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Jonathan Fildes Croft Preview |
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Thursday, 06 July 2006 |
Irish saloon car sensation Jonathan Fildes arrives at Croft Circuit in
North Yorkshire just over a week from now, 15th/16th July, focused on
achieving his third podium finish of the season and hoping to take his
first win in the Blaupunkt SEAT Cupra Championship.
The 31-year-old former Renault Clio Cup and Dunlop Supercars Champion,
who is sponsored by Asgard Taverns, Applied Signs & Display, Atari
Expo and AM Speedsport, is bidding to climb back up the SEAT driver
standings next weekend at Croft courtesy of a brace of excellent
results.
Jonathan, who lives in Co. Meath, competes in the series with Lee
Brookes’ Total Control Racing squad, the team with which the Irish star
won the Clio Cup title in 2003 – a stunning achievement in his first
and only season in the championship. He then remained with TCR for his
switch to the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain in 2004.
Croft is a circuit Jonathan enjoys and after the disappointment of the
previous SEAT race meeting at Thruxton just over four weeks ago, where
he unfortunately posted his first non-finish of the year, he is now
aiming to bounce back in style and give fresh impetus to his 2006 title
campaign with at least one race victory.
Jonathan commented: “I love Croft, I always enjoy racing at the faster
circuits. Ideally I want two wins but we have to be realistic about our
chances. I’ve never been a qualifier, it’s always the races where I do
my best work on the track, but if we can qualify in the top six I’m
confident I can challenge for victories from there.
“I am enjoying racing in the SEAT this year, it’s certainly a more
predictable car than either the Porsche or the Renault Clio I raced
before. The last round at Thruxton was very disappointing and I know I
need to win at least one race at Croft if we’re to mount a push for the
championship in the second half of the season.”
In something of a departure from his regular tin-top career, Jonathan
had his first ever competitive run in a Formula 3000 car at the end of
last month in his native Ireland and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
This past weekend he also got a taste of the world of Formula One along
with the McLaren Formula One Team in Spain. Unfortunately for Jonathan
it wasn’t behind the wheel of an F1 car, rather a V12 BMW saloon camera
car which he piloted as the team filmed a new commercial for its key
sponsor Johnnie Walker.
“The F3000 was great fun and I thoroughly enjoyed driving the camera
car for the McLaren commercial”, added the Irish sensation, “My focus
now though is back on my SEAT championship bid, I want to take two wins
at Croft.”
Rounds seven and eight of the 2006 Blaupunkt SEAT Cupra Championship
will take place at Croft Circuit on 15th/16th July in the category’s
regular slot on the prestigious British Touring Car Championship
support race package.
Official pre-event testing will take place on Friday, 14th July, while
qualifying will be held at 10.50 and 15.00 on Saturday, 15th July.
Round seven is set to start at approximately 12.40 on Sunday, 16th
July, while the eighth round of the season will begin at 17.25.
Both races will be covered live on Motors TV, channel 413 of the Sky Digital platform and via cable provider NTL on channel 173.
2006 Blaupunkt SEAT Cupra Championship Provisional Driver Standings after rounds 5&6:
| Pos. |
Driver |
Points |
| 1st |
Mat Jackson |
81 |
| 2nd |
Alan Blencowe |
73 |
| 3rd |
Jonathan Adam |
72 |
| 6th |
Jonathan Fildes |
56 |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 07 January 2007 )
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