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Ian Closes in on Title after two wins at Pembrey
Qualifying for race 1 on the Saturday was held in wet conditions with rain still coming down as the sesstion got under way. Despite not testing in the wet on the Friday test day, unlike many of the other drivers, Ian was still inside the top ten overall and comfortably leading his class from the start of qualifying.
Ian did eventually slip down the order to 14th overall but still on pole for his class with a comfortable two second margin over his nearest competitor. Ian commented "I was disappointed to be out of the top ten overall, but I think I just struggled with traffic when the track was at its best in the middle of the session, it's another pole though".
A last minute rain shower just before the start of the race confirmed that it would be wet settings once again for the race.
Ian made a good start and moved up three places during the opening lap, but as the track dried, Ian was powerless to hold off the quicker FR2000 cars he had passed earlier and slipped down to thirteenth. Ian capitalised on a mistake by one of the FR2000 class cars and moved back up to twelfth on lap seven, by which time Ian was seventeen seconds clear of his nearest club class rival. Ian would finish the race in thirteenth overall with over a thirty second advantage to his nearest rival and the only club class car on the lead lap on a circuit that was definitely favouring the FR2000 class even more than usual.
Sunday qualifying was held in dry conditions and once again Ian stamped his authority on the Club Class with another club class pole. Ian commented "I'm happy to get another pole but I'm disappointed to be so far back, it was really hard to get clean laps due to traffic, I still had a lot of fuel on board when I set my quickest lap".
Fortunately the weather held for the race and Ian made one of his usual good starts and made up three places in the first lap - only to get stuck once again in a battle amongst the midfield of the FR2000 class cars. Ian was circulating as part of a six car train disputing 10th position; with lots of fierce battling taking place, the inevitable happened and several cars collided resulting in a red flag and the race being declared at only eight laps distance. Despite the shortened race Ian still had a fourteen second margin over his nearest club class rival, setting a fastest lap just shy of his own lap record. Ian commented "The results have been good this weekend but I've been struggling with the car a bit, hopefully we'll have that sorted out for Thruxton next month".
The next round is at Thruxton, Hampshire on 16th September, where Ian only requires another seven points to take the title two years in succession.
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