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Hampshire sportscar racer Jeremy Metcalfe produced another points-scoring
finish at Rockingham International Super Sports Car Circuit yesterday, Spring
Bank Holiday Monday, 26th May, to leave the Northamptonshire venue joint seventh
in the 2008 Avon Tyres British GT Championship standings.
Driving the second stint of the one-hour race, round six of the season, the
Fleet  based 20-year-old produced pace approximately two seconds per lap quicker
than his rivals to climb from 14th position into a top six finish at the
chequered flag.
Carving his way through the order at the wheel of his GT3 Class CR Scuderia
Ferrari 430, Jeremy handled the incredibly tricky conditions very well –
intermittent rain playing havoc with the slick-shod cars.
On his first lap, the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) Rising Star
instantly started to make inroads into the significant advantage held by the
drivers ahead and climbed into seventh position before the deployment of the
Safety Car 10 minutes from the end.
Round six actually concluded under cautionary conditions with the
Lamborghini of Leo Machitski and Jason Templeman then going on to spin out of
the lead while behind the Safety Car.
Rejoining in fifth place, the car was later disqualified from the results
meaning Jeremy and team-mate Luke Hines picked up a sixth place finish to add to
the top five achieved on Sunday during round five.
“The conditions were very difficult, the track was dry one minute, then it
started to spit with rain and then it would dry up again”, commented Jeremy,
“When I took over the car for my stint we were 14th but I was quick straight
away, about two seconds a lap quicker than anyone else at that point so I was
really happy with that.
“Finishing sixth from 14th was the best we could have hoped for. I did the
best I could this weekend but we were always going to be at a bit of a
disadvantage compared to the Vipers and Lamborghinis at Rockingham. Today’s race
was quite good, I drove consistently on the limit of what I thought was safe so
I’m satisfied with that.”
He added: “Taking into account Sunday’s result as well, we’re not looking
in bad shape in the championship so I’m really looking forward to the next
couple of races in two weeks at Snetterton. We should be out at Thruxton on
Wednesday too for testing so hopefully we’ll try a few different things and
complete some good work there.”
As Jeremy states, the CRS team will be back in action at his local track,
Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire, tomorrow, Wednesday, 28th May, for testing
purposes. Rounds seven and eight of the 2008 Avon Tyres British GT Championship
follow just under two weeks from now on 7th/8th June at Snetterton Circuit in
Norfolk.
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