Lotus Cups join forces at FIA Belgian Truck Grand Prix
25/09/2012 - Both Lotus Cup UK and Lotus Cup Europe supported the FIA Truck Grand Prix at the Belgian Zolder circuit last weekend (22-23 September). Many drivers took the opportunity to race in both series, with varied results.
Rob Fenn took his second Lotus Cup UK win, this time driving the Motorsport Elise solo for the hour-long race. He took the lead in the early laps after falling back at the rolling start and was only headed during the mandatory pitstop sequence. However chasing him all the way was Lotus Cup Europe regular Jean-Baptiste Meusnier, something of a Zolder specialist after two previously successful outings at the former Belgian Grand Prix venue.
Exige driver Meusnier took the lead at the start but found himself having to chase down fellow Lotus Cup Europe racers John Rasse and Laurent Feve, who were sharing the latter's 2-Eleven. However the pairing was one of several teams to incur pitstop penalties, after rejoining the race too early. This left Simon Deacon to take third place from championship leader Steve Train, who retains his place after problems for closest challengers BJ Chong and Paul McNeily.
The Production victory fell to Rob Boston once again, who extends his lead after a tough race for rival Ken Savage, who missed the class podium. Andy Napier and Stuart Plotnek took second and third places.
Meanwhile Meusnier also starred in the Lotus Cup Europe races. In the first he finished best of the rest in fourth place behind Jon Walker, Gregory Rasse and Xavier Georges, who fought hard for the win. Early leader Georges headed the later race too, whilst Walker fell off the road twice, the second time ending his day after temporarily regaining the lead.
Walker's earlier recovery was aided by a mid-race safety car period and when racing resumed, Meusnier made a brave lunge for the lead. However this ended with him spinning in front of the pack.
After Walker's retirement, Rasse raced hard to fend off the Exige as the race drew to a thrilling conclusion. With Georges' 2-Eleven also keeping in touch with the fight, any one of the three could have taken the win. However Rasse would hold on to take the final win of the year by a fraction of a second. It was his fifth of the year, after near-domination of the second half of the season. Meusnier returned to the podium after missing out by a fraction of a second, whilst Georges completed a superb first season in the 2-Eleven category after making an impressive debut in 2011 with an Open class Exige.
Another close Production fight saw Thomas Dehaibe and Nigel Ayres take a win apiece after the pair battled throughout both races.
The Lotus Cup UK season rolls on, with the penultimate round at Donington Park on 6-7 October. For more information on the Lotus on Track racing Drivers Club, click here.
