Comprising several of the series most competitve drivers the 8 lap tour was to be anything but uneventful.
Off the start all was well behaved and going into Copse for the first time Jimmy took the lead with PR3DATOR in close pursut.
Dropping down into Maggotts on lap one and it all fell apart. PR3DATOR, taking to the grass, skids across the inside of the corner and collects horselegs at Becketts.
jenson09 narrowly missed getting involved in the scuffle behind and non-series runner NGS Luckier looked on in amazment at the sheer audacity of the action in front!
This was not to deter PR3DATOR, however and he caught up with jenson09 in short order. This was to turn into the battle of the ex-team mates. Each with a point to prove or simply to outdo the other, the two highly competitive drivers put on a show none of the onlooking press would forget.
With Jimmy way out in front and NGS LUCKIER a distant second, jenson09 was settling into 3rd place when who should pop up in his rear mirror but ex-ETCC team mate PR3DATOR.
"I saw him steaming up from as far back as Ireland. I was fairly suprised after the bash he got with horselegs but hey this is PR3D we're talking about and he KNOWS how to fight back!"
Sure enough by lap 3 at Abbey PR3DATOR was alongside jenson's SEAT, exitiing the corner and heading towards Bridge they were side by side. Jenson's car just getting the edge this time round.
The following lap the pass was less secure and heading to Bridge it was far closer
jenson09 takes up the story:
"I honestly don't think he thought I'd do it!"
I stayed alongside way into the braking area, we must've been mere inches apart by then."
"I could see all the flashes from cameras as we went through there, thinking jeez I'd better pull this off or there's gonna be some baaad pics in Autosport next week!"
"PR3D just clipped me everso slightly and he ran really wide on the exit down to the complex and Brooklands.
Jenson09 took the chance, remained on line but instead found a black SEAT trying it's luck around the outside of him!
Keeping his foot in despite being run wide heading to the tightest part of the complex PR3DATOR rode around the outside of jenson's SEAT Sport UK Leon. It wasn't enough and the cars remained locked together for the next three bends, horselegs looking on, third in this battle.
Once again coming ino the complex the two SEATs found themselves close together. It was very apparent that the drivers were having a wail of a time! However, another mistake by PR3DATOR put him wide and jenson09's SEAT on the outside into Brooklands. A slight slide by the black SEAT was all that was needed to put jenson09 onto the gravel. In typical fashion the gritty driver kept his foot planted and watched on as PR3DATOR ran wide, bouncing over the kerbs and running hot into the tight left hander. This was invitation enough to pass and jenson didn't disappoint, passing the striken SEAT which had been up on two wheels over the kerbing.
And that was the end of it, on the following lap, PR3DATOR's car swerved off at Ireland with terminal steering damage probably as a result of the high flying antics the lap before.
While all this was happening, Jimmy Storie hadquietly disappearedinto an unassailable lead. Using the Focus ST, a car that has proven unpopular in the WTCC seemed an odd choice for the highflying GT racer but in usual style he made the car perfom. Perhaps a sign of things to come in the BTCC campaign.
Team mate horselegs had asteady race, largely affected by the initial collision with PR3DATOR on that opening lap.
One things for certain as this event proved, this series is far from dull. The drivers are as competitive as they come and given half a chance, removed from the expence of their GT machinery, thy are as mental as
they come!
BTCC starts soon, you'd better not miss it!
