Anglesey, 6-7 September 2008

We were busy with Geri making his race debut at Rye House this weekend. It didn't stop us wishing we were in Anglesey with the rest of the LMA Euro Saloon and Sports Car competitors.

Qualifying - Saturday
On a very wet track, almost treacherous from Church up to Rocket, it was no surprise that Nick Williamson (Escort Cosworth) was comfortably on pole by over 2 seconds from Class B leader Rhys Lloyd (Seat Leon). But even Williamson fell foul of the conditions falling off at Church and bringing the session to a premature end after just 6 laps.

The conditions caused a massive spread of lap times, the Class C poleman Simon Parker in one of seven Vauxhall Vectras present was 5.5 seconds behind Williamson, yet only 4th overall. Mark Crook was fastest Clio in 5th overall while Class D leader Jim Mepham took class pole but down in 12th overall.

Race - Saturday
On a wet, but drying track, Williamson set the pace hotly pursued by Steven Taylor (Lotus Exige), these two making a break from the other drivers. Williamson slowly pulled out a gap and led by 2.5 seconds after 10 laps. Taylor pulled back ½ second on lap 11, but a massive final lap (13) saw Taylor set the fastest lap of the race and follow Williamson over the line just 0.6 seconds adrift. Rhys Lloyd had started from the front row but quickly succumbed to Taylor falling away by a second or two per lap. Douglas Ellwood had qualified down in 18th after an off on the second lap, but the patched up Marcos Mantis moved through the field in pursuit of Lloyd eventually finishing 2nd in class B and 5th overall.

With seven Vectras and a solitary Tomcat competing in Class C, the odds were in favour of a Vauxhall win. Even more so as David Roberts had an off during Friday testing that required much work to get in shape for Saturday. And just to make sure, the Tomcat was struggling with turn-in and a misfire. Simon Parker started well from 4th and was looking comfortable before his race ended on lap 10, two other Vectras (Mike Hurst and Craig Odams) also leaving the lap charts on the same lap. Parker had set fastest Class C lap, but his demise left Derek Kelly-Cooper to take his first class win for 2008 with David Rawlins 2nd and David Roberts picking up an unexpected 3rd in class. Class D was less well subscribed that for the previous races leaving Jim Mepham (Renault Megane) to take an easy class win from Simon Jackson (MG ZR).

Qualifying - Sunday
In contrast to Saturday, Sunday was dry leading to a more conventional shape to qualifying, although there was another red flag and a delay while a dog was removed from the circuit!. Once again, Williamson took pole but this time Richard Gould (Noble M12), Richard Hawken (Nissan Primera) and Steven Taylor (Lotus Exige) all got within 2 seconds of his time. Rhys Lloyd again found himself with Class B pole, his main competition Douglas Ellwood was unable to compete as the Marcos had holed its radiator. Bradley Gelman took up the mantle of second in Class B, his Sierra Cosworth enjoying the dry so much more than the wet.

Six of the Vectras made Sunday qualifying, Simon Parker managed only two laps which allowed David Hinde to take the Class C pole from David Roberts' Tomcat and Derek Kelly-Cooper. Jim Mepham again outqualified Simon Jackson to take Class D pole.

Race - Sunday
Richard Hawken's third place in qualifying counted for nothing, the Primera's power steering pipe had burst in qualifying and repairs meant Hawken just managed to join the grid at the back. This led to a storming drive culminating in Hawken taking fastest lap and finishing 3rd overall, 6 seconds adrift of Richard Gould's ailing Noble M12. Another lap and Hawken would have made 2nd. Out front and in a class of his own, winning by 35 seconds was last year's Anglesey double winner Steven Taylor, the Exige once again showing its pace in the dry. Race 1 winner Williamson was struggling with set-up and finished back his 4th. Rhys Lloyd took his second Class B win of the weekend, and 5th overall, by over 20 seconds from Bradley Gelman, with Andy Robinson (Peugeot 306) taking the final Class B podium position another 7 seconds back.

A better race for the squadron of Vectras, 5 out of 6 making the finish. Once again Simon Parker set fastest lap, but this time it was David Hinde who took the class win with David Roberts' Tomcat running better today and finishing second in class. Disaster struck Jim Mepham's Renault Megane, an electrical failure meant it would not start for the race leaving Simon Jackson to take an uncontested Class D win, his first in the MG ZR.

Rhys Lloyd played his joker and now moves ominously into the championship lead on 236 points from Williamson (222), and Mepham (216) - but Lloyd's two lowest scores to drop will be a pair of zeroes while Williamson and Mepham will both drop further points. Lloyd is looking like the favourite to win the LMA Euro Saloon and Sports Car championship for 2008.

Visit the LMA site for details of the LMA Euro Saloon and Sports Car championship and standings so far.

Check out the current points standing.

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