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Andrew Herron matched his season’s best finish of second place during the
ninth round of the 2008 SEAT Cupra Championship season at Croft Circuit
yesterday, Sunday, 1st June; the result helping lift the Northern Irishman into
the top five in the driver standings.
Continuing the tremendous run of consistency which began with his maiden
SEAT podium at Donington Park a month ago, the Dromore-based saloon car star
showed superb pace during round nine and actually posted the fastest lap of the
race, 1m 35.058 seconds (80.47mph), en route to his hugely competitive runner-up
spot.
Taking the chequered flag just 0.161 seconds behind JHR Developments
team-mate, and championship leader, Robert Lawson, Andrew is now almost 30
points clear of his closest pursuer in the title race and within 21 points of
reigning SEAT Cupra Champion Jonathan Adam in fourth position.
“It’s fantastic to be on the podium again, the conditions were quite tricky
but I was happy with the car and felt like I could push without any problems”,
said the Brian Herron Contracts backed racer, “Setting the fastest lap of the
race was good, I had the pace to challenge Robert (Lawson) but there was no
point risking anything.”
The race actually started behind the Safety Car due to earlier persistent
rainfall which caused chaos during the preceding HiQ MSA British Touring Car
Championship race.
Following a lengthy delay of around an hour, the SEAT Cupra encounter
finally got underway and when the Safety Car peeled into the pits prior to the
start of lap four, Andrew immediately set about staying on the heels of Lawson
at the front.
Coping very well indeed with the spray from his team-mate’s car, Andrew –
who will celebrate his 20th birthday a week tomorrow, Tuesday, 10th June –
remained in Lawson’s wheel-tracks throughout. Although the Safety Car was
required late in the race, the single lap re-start caused no issues and Andrew
shadowed his team-mate over the line.
Due to the weather affecting the raceday timetable, round 10 of the SEAT
Cupra Championship had to be postponed and no confirmation has yet been given as
to when, if at all, that particular race will be contested. For round 10, Andrew
qualified fourth on the grid with a best time of 1m 27.879 seconds
(87.05mph).
The 2008 season now takes a lengthy six week break ahead of the next two
rounds which will be held on 12th/13th July at Norfolk’s Snetterton
Circuit.
Provisional 2008 SEAT Cupra Championship Driver Standings (after
Rd10)
1st Robert Lawson, 159pts; 2nd Martin Byford, 131pts;
5th Andrew Herron, 91pts
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