Round 7 of the 2010 Lotus on Track Elise Trophy held at Brands Hatch Indy circuit on the 3rd to 5th September 2010.
Introduction
Early in the Elise Trophy’s first season, a last minute support slot with the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft was awarded to the series. Within a few days a full grid had been arranged and set the scene for future prestigious events, including A1GP, WTCC, F2 and a return to the DTM this year.
With a field including serial winners Mark Speller and Marcus Jewell plus the recent master of the Grand Prix circuit, Steve Williams, would one of this trio provide the winner or could we expect a surprise this weekend?
Practice
The sessions were spread out, with practice on Friday morning the only outing for the day. Adrian Beer was first to get up to speed, with Jewell soon lapping quicker, albeit short of Martin Donnelly’s pole time from March. Meanwhile Speller was in traffic and Williams was building up speed gradually. They soon joined the party, however, with Speller fastest overall by the midway point.
Simon Phillips served notice of intent during the latter part of the session with third-fastest time, joining Beer as a potential challenger, as did the ever-improving Dave Carr and Tom Chatterway. At sessions’ end Williams was fastest with a 54.88, two-hundredths from Speller, Jewell, Chatterway, Carr, Phillips, Beer, Adam Bewsey, Gary Broad and Paul Harding – less than a second covered the top ten.
Qualifying
With a 30-hour wait between sessions, perhaps a record for the series, a day of DTM action plus race appearances from Mark Blundell, Martin Brundle, Johnny Herbert and Derek Bell entertained the drivers before they had their turn on the circuit. A few more drivers entered this session, including Major James Cameron of the Second Royal Tank Regiment, who will be heading out to Afghanistan in October, in the guest car.
Phillips was first to head the serious times before Williams pipped him by well over a second. Beer then got into the same time bracket as the leader before outpacing him. Speller and Jewell were further down the top ten at this point, whilst Chatterway was comparing lap times with the best.
The top nine had all posted times under fifty-five seconds as Adam Bewsey found the quickest lap with two-thirds of the session gone and at this point he headed Beer, Williams, Chatterway, Jewell, Phillips and Speller. Then Williams found three-tenths over the pack but even more significantly, Chris Bear and Chatterway contacted at Clearways and the safety car was called into action.
With only time for two laps, there were no opportunities to improve times, so Williams took pole ahead of Bewsey, Jewell, Beer, Chatterway, Phillips, Speller, Ken Savage, Craig Denman and David Alexander.
Race 1
As the cars of Williams and Bewsey slugged it out into the first corner, Speller’s barely got going and he retired almost immediately. Chatterway, Jewell and Beer slotted in next but on the run to Druids, Beer lost out to Alexander and Savage, then soon after Phillips passed him too. Canard and McNeilly contacted at Graham Hill bend on lap two but with both continuing from the spot, conditions were clear for Williams to pull away as Bewsey held the others back.
Beer continued to drop back into a second group of drivers, lapping in company with Denman and Broad. This group soon caught back up with Savage, Phillips and Alexander as Chatterway and Jewell continued to hassle Bewsey until he spun at Clearways. But behind them a big tussle was developing in the pack, and as Phillips latched onto Jewell, he got the message and passed Chatterway at Druids. Phillips got past next time at Paddock Hill, whilst Broad was lining up to be next with Denman not far behind.
Pete Storey, who was lapping with Savage and Alexander, dropped it at Paddock Hill just as Beer was heading off to the pitlane and retirement. But all eyes were now on Jewell and Phillips, catching Williams and dragging Broad, Chatterway and Denman with them. For a few minutes the race settled down when the top three broke free from Chatterway but then traffic came into the equation. Lights ablaze, Williams was relying on his experience to get him home but Jewell never really got the opportunity to make a move and followed in second, Phillips taking third.
Chatterway held on for fourth from Broad and Denman, whilst after the opening laps Savage and Alexander both had relatively quiet races back in seventh and eighth. Bewsey ended up ninth, from Paul Harding and Steve Quick, the trio racing in close company for several laps.
