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Jonathan Fildes - Brands Hatch Preview |
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Thursday, 14 September 2006 |
Jonathan Fildes heads to Brands Hatch Indy Circuit next weekend,
23rd/24th September, for rounds 15 and 16 of the Blaupunkt SEAT Cupra
Championship confident of claiming his first victory of the season.
The 31-year-old, who is sponsored by Applied Signs & Display,
Asgard Taverns, Atari Expo and AM Speedsport, will arrive at the Kent
venue on the back of a great run of results having taken two podiums
from the last three races.
His most recent success, however, wasn’t in his Total Control
Racing-prepared SEAT but at the wheel of a Dunlop Supercar as part of
the prestigious ‘Leinster Trophy’ race meeting at Mondello Park in
Jonathan’s native Ireland last Sunday.
As the reigning Dunlop Supercars Champion, Jonathan was invited to take
a guest drive in the category’s two races at Ireland’s biggest motor
racing event and after scorching to pole position for both races he
went on to claim two dominant wins – even though his fellow competitors
demanded he carry ballast in his car for the second encounter!
“To win both races and start them from pole position was a brilliant
confidence boost ahead of Brands Hatch”, commented Jonathan, “It was
good to race a Supercar again and although it’s obviously a different
animal to the SEAT, being rear-wheel drive and having a space-frame
chassis, it’s given me a big confidence boost ahead of Brands.”
Brands Hatch Indy Circuit was, of course, the venue for the opening two
SEAT Cupra Championship races of the season and in round two Jonathan
secured his first podium of the year.
Ahead of his return to the Kent venue next weekend, the Co.Meath ace is
not only hungry to add to his tally of four podiums but also believes
he stands a terrific chance of claiming his maiden category win.
“The car is 100 per cent and now we’re on an equal footing in the
championship, I’m sure we’ll have a very successful weekend”, added
Jonathan. “Things went well for us at Brands at the start of the year
and I’m sure the same will be the case this time.
“I love racing at Brands, the feeling you have when you get Paddock
Hill Bend right is fantastic and everything else just happens for you.
It’s one of those tracks where getting one corner absolutely right can
make or break a lap.
“We’re going for wins that’s for sure. We’ve shown we have the pace to
run at the front and I really do think we have the best chance yet of
standing on the top step of the podium next weekend.”
Currently fifth in the driver standings, if Jonathan can make
sufficient inroads at Brands Hatch into the 21-point gap to
fourth-placed Ben Winrow, the Irish star will not only be in with a
chance of a bigger share of the £200,000 total prize fund, he will also
be in-line to test a works SEAT Leon from the British Touring Car
Championship.
Having finished ahead of Winrow during the last four races, Jonathan is
certainly the form driver of the two and should he manage to end the
season in the coveted top four of the championship, a chance to impress
BTCC team bosses will be his.
Official pre-event testing for the SEAT Cupra Championship will take
place on Friday, 22nd September, with qualifying on Saturday, 23rd
September. The round 15 session is expected to start at 10.50 with
round 16 qualifying set to begin at 15.00.
Both races are scheduled for Sunday, 24th September, round 15 beginning
at 10.35 and round 16 timetabled for 14.30. Motors TV will broadcast
both races live on channel 413 of the Sky Digital platform and through
NTL’s cable television service on channel 545.
2006 Blaupunkt SEAT Cupra Championship Provisional Driver Standings (after rounds 13&14):
| Pos. |
Driver |
Points |
| 1st |
Mat Jackson |
229 |
| 2nd |
Alan Blencowe |
179 |
| 3rd |
Jonathan Adam |
169 |
| 4th |
Ben Winrow |
142 |
| 5th |
Jonathan Fildes |
121 |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 December 2006 )
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