Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship, Snetterton - Race Report
Mosler Monsters the 300, A Sensational Storey.

The Azteca/Strata 21 Mosler  took its second win of the season, but the three-hour race had seen multiple changes of lead, some interesting strategies, and some stirring drives, not least from Peter Storey, in Simon Phillips’ Motionsport Ferrari 458, which earned him the Sunoco Driver of the Day award.

Qualifying

Breakfast-time showers had given way to chilly sunshine, and the track had dried when the 50-minute mid-morning qualifying session started. The Optimum Ginetta G50 of Lee Mowle and George Murrells was top of the timing screens for some time, before the session was red-flagged to recover the MacG Racing Ultima , which had stopped out on the circuit.

Once the session resumed, the usual suspects, the “big three” of the championship – Andy Schulz in the SB Race Engineering Ferrari 430, Mike Millard’s Rapier SR2, and the Azteca/Strata 21 Mosler of Javier Morcillo - all had their turn on provisional pole, before the timing screens locked as the session drew to a close. The chequered flag fell moments before the screens flickered into life once more, revealing the Optimum Ginetta on pole again, secured on the last of its 16 flying laps at 1:50.769. Just 0.058 seconds shy was the Mosler, and with the Rapier and Schulz/Bailey Ferrari just behind, the first four cars, the two front rows, were covered by just 0.326 seconds. Time to refresh the “Big Three” tag to “Big Four”, it seems.

Fifth on the grid, heading the second row, would seem a good result, but the Stark Racing Ginetta G50, piloted by marque boss Lawrence Tomlinson and Ian Stinton was four seconds adrift of the pack ahead, and under half a second clear of the leading Class 2 runner, the Team Tiger Marcos Mantis, which had undergone an engine re-fit, and further engine repairs, prior to the session.

There was another Marcos heading row four, the #35 Topcats machine of the regular Owen O’Neill/Neil Huggins pairing, with the top Class 3 runner alongside, though this was the Invitation entry FF Corse Ferrari 430 of South African novice Jacques Duyver and pro-driver Charlie Hollings. Next up was the Phillips/Storey Ferrari 458, and the Topcats “Big Green” Marcos, driven by husband and wife duo (and joint team owners) Warren and Charlotte Gilbert, both having their first competitive drives for several years.

The Class 4 contenders had the Strata 21 Porsche 996 of Sharpe, Jones and Pittard on pole, ahead of Jeff Mileham’a Lotus Elise, which once again had Michael Caine deputising for the owner, and assisting Steve Guglielmi.  At the very back was the Kockney Koi –entered BMW GTR of colourful cockney Dave Shelton and Niki Faulkner. The Moore Racing team had barely finished the LS7-engined beast for the session, and there was much set-up work to be done. Missing from the grid would be the Redgate/Virgo Ginetta G50 of Peter and Matt Smith, with an oil leak.

Race

With the meeting running swimmingly, the start of the race was pulled ahead by five minutes, and with Jonny MacGregor starting the Ultima from the pit lane, the 20 starters were let loose, George Murrells converting pole into the lead in the white Ginetta G50, whilst Andy Schulz thrust the black Ferrari 430 into second place. Paul White made a cautious start in the Mosler, but Peter Storey was already serving notice of intent, the white and blue Ferrari 458 picking-off opponents one-by-one through the infield complex, and coming past in fifth place as the pack crossed the line for the first time.

Not making it round was the Team Tiger Marcos, Jon Finnemore having parked-up out on the circuit with a stuck throttle, and, with the recalcitrant Ultima also stopped at Montreal next time round, then Niki Faulkner's GTR also having expired, the Safety Car was deployed, with just five laps run.  Though less than 15 minutes of the race had elapsed, Paul White brought the Mosler in for a trickle of fuel, as did Owen O'Neill in the #35 Topcats Mantis. The Safety Car let the pack go on Lap 10, and the recovered Tiger Mantis rejoined, but it seemed that both White and O'Neill had taken the term splash 'n' dash too literally, and were brought back in to serve four and five-second stop/go penalties respectively.

