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SEAT Cupra Championship front-runner Andrew Herron consolidated fifth place
in the 2008 driver standings at Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk yesterday, Sunday,
13th July, with a well deserved podium result during the first triple-header
event in the category’s history.
Although bidding for three straight podium finishes at the East Anglia
track, the Northern Ireland racer saw circumstances conspire against him during
the weekend’s opening encounter on Sunday morning – round 11 – when a tap to the
rear of his car heading into Riches Corner saw him pitched into a spin out of
fourth place.
Eventually recovering, after initially struggling to get his car back into
gear, the Dromore based 20-year-old fought back strongly to climb from the back
of the field into seventh place before the chequered flag.
Having caught sixth placed Jamie Ackers three laps from the finish, Andrew
crossed the line on lap 16 just a 10th of a second shy. Impressively, even after
his lap one troubles, Andrew managed to post the second fastest lap of the race
with a terrific time of 1m 14.297 seconds.
Starting round 12 from fourth on the grid, the Brian Herron Contracts
supported star slipped back to sixth place but soon got onto terms with fifth
placed Daniel Welch as the race progressed. On lap 10, fourth placed Martin
Byford started to slow at the Bomb Hole and through Coram Curve which allowed
Andrew to move into the top five.
Pressuring Welch all the way to the chequered flag on lap 16, Andrew
concluded the second race of the day 0.672 seconds shy in fifth spot. Having
made some changes to his car between the first two encounters, Andrew wasn’t as
happy with the performance and handling so the set-up reverted for the third
outing.
Race three was the rescheduled 10th round which was postponed from Croft
Circuit in North Yorkshire at the start of June due to poor weather. Lining up
fourth on the grid, Andrew made a great start to rapidly move into third
position ahead of Byford, the latter also slipping behind Carl Breeze.
Quickly beginning to open up a gap to fourth placed Breeze, Andrew set
after JHR Developments team-mate Robert Lawson ahead but third place was where
he would remain for the duration of the 15 laps.
Obviously very happy to be back on the SEAT Cupra Championship podium,
Andrew commented: “Realistically we had the pace all weekend. It’s great to be
on the podium but I had hoped for top three finishes in the other two races as
well. I’m still learning but we’re getting closer and closer to race wins all of
the time – there’s more to come!
“In the first race I had the spin at the first corner after a small tap but
I knew straight away my race pace was good – I was as quick as anybody in the
opener. For the second race we made a slight set-up change but we struggled a
bit so we went back to what we used for qualifying in the last race and it
obviously worked.”
Andrew added: “It’s so hard to pass at Snetterton in these cars as there’s
no slipstream, you can be 1.5 seconds quicker then the car ahead but you’ll be
unable to get by. It gets quite frustrating knowing you’re much faster than the
car ahead but we can’t complain with the results. I’ve maintained my
championship position so I’m pleased with that.”
There are just two weeks to wait until the 13th and 14th rounds of the 2008
SEAT Cupra Championship take place at Oulton Park Island Circuit in Cheshire
over the weekend 26th/27th July.
Before then highlights from the eighth round of the championship, which
took place at Thruxton Circuit in May, will be screened on Freeview, digital
satellite and cable channel ITV4 this Tuesday, 15th July, at 17.10.
Provisional 2008 SEAT Cupra Championship Driver Standings (after
Rd12):
1st Robert Lawson, 194pts; 2nd Carl Breeze, 166pts;
5th Andrew Herron, 84pts
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