Two out of three ain’t bad for Barton’s race ace Lawson

1:01pm Friday 18th July 2008

BARDON Aggregates and Bardon Concrete-sponsored saloon car racer Robert Lawson took two podium finishes from three race starts at Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk last weekend to ensure he maintained a healthy 28-point cushion at the head of the Seat Cupra Championship driver standings.

While delighted to continue his outstanding record of podium finishes in his debut season of SEAT action, the farmer from Barton didn't have a completely straightforward weekend after being forced out of the first race at the second corner when caught up in the aftermath of an incident between two other drivers.

After starting form his seventh pole position of the year and after negotiating the first corner in the lead, he was then tagged on the run to Sear which resulted in his Seat being fired off the circuit with damaged steering and front-left suspension.

The impact also ripped off the front-left wheel.

However, outstanding work by the JHR Developments mechanics ensured Robert's car, which had received substantial damage to the front end, was repaired with just minutes to spare ahead of the second race of the day.

Lining up second on the grid, Robert made a decent start and ran in a comfortable second position for the remainder of the race which he maintained until the chequered flag, setting the fastest lap of the race in the process.

The third and final race of the weekend was the rescheduled Croft race meeting which was washed out at the beginning of June, and it saw Robert achieve another solid second place finish with a fault-free run.

Commenting on the Snetterton event, Robert said: "We did the best we could this weekend, obviously the car took a bit of a hit in the first race and to be honest, it's all credit to the team for putting it back together. It was touch and go whether we'd even feature in the second race so we have to look at the positives really.

"We bagged a fair few points and managed to get the fastest lap in the second race as well so, as far as damage limitation goes, if you can't win you're better off being second than anywhere else. We struggled with tyre wear in the third race but I'm pretty satisfied with two podiums. Our championship lead is intact and that's the important thing."

Rounds 13 and 14 of the 2008 Seat Cupra Championship will take place next weekend at Oulton Park in Cheshire.

● Last Sunday saw a number of local crews out in action in the Greystoke Stages Rally which was based at Greystoke Forest, near Penrith in Cumbria.

Hamsterley driver Stephen Petch and co-driver Michael Wilkinson were first away in their SGP Motorsport Mitsubishi Evo IX, which they were gravel testing ahead of this weekend's Swansea Bay Rally, but unfortunately they suffered a fire on the second stage and had to retire.

Charlie Taylor of Morton on Swale had a slow start to the day in his Ford Escort RS1800 with co-driver Steve Bielby, but completed the seven stages to finish 15th overall and 6th in class whereas Nigel Keen, of West Rounton, was out in his Keen- Speed-sponsored Ford Escort Mk II with co-driver Kevin Franks, from Northallerton.

The pair had a good run throughout the day, and after been seeded car 28, came home to finish 12th overall and fourth in class, missing out on collecting a trophy by just 14 seconds.

Ripon's Gary Beckwith and Pickhill co-driver Mick Johnson also had a good day out in their Ford Escort Mk II, finishing 26th overall and second in class, but unfortunately for Bedale driver Richard Pocklington and codriver Jim Goodman, they suffered a major roll in their Ford Escort Mk II, finishing upside down on the side of the track just 50 yards from the finish line of the first stage.

Leeming driver Glen Workman also had an unfortunate event after having to retire on the sixth stage with a broken differential in his Ford Cosworth but it was better news for Hartlepool's Steve Alderdice who took his Subaru to ninth overall with the proton Satria of Garry Johnson from Durham claiming a top 20 position also.

Also out this weekend was Middlesbrough driver Abi Mahmood and co-driver Andrew Smith in the Azimghur Stages, held at Colerne Airfield near Bath on Saturday. After putting in some good times, their effort was rewarded with a trophy each for finishing second in class and 31st overall.

● Rainton sidecar racer Tony Thirkell scored a hat-trick of podium finishes at last weekend's Cock o'the North road race meeting held at Oliver's Mount, Scarborough.

Aboard the 600cc Mr Equipe Honda, Thirkell and passenger Nigel Barlow couldn't better their third place finishes in the opening three races when they were forced out of the fourth race when well-placed.

Busiest man of the weekend was Saltburn veteran Dave Woolams who was out in various classes. After a couple of top tens in the Superbike races and top 15 placings in the 400cc and 600cc support races, Woolams ended the weekend with a fine ninth place in the Cock o the North feature race on his 1000cc Suzuki.

In the same race, Chester le Street's David Bell scored a brilliant fourth place on his 1000cc Kawasaki which he followed up with a fifth in the Superbike race and also a top ten placing on his 400cc Kawasaki in the 250/400 support race.

Fellow Durham rider Mike Minns scored a best result of 14th in the 250/400 race on his Suzuki, with Whitby's Kristian Didelot claiming a best result of ninth in the Superbike B' final on his 600cc Honda ● Any motorsport news? Email larry@cartersport.com