Huddersfield’s Daniel Lloyd has his sights set on nothing other than race
victory when the Ginetta Junior Championship visits Oulton Park Island Circuit
in Cheshire next weekend, 26th/27th July, for the 15th and 16th rounds of the
2008 season.
Having already visited the top step of the podium during his debut year of
car  racing action, and with several other rostrum results to his credit, the
16-year-old arrives at the undulating and challenging 2.23-mile track a week
from now third in the championship standings, proof in itself of his remarkable
first season since graduating from karts.
“Oulton Park is a great circuit”, said the British Racing Drivers’ Club
(BRDC) Stars of Tomorrow Scholarship Winner, “I think it’s a bit like Croft in
as much as there are some technical sections that you need to get just right. As
being we went very well at Croft, I’m confident the same should be the case at
Oulton next weekend.
“It’s another home event for us really. I don’t live all that far away, so
I’m aiming to put on a good show and fight for some more wins. There’s still a
chance we could win the title but I’m more focused on winning as many races as
possible. If we can do that, the championship will look after itself.”
Daniel enjoyed a promising test run at Oulton Park last month on a busy day
for the West Yorkshire ace, which started with his final GCSE exam. He’s
confident next weekend’s races will bring two excellent results as he bids to
close down second placed championship runner Thomas Carnaby and series leader
Dino Zamparelli.
Lloyd ecstatic after maiden Ginetta G50
test
Following last weekend’s Ginetta Junior Championship action
at Snetterton in Norfolk, Daniel had the opportunity to enjoy his first ever
test run at the wheel of one of Ginetta’s outstanding G50 race cars during an
outing on the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit.
Produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Leeds-based marque, the
Ginetta G50 is a purpose-built thoroughbred British racer which bridges the gap
between one-make sports-car racing and GT competition. Powered by a 3.5-litre,
V6 Ford engine, the G50 produces around 300bhp.
Currently in the midst of its first season of action as a one-make category
on the British Formula 3 International Series and Avon Tyres British GT
Championship race package, examples of the G50 also compete in British GT
itself.
Viewed by Daniel as a serious option of where to further his motor racing
career in 2009, the G50 Championship is going from strength to strength at the
moment. To that end, he jumped at the chance to test a G50 – the experience
leaving him completely exhilarated and hungry for more!
He said: “The test was absolutely mint. The G50 is an awesome car, the
power and the grip is incredible and obviously much more than I’ve been used to
in the Ginetta Junior Championship. I thoroughly enjoyed the day.
“It was the first time I’d ever been on the full Grand Prix track too, I’ve
only ever had a short run on the Stowe Circuit so that was another first for me.
It was a fantastic day and, whatever happens in the championship battle, I think
the G50 test will go down as one of the high points of my year.”
Returning to his current commitments in the Ginetta Junior Championship,
Daniel will take part in free practice ahead of the Oulton Park race meeting at
16.00 a week today, Friday, 25th July. On Saturday, 26th July, qualifying is
expected to get underway at 12.30 with round 15 of the season timetabled to
commence at 17.25.
The 16th round of the championship will follow on Sunday, 27th July, at
approximately 16.20 and is scheduled to be screened live on Freeview, digital
satellite and cable channel ITV4 as part of the afternoon-long broadcast from
Oulton Park.
In further news, Daniel has unfortunately been excluded from the results of
the 12th round of the season at Croft following an appeal by series leader
Zamparelli. Contact between the pair resulted in Zamparelli retiring from round
12 with broken steering and although adamant it was simply a racing incident,
Daniel lost his points for the win.
Taking into consideration the amendment to the race order, Daniel remains
third in the driver standings but is now 81 points shy of second placed Thomas
Carnaby.
Provisional 2008 Ginetta Junior Championship Positions (after
Rd14):
1st Dino Zamparelli, 395pts; 2nd Thomas Carnaby, 342pts;
3rd Daniel Lloyd, 261pts
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