A quick turn around from the last meeting at Donington Park saw the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship competing in Norfolk on the bank holiday weekend. Given the six days between the two meetings, the Renault Premium of Luke Taylor didn’t make the trip to Snetterton where five races took place on the 300 layout.
Matt Summerfield took the first blood when he claimed pole in his MAN TGS though in a rejig of the rules since Donington, pole started sixth at Snetterton. The grids were reversed for the first race but class 1 started ahead of the class 2 trucks. The defending champion’s #1 MAN was back in the paddock before the chequered flag was thrown to end the contest for grid spots.
20130825-IMG_3500 by Racing-Report.com, on Flickr
Second went to the #33 MAN of Steve Thomas who traded times with David Jenkins and took second, (5th on the grid) by less than half a second from the #69 TGA.
In class 2 pole went to the Foden Alpha of David Smith, almost as if nothing had changed. The #11 Selor Transport sponsored machine dominated the weekend in Leicestershire, claiming every competitive session. Smith set a pole time over seven seconds faster than Simon Reid who took second in his Iveco Stralis bodied Seddon Atkinson chassis. The Ford Cargo of John Powell which didn’t make the trip to Donington Park announced it’s return to competition by claiming third.
There was a wide selection of race winners in both classes, though in class 1 it was all MAN. The lack of the broken and bruised Taylor Renault made the top class a one make affair. In class two the ■■■■■■■■■■ of the Foden was broken.
Race one saw Steve Thomas take the top spot in his MAN TGA. The Birminham based driver never saw a fifth wheel coupling as he romped away from the front row of the grid to claim a lights to flag win. The battle was for second where Richard Collett started but lost out throughout the race. He battled MANfully, (Sorry!) including 100% clean and fair wheel to wheel racing at Agostini with Summerfield’s #1 truck, on his way to sixth.
Collett repeated his round the outside defence at Agostini against the #69 MAN TGA of David Jenkins but this was later in the race and he lost rear end traction on the way out of the corner. He caught the tankslapper which could have caused a monumental crash but couldn’t stop the contact and the drive axels of the two four-leggers collided. No harm, no foul.
20130825-IMG_3532 by Racing-Report.com, on Flickr
Dave Smith continued his run in a class of his own to take the victory in class 2. He made light work of the Volvo White of Brian Burt to get into second before the end of the first lap before locking on to the Foden Alpha of Steven Powell. The freshly refurbished Foden put up a more strident defence but there was nothing to be done, the Selor Foden led the end of the second lap.
The second race went to the #1 MAN of Summerfield who added the win to thirteen others taken during the course of the season. The blue TGS took over three seconds of advantage to the chequred flag due to distraction in the battle for second. David Jenkins took the spot after Thomas dragged himself up from a starting position of sixth but couldn’t make a move that would stick against the #69.
In class 2 it was like a north London primary school as all were given prizes at the end of the race. It was the Seddon’s who let the side down, Jim Bennett’s machine was driven by Graham Powell and retired in the pit lane. A similar mystery issue hit the Iveco/Seddon of Simon Reid who tried to wait out the end of the race in the pit lane. The #89 truck took the chequered flag but was so far behind the leader he didn’t classify.
That left David Smith with yet another uncontested victory. The domineering Foden found a challenge in the hands of Steven Powell’s #54 Foden Alpha but did manage to get the move done. Brian Burt took third in the Volvo White but lost a lap to the overall leader and was over a minute and twenty off David Smith.
Race three was set to be a win for Stuart Oliver’s Kelsa sponsored MAN TGS but either a small mistake, (possible) or showboating, (probable as there were three snappers at the corner) at Montreal Hairpin made it possible for Matt Summerfield to get into range and strike. Oliver came into the second corner very hot and kicked the back end out to get round the corner. It looked as impressive as anything but cost him vital time.
20130826-IMG_3727 by Racing-Report.com, on Flickr
Summerfield got past with two laps of the race remaining and built an almost two second lead by the flag.
Jenkins was third and tried to find a way past Oliver for second. There wasn’t enough time for him to force another error though and the class 1 podium was set.
Class two went to the Volvo White of Brian Burt after David Smith failed to make the start of the race in his Foden. The win wasn’t easy though as only 0.316 seconds split the old Volvo from the Seddon of Simon Reid. Steven Powell took third in his Foden, keeping up a decent run of Foden podiums.
The fourth race was the reward for Ricky Collett’s determination. He lost the lead off the start but took it back in a bumping and grinding session down the start straight with David Jenkins. The two MANs traded paint and tyre rubber at least three times before bouncing off one another in the braking zone for the first turn in a cloud of smoke.
Both trucks emerged undamaged, with Collett in the lead where he stayed to the end. Jenkins slipped back into the clutches of Matt Summerfield but the #1 MAN couldn’t make the move and get the upper hand. The defending champion took third.
Class two went to Graham Powell after a horrible run of results for his campaign. Retirement in six of the last eight races for his Renault/ERF and a double retirement in the old Seddon of Jim Bennett which he raced on Sunday was his record heading into the fourth battle at Snett. Powell was joined by his brother in the Ford Cargo, Jim finishing just under four seconds behind.
20130825-IMG_3645 by Racing-Report.com, on Flickr
An all Powell podium was interrupted by the presence of Simon Reid who has been chalking up thirds like nobody’s business at Snetterton. Steve Powell’s Foden took fourth.
The final race wasn’t the war that we expected and went to Stuart Oliver. It was possibly a payback for his lost victory in race 3. Just over two seconds split the #7 machine from the Collett driven MAN at the line. Steve Thomas took third in a podium covered by less than three seconds.
There was only 0.215 between Collett and Thomas at the flag.
Class 2 went yet again to the Renault/ERF of Graham Powell giving the green and yellow machine two victories to break his run of DNFs. Second went to David Smith, finally bested in a clean fight in his Foden while Simon Reid rounded out his weekend with five poidums.
Next up is Pembery in Wales and while Racing-Report.com will have a photographer there, it is unlikely that I will make the journey. There will be the full show at Brands Hatch though to round out the season, including a dusk showtruck parade with fireworks. Polish the tanks and contact the BTRA if you are looking to join in the 150+ trucks we expect to attend.
You can find more detailed coverage on Racing-Report.com.
MODS: As with last week. I have had Rikki’s permission to put up articles about truck racing.