Meanwhile, Schulz was making life in the lead uncomfortable for Murrells, whilst Warren Gilbert have seized eighth place from Jacques Duyver's FF Corse Ferrari 430, which now also had Michael Caine's Elise closing up. With Murrells seemingly succumbing to the pressure – lap 14 was four seconds off his regular pace – Schulz took the lead, and there then followed a flurry of pit stops; with only just over 30 minutes run, very early, and surely not a planned stop by Jensen Lunn in the Class 4 Chevron GR8, but, indeed, a strategic move by Bullrun, Richard Adams handing the Evora over to David Green.  A look at various class positions at this point revealed that in Class 2, Storey headed Richard Abra’s BMW GTR and Warren Gilbert’s Mantis, whilst the Strata 21 Porsche 996, started by Dave Pittard, headed Class 4 in front of Michael Caine, and Wayne Gibson in the Intersport BMW E92.

Time now for another Safety Car, though, on lap 18 and with 46 minutes gone. The Team Tiger Mantis had stopped again, this time at Oggies, having thrown a fan belt.  A good time to take on 25 litres of Sunoco and a driver change, so Duyver handed the FF Corse Ferrari to Charlie Hollings, and Mike Millard came in from third to hand the Rapier to Ian Heward.  Paul White brought the Mosler in again – more fuel, and a hand-over to Manuel Cintrano, and the white FF Corse Ferrari 430 pitted too, Richard Bramham leaving the car for Phil Andrews to take over. Motionsport played it canny here – with safety car laps taking in excess of two and a half minutes, Storey pitted the Ferrari 430 twice, on consecutive laps, to fill-up with the maximum 50 litres of fuel, before handing the car to Simon Phillips. Rejoining at this point was Jensen Lunn’s Chevron, after a long stop.

George Murrells pitted the Ginetta just as the SC boards were withdrawn and the green flag waved, and once the field was released again, four laps later, Schulz found some clear air and punched in what would remain the fastest lap of the race. The caution period, and randomness of the pit stops gave the leader board an unusual complexion, with the Schulz Ferrari leading, then Lawrence Tomlinson in Ian Stinton’s G55, Warren Gilbert’s Marcos, Richard Abra in the Geoff Steel-run BMW GTR, and the Strata 21 Porsche. Dead on the one-hour mark, one-third distance, Andy Schulz brought the black Ferrari in for Paul Bailey to resume. Tomlinson did the same next lap, and with Pittard’s Porsche taking a mandatory stop too, the whole order changed in the space of a few laps. Ian Heward had rather rapidly assumed the lead in the Rapier, the only constants being Gilbert and Abra in second and third, with Hollings and Caine moving up the order, ahead of Cintrano, working his way back up in the Mosler, Gibson’s BMW, and Nick Jarvis starting to make an impression in the Track Torque Chevron.   Warren Gilbert’s usual exuberant style, though, had attracted the attention of the officials, who considered that the Topcats boss was taking in a bit too much of Mr Palmer’s verdant scenery, and issued a warning flag to the “big green” Marcos, though a further transgression, a lurid slide onto the grass at Hamilton, seemingly escaped penalty.

Richard Abra had come to a halt in the Geoff Steel-run BMW GTR on the straight at Palmer, so the Safety Car was deployed yet again, at, with an hour and three quarters left to the flag, and 15 minutes before the halfway mark, an opportune moment for another round of pit stops.  First to take advantage was Gary Coulson, handing the Motionsport Lotus Elise over to regular pilot Ben Gower after a rock-solid performance, then Lawrence Tomlinson, who had had jumped back in the Stark Ginetta G55 after the first fuel stop, this time relieved by Ian Stinton.

