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Races 1 & 6 – Invitation Saloons

Edward Baker from Devon took the first win of the 2008 POWERnights series, his MkI Ford Capri finishing just 0.734 seconds ahead of fellow Capri racer Nigel Barnett.  In the pursuit style race Barnett led for the first three laps but Baker made his move at Becketts on lap 4 to take the lead.  However Barnett kept Baker honest for the rest of the race.  Third place went to Paul Dickenson in the Seat Cupra, finishing three seconds ahead of XSport Racing teammate Martin Johnson, who passed Mark Thurston-Jones’ Golf GTi on the last lap.

In the second race Paul Dickenson managed to time his run to perfection and two laps from home he swept past Baker to take the win, with Greg Rose coming home in 3rd place in the mighty Ford Falcon.

Race 1 Result

1        43      Edward BAKER                 Ford Capri              10:00.389    8laps

2        96      Nigel BARNETT                 Ford Capri              +0.734s

3        94      Paul DICKENSON              Seat Cupra              +12.473s

Race 6 Result

1        94      Paul DICKENSON              Seat Cupra              9:56.931s     8laps

2        43      Edward BAKER                 Ford Capri              +8.424s                

3        31      Greg ROSE                       Ford Falcon            +9.223s

Races 2 & 7 – Invitation Sports

The 23 car grid was divided into groups for a pursuit race with the trio of Lotus Elise leading the pack away at the start, with Martin Roberts holding off the sister cars of Phil Chatterton Keith Hurford.  The faster cars set off at regular intervals and were soon scything their way towards the front of the pack.  Local Northamptonshire driver Chris Porritt hit the front in his Caterham on lap 5 with fellow Caterham racer Paul Fines-Allin slotting into second place on the same lap.  However the Radical of Ake Bornebusch was coming through from the back of the grid, lapping the Silverstone National Circuit 10 second quicker than the front runners.  Bornebusch swept into the lead on lap 8, with the TVR Tuscan of Dean Cook and the Nemisis of Leigh Parkes filling the final two podium places at the flag.

In race 2 Chris Porritt’s Caterham held the advantage, storming into the lead on lap 3 and holding on until the flag.  Bornebusch caught the flying Caterham on the last lap but didn’t have the time to make his move before the finish line, taking the chequered flag just 0.4 seconds adrift.  Paul Fines-Allin came home in third to make it a Caterham 1-3.

Race 2 Result

1        4        Ake BORNEBUSCH   Radical Pro 6          10:19.635    9 laps

2        20      Dean COOK            TVR Tuscan            +1.218s

3        21      Leigh PARKES         Nemisis Supersport  +1.616s

Race 7 Result

1        19      Chris PORRITT        Caterham 7            10:06.951    9 laps

2        4        Ake BORNEBUSCH   Radical Pro 6          +0.457s

3        7        Paul FINES-ALLIN    Caterham 7            +7.989s

Races 3 & 8 – Ma5da MX5 v Toyota MR2

The first straight race between the two Japanese roadsters lived up to its pre event billing as a titanic encounter.  The MX5 of Tom Roche took the lead from 3rd on the grid, taking advantage of the nimble handling Mazda on the Silverstone circuit but he soon had the more powerful MR2 of Rob Horsfield filling his mirrors.  Roche was unable to hold on for long and once Horsfield hit the front he started to move ahead of the rest of the 18 car field. The MX5 of Paul Sheard was also on the move up the field from 7th on the grid and was up to 3rd by the half way point of the race.  However Sheard was unable to make any further progress when he had to defend his podium position from Matthew Robinson as the finish approached.

In race 2 Horsfield had to start at the back of the grid but he was soon back at the front on lap 3 fighting for the lead with Simon McAlpine’s MX5.  The two cars were side by side into the complex on lap 4 when they clashed, with McAlpine ending up in the gravel, dropping the MX5 down to 14th.  Horsfield was now in the lead with Tom Roche in second and Richard Breland passing Malcolm Edeson for third on the last lap.

