifying
37th out of 44 in their amazingly powerful Mini Cooper
S3. Unfortunately, a combination of factors including
Brands being a totally new track to them meant they
were unable to finish in Sundays race.
There was high drama on qualifying day in the Production
S1 race when Andreas Demetriou in his Honda Integra
R was disqualified for careless driving, in what Stu
and Tiny described as ‘him seeing red’
across the finishing line, taking out opponent Mark
Smith in his BMW M3 in a fit of throwing-rattle-out-of-pram
madness at some 100 mph or more.
Funnily enough, after a mega slap on the wrist, Demetriou
was ordered to the back of the grid for Sundays race,
whilst Smith’s team worked throughout the night
to rebuild the Beemer in time.
Fiona Leggate proved that it’s impossible to
keep her away from the track in between BTCC races
as we watched her race in her powerful MG ZR in the
intensive 100-minute Production S1 endurance series,
swopping halfway through with team mate Paul White.
Paul ‘running on adrenalin’ White proved
his commitment to the team by racing in his MGB on
Sunday morning at Donnington Park to then join Fiona
at Brands in time for the last race of the day. There
were a few tense moments when we all wondered if he
would make it in time. The Leggate/White team did
fantastically well, gaining 11th place overall and
a good three places above girl combo rivals Mercer/Bennett-Baggs,
also in an MG ZR. Not only should Leggate/White be
congratulated for achieving a first in their class,
but also for fourth fastest lap on race day.
Fiona’s BTCC debut in her bio-ethanol fuelled
championship Vauxhall Astra will be in the BTCC at
Croft, 16/17 July. Going by her competitive but smooth
racing style in the Production S1 series this weekend,
I have no doubt that she will do superbly well at
Croft. Good luck Fiona!
Sezza
