MSVR GP Weekend Saturday as it happened
Sherrington and Hayes win hour Sports 2000 battle
15/09/2012 - MSVR GP Weekend - Sports 2000 Race - The pairing of Sherrington and Hayes converted their pole position to a race win following a near faultless drive to end day one of the MSVR GP Weekend.
The duo led from the start but they never had time to relax throughout the hour long battle around the famous 2.3 mile Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. In the end just 2.9 seconds separated them and the Mnaderson/Connor at the flag. Scott Guthrie just held off Peter Williams for third.
Sports 2000 Race 1 Top 6
1. Sherrington/Hayes
2. Manderson/Connor
3. Scott Guthrie
4. Peter Williams
5. Arif/Wilshire
6. Bamsey/Phillips
Super Smith holds off Bell for double win
15/09/2012 - MSVR GP Weekend - Radical Clubman's Cup Race 2 - Bradley Smith enhanced his Radical Clubman's Cup aspirations greatly by completing a perfect double victory after another tantalising battle with arch rival Matt Bell.
Once again the race produced another closely fought dice between Smith and Bell, with Smith repeating his move at the start of race one to grab the lead as the pack filed through Paddock Hill Bend. The pair scampered off away from the rest of the field again while Steve Burgess held third. Title leader Mark Abbott made rapid progress again from 11th and by the chequered flag he came through in a highly impressive fourth.
At the front, Bell tried everything to muscle his way into the lead but Smith held his never and the 21-year-old took the flag by half a second.
Radical Clubman's Cup Race 2 Top 6
1. Bradley Smith
2. Matt Bell
3. Steve Burgess
4. Mark Abbott
5. Tim Porter
6. Ben Dimmack
Martin is back with a bang
15/09/2012 - MSVR GP Weekend - MK2 Golf GTI Championship - Jamie Martin boosted his MK2 Golf GTI Championship hopes by bouncing back from his Cadwell Park disappointment with a comfortable win.
Martin was pushed hard on the opening lap by former WTCC driver Harry Vaulkhard but he managed to fend him off and soon set about building a lead. Vaulkhard then fell into the clutches of Martyn Walsh and the pair went side-by-side on several occasions before Walsh made the move stick.
Nobody could catch Martin as he stormed to his seventh win of the season with Walsh holding off Vaulkhard for second. Alex 'Bomber' Harris just edged John Major to the Class 1 victory after a terrific scrap.
MK2 Golf GTI Championship Race 1 Top 6
1. Jamie Martin
2. Martyn Walsh
3. Harry Vaulkhard
4. Adrian ward
5. Alistair Sedwell
6. Josh Johnson
Gladdis and Kaiser share Radical UK Cup poles
15/09/2012 - MSVR GP Weekend - Radical UK Cup qualifying - Former FIA Formula Two driver Tom Gladdis and sportscar veteran Ross Kaiser claimed the pole positions for the two Radical UK Cup races to be held on Sunday.
Gladdis was the star performer in the first session, which decided the grid for race one, with the single seater racer setting a time a quarter of a second quicker than Terrence Woodward. Tony Wells was third fastest with James Abbott in fourth. Championship leader Gary Kane was the top SR3 runner in 12th position overall.
Kaiser set the fastest time of the weekend so far to grab pole in the second session with an impressive 1m21.929s effort. James Littlejohn came the closest to the mark but he was still half a second off the pace. Gladdis was third while BTCC star Paul O'Neill was ninth.
Radical UK Cup Race 1 Qualifying
1. Tom Gladdis
2. Terrence Woodward
3. Tony Wells
4. James Abbott
5. Manhal Allos
6. Zac Chapman
Radical UK Cup Race 2 Qualifying
1. Ross Kaiser
2. James Littlejohn
3. Tom Gladdis
4. Zac Chapman
5. Jeremy Ferguson
6. Manhal Allos
O'Neill claims first victory since 2003
15/09/2012 - MSVR GP Weekend - British Touring Car Championship fans favourite Paul O'Neill picked up his first victory since 2003 following an impressive drive on his MINI Challenge debut at the MSVR GP Weekend today.
O'Neill made a strong start but it was Lee Allen who made the best get away as he moved around the outside of pole sitter Chris Smith for the lead at Paddock Hill bend. Smith tried to respond at Surtees but Allen firmly shut the door.
There was drama shortly after when Sam Osborne made contact with the barrier at Clark Curve but he emerged from the car unscathed. The race took a decisive twist a lap later when Smith touched the rear of Allen sending the pair into the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend. Smith recovered but Allen was forced into retirement handing O'Neill the lead.