The Stark team played the strategy game, and Stinton was back in next time round for a further 25-litre top-up, whilst further stops were made by FF Corse – Charlie Hollings getting back in the #70 Ferrari for a double stint, and the Rapier, with Millard relieving Heward.  Cintrano brought the Azteca/ Strata 21 Mosler in too, and now it would be Javier Morcillo all the way to the end. First-timers in the pits at this juncture were Nick Jarvis, letting Tommy Field take over the Track Torque Chevron, and Tom Webb, , replaced by brother James in the GTS-run, family-driven BMW GTR.

Despite not holding back, Warren Gilbert’s Marcos had exercised surprising economy, and the #34  car led the field, not having stopped. Neither had Michael Caine, holding second in the #94 Elise, whilst Simon Phillips and Michael Millard’s chase back to the lead was punctuated by non-stopper Wayne Gibson, up to fourth place in the Intersport E92.

Such was the diversity of economy and strategy, that the half-way mark saw the leading nine cars all dotted around the 2.99 mile circuit on the same lap. Warren Gilbert pitted on the dot, a sensible move as any married man will confirm, and handed the Topcats Marcos to wife Charlotte for her 50% stint of the race (was there a pre-nuptial contract on this?). Simon Phillips assumed the lead in the Motionsport Ferrari, but only until the power of the Rapier placed Millard at the front. Caine brought the Lotus in after a terrific performance, for Steve Guglielmi to finish the race in, but Wayne Gibson stayed out a little longer, though now falling into the clutches of Hollings’ Ferrari.

Dave Shelton’s untried, untested GTR had endured an in/out relationship with the pit garage, and rejoined once more after a driveshaft change, but there was drama once again, with 45 laps on the board. Another Safety Car, this time for Steve Guglielmi‘s Lotus, stranded out on track with a front left wishbone failure. So, another round of pit stops; Gibson, at last, now in the Class 4 lead and handing the BMW to Kevin Clarke, Stinton’s Ginetta, Lee Mowle, after steadily moving the Optimum Ginetta back up the order, Paul Bailey, allowing Andy Schulz to resume in the SB Ferrari 430, and Owen O’Neill, that early stop paying dividends; Neil Huggins would take over the #35 Topcats Marcos.

Only three laps – long, timely ones though, and the caution was lifted, but the pit stops continued; Morcillo, for fuel in the Mosler, and Kevin Clarke, though this was for attention to the BMW after an alleged brush with the Strata 21 Porsche 996.

And then another Safety Car, almost bang-on the two-hour mark, and signalling an end to the race for Andy Schulz and Paul Bailey, the black Ferrari  stranded at Hamilton with gearbox failure. Once the field went green again, three laps later, Morcillo’s recovery in the Mosler was a joy to behold – no fastest lap to be posted – Schulz had already taken care of that, and anyway, this was about making up places, and finding the best way through traffic. Murrells’s Ginetta was dispensed with by a dive down the inside at Hamilton, but hung on to the tail of the Mosler when it was caught frustratingly behind the leading Rapier, desperately trying to claim a lap back. The move was made at Oggies, but Millard was pitbound anyway, and handed the Rapier back to Heward with 45 minutes to go.  Peter Storey now led once again in the Motionsport Ferrari, and Morcillo was around 80 seconds adrift of the lead car, but lapping around four to five seconds faster. Rough mental arithmetic reckoned, if things stayed the same, the Mosler would be with the Ferrari in the closing five minutes, and the timing screens identified a steady rate of possibility as the laps reeled off.

Steve Guglielmi was welcomed back on track, the Elise fixed courtesy of one of the team’s main opponents, as Guglielmi explained later; “Our friends from Motionsport helped us out – they had a spare Elise wishbone, but it was a rear, so we had to fix it to use for the front. That’s why the front wheel is askew”. Jacques Duyver had taken over the FF Corse black Ferrari for a short stint, but pitted with just 30 minutes left for pro-driver Hollings to charge to the flag.  George Murrells also brought the Optimum G55 somewhat unexpectedly, and the team dived into the engine bay to fix a snapped alternator belt. The Ginetta concerns were compounded by the Stark Racing G55 expiring out on track – no Safety Car this time, but the blue machine was recovered back to the pits.