Race 3 Result

1        14      Rob HORSFIELD      Toyota MR2            10:01.642    8 laps

2        3        Tom ROCHE           Mazda MX5             +6.636s

3        25      Paul SHEARD          Mazda MX5             +14.137s

Race 8 Result

1        14      Rob HORSFIELD      Toyota MR2            10:09.935    8 laps

2        3        Tom ROCHE           Mazda MX5             +4.315s

3        81      Richard BRELAND    Mazda MX5             +6.602s

Races 4 & 9 – Invitation Single Seaters

Quality over quantity was the order of the day for the Invitation Single Seaters.  In race 1 Warwickshire’s Peter Daly, Leicestershire’s Will Schryver and Northamptonshire’s Jim Morris led the small field away, with Morris immediately getting alongside Daly at Becketts before Daly regained second on the National Straight.  As the race went on Schryver and Daly were nose to tail as they pulled away from Morris, who was under pressure from Michael Bradley.  On lap 6 Daly made a move on Schryver and took the lead out of Copse but couldn’t shake off the Formula Ford of Schryver.  Bradley moved into 3rd but lost it again two laps from home.  Smoke was seen from the back of Daly’s car as the race drew to a close but his pace wasn’t slackening off as he defended his lead at every turn.  However on the last lap Schryver got past Daly at Copse and took the chequered flag by just 0.1 seconds.  Michael Bradley retook third after Jim Morris had spun out of the race.

Race 2 was almost a rerun of the first race with Daly and Schryver fighting for the lead for almost the entire duration of the 10 minute race.  Michael Bradley held the front spot for the first three laps but Daly went past on lap 4 quickly followed by Schryver who also passed the lead car before the end of the lap.  Bradley kept track with the two leading cars as they fought for the lead, separated by the smallest of margins.  Daly got a better run out of Woodcote to hit the front with two laps to go.  Schryver fought back getting alongside Daly as the chequered flag came out to give the closest finish of the night; 0.068 seconds separating first and second places, with Michael Bradley in 3rd four seconds further up the road.

Race 4 Result

1        61      Will SCHRYVER                 Van Diemen            10:55.915    10 laps

2        89      Peter DALY                      Van Diemen RF04    +0.124s

3        8        Michael BRADLEY             Van Diemen RF00    +6.701s

Race 9 Result

1        89      Peter DALY                      Van Diemen RF04    11:01.818    10 laps

2        61      Will SCHRYVER                 Van Diemen            +0.068s

3        8        Michael BRADLEY             Van Diemen RF00    +4.491s      

Races 5 & 10 – Invitation All Comers

The All Comers races saw maximum grids with a mixture of all of the sports and saloons taking part in the first POWERnights event.  Running a pursuit format the races saw plenty of overtaking as the faster cars powered their way from the back of the grid.

The first encounter saw Ake Bornebusch take his second win of the evening, comfortably finishing ahead of David Harrison’s Radical and Greg Rose in his Ford Falcon.  The last race of the evening was run as the light fell and with lights ablaze the 40 car grid finished the first POWERnights event with a great racing display.  Ake Bornebusch took his third race win, but this one was a lot more hard fought, hitting the front on the last lap to deny Chris Porritt his second victory of the day.  Greg Rose took his third podium finish in the V8 powered Falcon.

Race 5 Result

1        4        Ake BORNEBUSCH   Radical Pro 6          10:22.621    9 laps

2        46      David HARRISON    Radical SR3            +17.255s

3        31      Greg ROSE             Ford Falcon            +18.163s

Race 10 Result

1        4        Ake BORNEBUSCH   Radical Pro 6          10:36.166    9 laps

2        19      Chris PORRITT        Caterham 7            +1.506s

3        31      Greg ROSE             Ford Falcon            +4.459s

The next POWERnights takes place at Silverstone on Thursday 19 June.  Highlights of the first POWERnights event will be aired on MotorsTV in a special 60-minute highlights programme