SNETTERTON RACE WEEKEND

Sunday Race Day

With qualifying being just average yesterday it meant I had a good shot at finishing on the podium in both races today.

I have to say a big thank you to the team (Academy Motorsport) because they have been working really hard to get my car fixed for this weekend. In the first race I started in 6th position and got a good start of the line maintaining my position but right behind the front runners. on the first lap I had gained one place so I was now in 5th position and right behind 4th place. on the first lap I was quicker than the person in 4th at the end of the lap so the next lap round I gave myself a bit of space and then around the second to last corner I got a run on the person in 4th and I dived down the inside into the last corner which is a chicane, but as I dived down the inside the group in front slowed right down in the middle of the corner and as I came flying down the inside and over the kerb I got launched into the air and then hit the person in front of me. I had damaged my bonnet and it was rubbing on my front tyre so I pulled into the pits, once I got to the team they said I had a water leak from the radiator as well. I was so annoyed because I was in the perfect position to challenge for a podium place and the car felt really good, but these things happen in racing and it just meant I would have to work extra hard in the second race to get onto the podium.

In the second race I started in 8th position and from the start there was a long train of cars from 1st position to where I was. I managed to get past one on the first lap and then was right behind the rest of the field. The next couple of laps I fought with the person in front changing positions until one lap when I got a good run down the back strait and I took over the person in front of me and the next person as well so I was now in 5th position. Once I was past them I pulled a gap and started to chase down the leading pack. A few more laps into the race I started to catch 4th position and once I got onto the back of him I overtook him straight away and carried on my charge to the leading pack. Between me and the leading pack there was a gap and I just couldn't catch them, so I was hoping there would be a coming together so I could catch them a bit to then try and get an extra place. By the end of the race I was still in 4th position with a gap in front and behind me. Although I finished in 4th I get 3rd position points for the championship because the person who finished in 2nd place was a guest driver, which means he doesn't score any points he just gets the trophy and prize for finishing in 2nd place.

Overall I had a bad half and a good half to the weekend. The bad half was not finishing the first race and the good half was finishing in 4th but really 3rd. From the weekend I can take away that I had my best finish of the year so far in the second race and I am just as quick as the winner.

The next round is at Donington Park (17th-19th July) and even though I have never been to the track before I will be hoping for a good finish in both races and get a good points haul.

I would like to say a big thank you to the team (Academy Motorsport) for getting my car fixed for the weekend. I would once again like to thank my family and friends for coming to the track and giving me a lot of support, it's much appreciated. I also would like to thank my sponsors, Kammac Plc, S. Huyton & Sons Ltd and Wesley & Co. Charted accountants, without their financial support I would not be where I am today. One last big thank you is to my Dad, he gives up a lot of his spare time to help me with my racing and I am so grateful. Without him I wouldn't be racing today.