Once in the lead the Widnes drive pushed on to take the flag from Lee Pattison, who never let the BTCC star relax. Smith finished third but he was excluded from the results for his move on Allen, gifting Chris Smiley third. Shane Stoney finished in fourth ahead of Kevin O'Connor and returnee Shaun King came home in sixth.
MINI Challenge Race 1 Top 6
1. Paul O'Neill
2. Lee Pattison
3. Chris Smiley
4. Shane Stoney
5. Kevin O'Connor
6. Shaun King
Smith holds off Bell for victory
15/09/2012 - MSVR GP Weekend - Bradley Smith managed to get the better of his Radical Clubman's Cup title rival Matt Bell to claim a hard fought victory in race one at Brands Hatch.
Smith, who started from second on the grid, slipped past Bell on the run down to Paddock Hill Bend while the rest of the field were frantically squabbling for position. Smith and Bell pushed extremely hard on the opening lap and the pair moved away from the rest of the pack.
Championship leader Mark Abbott was a man on a mission and he surged his way up to eighth after starting from 11th. Another driver on the move was Chris Headlam as he broke into the top six.
Despite Bell piling the pressure on Smith, he was unable to find a way past, leaving the 18-year-old to take the win with Andy Cummings in third. Ben Dimmack drove hard to fourth ahead of Headlam and Graham Ridgway.
Radical Clubman's Cup Race 1
1. Bradley Smith
2. Matt Bell
3. Andy Cummings
4. Ben Dimmack
5. Chris Headlam
6. Graham Ridgway
McMillan storms to victory in VAG Trophy
15/09/2012 - MSVR GP Weekend - Superpro VAG Trophy - Former BTCC driver Liam McMillan drove a near perfect race as he stormed to victory in the first race of the MSVR GP Weekend.
At the start it was Paul Taylor's four wheeled drive Golf which made the break and he led McMillan as the field streamed round Paddock Hill Bend for the first time. It didn't take long for McMillan to find his groove and he soon found a way past Taylor and into the lead. Once in the lead he had no problems in building up an unasailable advantage.
In the end, McMillan breezed to the win with Taylor taking the flag in second with Liam's cousinJoe McMillan in third.
VAG Trophy Race 1 Top 6
1. Liam McMillan, SEAT Leon
2. Paul Taylor, VW Golf
3. Joe McMillan, SEAT Leon
4. Martyn Culley, VW Vento
5. Len Simpson, VW Vento
6. Simon Tomlinson, VW Golf
Sherrington and Hayes prove to be GP masters
15/09/2012 - MSVR GP Weekend - Sports 2000 Qualifying - The Sherrington/Hayes MCR Duratec proved to be the class of the field as they mastered the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit to start the Sports 2000 race from pole.
Sherrington/Hayes were uncatchable as they set a best time of 1.29.685s, which was a full three seconds quicker than the Hayes/Connor MCR Duratec they will line up alongside for the race. Peter Williams will share row two with Stoten/Stoten with just half a second separating the pair.
Sports 2000 Qualifying Top 6
1. Sherrington/Hayes
2. Hayes/Connor
3. Peter Williams
4. Stoten/Stoten
5. David Croft
6. Scott Guthrie
Bell grabs pole after ding dong battle
15/09/2012 - MSVR GP Weekend - Radical Clubman's Cup qualifying - Radical Clubman's Cup title hopefuls Matt Bell and Bradley Smith went head-to-head for the pole position with the former taking the spot with a stunning performance on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit.
Bell and Smith, who are tied for second in the championship, swapped fastest lap times on several occasions. However, every time Smith moved to the top of the timing screens, Bell had an answer and in the end he grabbed pole by three tenths of a second.
Andy Cummings was third ahead of Steve Burgess with the championship leader only managing to set a time good enough for 15th on the grid. Graham and Jennifer Ridgway enjoyed their time on the Grand Prix circuit as they finished the session in sixth and seventh respectively.
Radical Clubman's Cup Qualifying Top 6
1. Matt Bell
2. Bradley Smith
3. Andy Cummings
4. Steve Burgess
5. Ben Dimmack
6. Graham Ridgway
Martin returns to form with superb pole lap
15/09/2012 - MSVR GP Weekend - MK2 Golf GTI Championship - Championship challenger Jamie Martin returned to form as he secured pole position after an entertaining scrap with Harry Vaulkhard.
Martin, who missed the last race at Cadwell Park with a clutch failure, showed his car was back to its usual pace by setting a 1.50.921. The time was three tenths of a second quicker than former BTCC racer Vaulkhard, who pushed Martin hard throughout the session. Martyn Walsh was one of the stars of the session as he secured third, just four tenths slower than Vaulkhard. James Corte, Adrian Ward and Alistair Sedwell completed the top six.