Murrells rejoined after repairs, but Storey, now only minutes from having to stave off Morcillo’s advances, made a dash for the pits with just 12 minutes left. A late splash of fuel, and he rejoined, down to third place, and posting disastrously slow lap times, some 20 seconds off the expected pace. Ian Heward had by now claimed second place in the Rapier, and the Ferrari was in grave danger of losing the final overall podium spot, as Tommy Field's Track Torque Chevron was closing in – he did it with 90 seconds to go, and, with 81 laps posted, a jubilant Javier Morcillo took the flag, and later described his final stint to James Broomhead of The Checkered Flag; “All the time I was asking the team to calculate when I’d catch the Ferrari. First of all they said we may not do  it, then they said we may catch him on the last lap of the race, so I pushed like hell in like an hour qualifying. It was tiring, I was 100% on it. When I saw the car slowing I asked ‘please tell me that is the Ferrari we’re chasing’ and they confirmed, so from then on I saved fuel and kept it easier. I dropped two seconds a lap so to not lose concentration but I eased off, take care of the brakes and be good to the car.”

Millard and Heward’s apparently solid run to second place had not been without some glitches, Millard reporting that the ECU was still intermittently playing up in the Rapier SR2, but it was a terrific result for the Track Torque team’s Gulf-liveried Chevron GR8, an impressive third overall and the Class 3 win for Nick Jarvis and Tommy Field. The team got off to a shaky start with fuelling issues at Silverstone’s opening round, but improved reliability, and former single-seater ace Field’s inclusion since Donington have added a new edge to the class.

Phillips and Storey hung on to fourth place, and the Class 2 victory, but were mystified by problem in the closing stages of the race, as Simon Phillips lamented to James Broomhead;  “Had we not have had this weird problem that we’ve never seen before we would have been spot on, The tactics that we planned worked absolutely perfectly which is how we were at the top. Had we not of had the problem with the car we wouldn’t have had to do another fuel stop. Basically in the fuelling some sort of sensor’s gone down we think so we could have run right to the end which mean we would have gone toe to toe with the Mosler on the last lap so we could’ve, should’ve, would’ve.”

Both of the Topcats cars suffered misfires through the race, but Neil Huggins made the best of the canny strategy exercised by the team during Owen O’Neill’s opening stint, coming home second in Class 2, whilst Charlotte Gilbert brought the “big green” Mantis home third in class, acquitting herself well in the beast, keeping her lap times within a second of the old man. Splitting the Topcats machines were the Class 3 runners-up, the Bullrun Evora , with  Martin Byford double-stinting at the end, the invitation FF Corse Ferrari 430 of newcomer Jacques Duyver and Charlie Hollings. Not making the class podium were Richard Bramham and Phil Andrews in the second, championship-registered FF Corse 430, and Tom and James Webb in the family’s BMW GTR.

Class 4 had seen some lead changes in the early stages, but the Intersport BMW E92 OF Kevin Clarke and Wayne Gibson had been in charge as the race developed, despite some contact. Ironically, this was the team’s second-choice machine, the regular E46 having developed clutch issues on the rolling road midweek. Second in class was just desserts for the Motionsport Lotus Elise, with Gary Coulson a welcome returnee to assist regular Ben Gower.  Steady reliability is the key here, and Coulson plans to partner Lotus expert Gower for more rounds.  Jensen Lunn lost a heap of time in the pits in the early stages, but he and Mark Steward salvaged enough in the Chevron to claim the final Class 4 podium spot, Lunn’s philosophy of never giving up proving fruitful, whilst erstwhile class frontrunners Pittard, Jones and Sharpe, in the Strata 21 Porsche 996, had a good run spoiled by drive shaft failure.

It was unlucky 13th for pole-sitters and early race leaders Mowle and Murrells after the Optimum Ginetta threw a belt towards the end and, despite the failure of the similar Stark Racing machine towards the end, they were classified 16th.

STEVE WOOD