British GT – Rockingham – Sunday Morning
Two (Three) Non-Starters – And A Baby

Sadly there were two casualties from yesterday’s starters to report, with the Eclipse Mosler’s dramas causing more damage than the team can repair at the circuit. The Lamborghini’s run of poor reliability sadly continues, with a broken gearbox bearing meaning that the #21 Gallardo is also a non-starter. 23 cars should therefore start this afternoon’s 60 minute race.

Team Trimite has a driver line-up change to report this morning after Glen Denny’s partner went into labour late yesterday, which means that the very soon to be new dad has ducked out of today’s proceedings, Clive Richards will be a solo driver in the #41 Viper with (we believe) a 15 second penalty.

The Saturday evening post-race uncertainty over potential protests was finally resolved, Jason Templeman’s slightly fluffed start catching out the RPM Viper but not to such an extent that either the opposition felt it worth pursuing a protest or, apparently, that the Clerk of the Course felt obliged to act!

There’s a very positive mood in the paddock ahead of the championship decider with bright sunshine helping to lift sprits even further. And with a fair crowd to witness the final acts in a dramatic season, teams talking of plans for 2008 and a championship going right down to the wire (again!), there’s plenty of reason to feel good about the current state of British GT racing.

Steve Hyde had reason to be happy, having watched his daughter’s boyfriend deliver Renault’s first podium of the F1 series in the Japanese GP earlier in the day; “Johnny’s Ginetta should also hopefully go better today (in the support race), so that just leaves us to sort out our very old Morgan!” he laughed.

With most teams occupied with entertaining sponsors (Nigel Redwood’s guests seemingly filling the RPM pits), the time before the early afternoon race soon disappeared.
MH