MK2 Golf GTI Championship Qualifying Top 6
1. Jamie Martin
2. Harry Vaulkhard
3. Martyn Walsh
4. James Corte
5. Adrian Ward
6. Alistair Sedwell
Smith snatches it by 0.001s for MINI Challenge pole
15/09/2012 - MSVR GP Weekend - MINI Challenge Qualifying - Chris Smith will start from pole position in the first of three MINI Challenge races after one of the closest sessions in the championships history.
In the end just 0.001 seconds split the top two with Smith just edging out Lee Allen, who set his best lap with his final effort late in the session. Allen had held the provisional pole for the majority of the session and it was only Smith's late burst which denied him.
BTCC favourite Paul O'Neill, making his debut in the championship, was third fastest just 0.448 seconds back. Sam Osborne was fourth a tenth back from O'Neill with Lee Pattison fifth and Jason Richardson sixth. The top five were split by just eight tenths of a second.
MINI Challenge Qualifying Top 6
1. Chris Smith
2. Lee Allen
3. Paul O'Neill
4. Sam Osborne
5. Lee Pattison
6. Jason Richardson
Liam laps it up in VAG Trophy qualifying
15/09/2012 - MSVR GP Weekend - Superpro VAG Trophy Qualifying - Former British Touring Car driver Liam McMillan opened the MSVR GP Weekend with a stunning display to grab pole position in qualifying.
McMillan showed his class around the 2.3 mile Grand Prix circuit as he posted a best lap of 1m41.022s which was a full 1.7 seconds quicker than his nearest rival Paul Taylor. Martyn Culley in the VW Vento was third fastest and he was joined on row two by Joe McMillan's SEAT. Andy Thompson and Chris Adams completed row three. Championship leader Tony Taylor could only manage to secure 12th on the grid.
With reigning champion Daniel Rose unable to make the meeting, this will be a great chance for the rest of the field to stamp their authority on the 2012 title race.
Superpro VAG Trophy Qualifying
- Liam McMillan, SEAT Leon
- Paul Taylor, VW Golf
- Martyn Culley, VW Vento
- Joe McMillan, SEAT Leon
- Andy Thompson, SEAT Leon
- Chris Adams, VW Golf GTI
- Several MSVR Championships including a special appearance from British Touring Car driver Paul O'Neill will feature at Brands Hatch on (15/16 September) at the MSVR GP Weekend.
There are just seven MINI Challenge races left this season, three of which will be fought out on the famous Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. Henry Gilbert heads Jono Brown by 22 points in the overall standings, the Club Class drivers holding an advantage over third-placed Lee Allen, who leads the John Cooper Works Class for the faster machines. However, the big story this weekend is a wild card entry for BTCC hero Paul O'Neill, who will join up with the Excelr8 squad. Former BTCC race winner O'Neill will be hoping to challenge for a podium finish.
Mark Abbott leads the Radical Clubman's Cup standings heading into the penultimate round of the season. Bradley Smith and Matt Bell are the only drivers with a realistic chance of overhauling him and they both made inroads into his lead at the last round at Cadwell Park two weeks ago. Smith picked up a second place finish, while Bell claimed an impressive double victory.
Meanwhile there are two further meetings for the Radical UK Cup, making Gary Kane's position far less secure, particularly considering that his advantage over Zac Chapman is just a solitary point. Ross Kaiser, Colin Noble and Terrence Woodward are tied on points in third place, just five behind the leader.
For the penultimate round of the MK2 Golf GTi Championship, Jamie Martin's closest challenger Alex Harris will be aiming to close the gap even further, whilst there's further Volkswagen interest in the VAG Trophy.
The Quaife Motorsport News saloon car championship will feature a large number of local drivers all hoping to win the West Kingsdown trophy.
Colin Tester, from Meopham, won last month on the GP circuit, and Rod Birley from West Kingsdown is a prolific winner. Add in Graham Heard from Bexley, Ian Butler and Chris Whiteman from Crayford, plus another West Kingsdown resident Graham Richardson. Then there is Borough Green fireman Vince Proto along with Terry Searles from Ash. Dartford is represented by Alan Phillips, Steve Rothery and Brett Lidsey.
There will also be action from the 360 Motor Racing Club with a two hour endurance race on Sunday for cars of all shapes and sizes.
Tickets for the MSVR Club Car Championships at Brands Hatch on 15/16 September are available from £10, with free entry for children aged 12 and under. For more information call 0843 453 9000 or click here.