Just as Williams took the flag, Paul Baker entered the gravel at Paddock Hill and was joined by Donald Canard, the resultant impact leaving both cars looking sorry and the latter getting a once-over from the medical centre, from which he was soon discharged.
Race summary – 31 starters, 22 finishers.
| Overall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Steve Williams | 2. Marcus Jewell | 3. Simon Phillips | 4. Tom Chatterway | 5. Gary Broad | 6. Craig Denman |
Race 2
With Alexander, Denman, Savage and Speller on the first two rows, the start looked set to be an entertaining one. Speller made a great start to challenge Alexander but couldn’t make it stick. Trying again at Druids he nearly spun on the way out, but still he tried again at Surtees. Another slide dropped him to fifth this time.
Denman then took up the mantle after a slow start and got past at Graham Hill bend, Phillips now working up to third behind Alexander. As the top three made a break, Speller was now pursuing, followed by Chatterway, Savage and Williams. Phillips had a go at Alexander then Speller made it three abreast but the result was no change…until Speller was sideways again at Druids, letting Chatterway through.
Savage went wide at Clearways, giving Williams another place and he was now on Speller’s tail. With Phillips slotting into second , Williams attacked Speller – they were two abreast at Druids, Williams on the outside, then on the inside for Graham Hill but Speller just drove around him! Next time he was on the inside for Druids but this made no difference until the following corner when Speller lost momentum on the way out and nearly another place to Beer. Bewsey, Savage and Jewell were right behind ready to take their chances.
Then the top three closed right up. Phillips tried everywhere he could to wrest the lead, which gave Alexander a chance to get back into second which meant Phillips, Williams and Speller soon bunched up, which worked well for Speller, badly for Williams. With Denman still leading but unable to make a break, Phillips regrouped and repassed on the run to Druids. Speller was now back with them and Williams not much further behind.
A spin for Denman at Clearways gave Phillips the lead and in the confusion Williams and Speller contacted on the entry to Paddock Hill, which sent the former into the gravel backwards with the latter following him in. This spread the front out and left Phillips with a good lead over Alexander, himself clear of Chatterway, Beer, Bewsey, Savage and Jewell. As matters finally settled down, Denman was lapping in company with Broad and LaMaster some way off the leaders.
Jewell was next to progress, putting a move on Savage on the main straight and all the time Alexander was falling back to this group as Phillips looked set for the win. As Alexander was now holding up Chatterway, so Bewsey held back Jewell’s advances, especially with Paddock Hill now a no-overtaking zone following the Williams/Speller incident.
Then just as Jewell was on the attack Bewsey spun at Clearways and was struck by Savage, then almost Broad but LaMaster was unable to avoid him and the impact launched his car into a spectacular barrel roll. With the last lap started, the red flag was brought out and thankfully LaMaster got out of the car unaided.
Phillips was a delighted winner and with LaMaster bruised but safe, the crowd were equally as pleased at a great end to the weekend.
Race summary – 24 starters, 20 finishers.
| Overall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Simon Phillips | 2. David Alexander | 3. Tom Chatterway | 4. Adrian Beer | 5. Marcus Jewell | 6. Gary Broad |
Conclusion
Williams, Speller and Jewell all certainly featured this weekend but Phillips outperformed them all with a brace of podiums, including that win. The races will be remembered for intense action, even by Elise Trophy standards and it is with great relief that LaMaster, Canard and Baker escaped their incidents almost unscathed.
Major Cameron recorded a 20th and 19th place and importantly two finishes and we thank him and his colleagues and wish them a safe return from Afghanistan next year.
Next week the Elise Trophy visits Oulton Park whilst Lotus Cup Europe will be supporting the European Truck Championship at Zolder in Belgium.
Kevin Ritson Press Officer LoTRDC LtdRace Results in full
Download the official results & times
