Last weekend we took 7 of the 4two cup cars out to Spa to race with the Belgium and French cars. What can I say… A great weekend was had by all. The sun was shinning all weekend, the racing was great and the entertainment was spot on. Here is a race report from Sarah Moore and a great comment from Ben Constanduros.
Well it might of been a last minute deal, but what a weekend it was! Changing positions every corner on every lap.
Qualifying was hard because I had never been round the track before, except from maybe a couple of times on the playstation, but its not the same! But i still managed to qualify 3rd, 2nd and 1st out of 21 cars which I was very happy with to say that a lot of the drivers had been round there before.
The first race was a close battle for 2nd as Silvano got away from the start and I ended up battling with David Di Costa, Ben and my little brother. But I managed to pull a gap in second whilst the other three drivers were battling for 3rd. But there was too much of a gap for me to catch up to Silvano, so i settled for 2nd.
The second race was a battle for the first corner as my brother started next to me in first position, but I managed to mess up the start by changing up a gear slightly to early, which meant I dropped back to about 8th. So I took a chance going into the first corner and went flying up the inside, locking all brakes up and just missing Silvano by inches! But that put me back in the battle for 3rd with my brother, Silvano and Ben. But with my brother lacking a bit of straight line speed I managed to pass him and pull away into second with Silvano not much further in front. Unfortunately I didn’t quite have the pace to catch him up. So yet again I had to settle for 2nd!
In the third race I was more determined than ever to win as I was starting on Pole and had the inside line into the first corner. I tried my hardest to try and hold everyone back before the first corner so I could pull a bit of a gap, but Silvano managed to stay on my back and we battled all the way to the end of the race, changing positions at just about every corner on every lap. With Silvano having just that little bit more top end speed I knew that he would be able to pass me down the straights , the only way I could get him was into corners as I knew I had better brakes. Unfortunately Silvano managed to get past me going up Eau Rouge and pulled a bit of a gap, it was on this lap he managed to set his fastest laps and he had pulled enough of a gap to keep his position. I was happy that I was able to keep up with him as he was the fastest driver round the track.
All in all I think it was probably one of the most enjoyable weekends I have had. Definitely the closest racing i’ve had in a long time. If only James had listened to my advice then maybe we could of had a couple more of us Brits up the front. Hopefully I will be out again for Brands hatch and show Silvano how its done.
A big thanks to James and Paul and my Mum and Dad for getting me out, it was a great weekend.
Sarah Moore Tockwith Motorsports
‘To Race at Spa has always been a dream since it was the first F1 i remember visiting. In never thought I would fulfil the ambition in a Smart car but what a great week. The atmosphere with the benelux teams was great both on track and off, and I think I am even a little addicted to the little things!
The 4two cup was lucky enough to be one of the support races for the well attended Britcar 24hr race at Silverstone. With this in mind, we invited the smartcup cars over from Belgium. They would run as a second class using their own regulations. This added 6 extra cars to the grid.
Friday morning see an early start for the drivers as we were first on the track at 9am for qualifying. All cars completed their laps with 2 cars stopping at the smart pit garage (24hr car)
for quick driver changes. David Moore did not have it all his own way as Silvano Ciara set the quickest lap on lap 3. Sarah Franklin then had a blow out at Farm curve, the very fast left hander after the new pits. This sent her into a spin at over 100mph followed by bouncing over the kerbs and onto the grass where the car dug in and rolled over several times. But to the surprise of the marshals she open the door and walked away, a bit battered and bruised.
Classification.
Silvano Ciara
David Moore
Tom Mills
Pat Blakeney
Sarah Franklin
Max Cornelius
Ben Constanduros
David Nash
David De Coster
Andrew O’Dell
Sarah Moore
Jake Jackson
Damien Verleyen
Valerie Somers
Laurent Montiel
Round 7 took place later that day, David Moore got off to a great start with Silvano getting bogged down and ending up back in the middle of the pack. The race went on with some great battles all the way down the field. Silvano started to fight his way back up the field, only to end up coming together with Ben on lap 2 and both ending up in a spin on the exit of Copse.
This dropped Silvano back to 9th position. David Moore’s smoothness in the car showed yet again as he took his 6th win on the trot.
Race classification.
David Moore
Pat Blakeney
Tom Mills
Sarah Moore
Jake Jackson
David De Coster
Max Cornelius
Ben Constanduros
Silvano Ciara
David Nash
Damien Verleyen
Andrew O’Dell
Laurent Montiel
Fiducaire Etienne
Valerie Somers.
Later that evening all the drivers and teams had a great BBQ, a beer or two and discussed the days racing, well where we could as they could not speak much English and we can not speak any French. But even so a great night.
Again Saturday morning was an early start as we were 2nd race of the day and mixed in with the Caterham Academy cars, giving a grid of 44 cars. After much discussion with Drew at the BRSCC we decided that the Caterhams would go off first with us 30seconds later. Off the little cars went with Silvano determined to make up for his 9th place start. David Moore shot out from the front being chased by Ben and Tom. Again there were battles all the way around the circuit. David Nash was battling hard with one of the Belgium cars, but took some avoiding action and ending up reversing in to the barrier at Maggotts and becketts ending his race. Silvano then set out to chase down David Moore, overtaking Ben, Jake, Max and Sarah before having a battle royal with Pat Blakeney. Exiting Luffield Silvano managed to get a tow off of Pat’s car and went past him on the straight. By the time the David took the Chequered flag Silvano was only a few seconds away closely followed by Pat and the rest of the field.
After the race Ben Constanduros said “Firstly a massive thanks to you and your team for providing an excellent car and series to enjoy the GP circuit on. I truely have never had so much fun in a Race car and hope I can help you promote the championship to be well supported in 2012.”
Pat Blakeney “What great cars, I never expected them to be quite like that, I would love to race in the series again”
Race Classification.
David Moore
Silvano Ciara
Pat Blakeney
Max Cornelius
Tom Mills
Ben Constanduros
Sarah Moore
Jake Jackson
Dvid de Coster
Damien Verleyen
Andrew O’Dell
Laurent Montiel
Fiducaire Etienne
Valerie Somers.
The 4two cup are off the Spa next weekend to race with the Belgium cars again on their own turf. We will keep you informed of all the results.
Many thanks to all who supported, helped attended the race weekend.
After a very busy 4 weeks for smarts4youracing and the 4two cup it was off to Snetterton for the next 2 rounds in the series. Fortunately all the cars had been prepared and checked by the boys at the garage whilst we were away in Italy at smart times 11, so it was a quick rush back check the 3 cars we had taken with us to Italy, reload the vans and get to Snetterton to set up.
Saturday morning the weather was not looking too good and by the time the cars made there way to the assembly area the rain was falling hard. As none of us were familiar with the new circuit it was going to be entertaining and quite scary at the same time. Out we all went speeding towards Riches for the first time. Keith Robinson then made a quick dive down the inside of Sarah Franklin and drove off towards Montreal hairpin, only to start aquaplaning off on to the grass. For the next 3 or 4 laps cars seemed to be spinning everywhere, The new Coram was also a challenge for the little cars, trying to hang on to it whilst side ways and braking for Murrays. A new circuit in bad weather was proving difficult. But never the less, everyone seemed to settle down, learn the circuit and set some reasonable times. All the cars took the chequered flag intact, except for the odd bits of Mud.
Qualifying results.
David Moore
Tom Mills
Howard Kayman
Sarah Franklin
Marc Kemp
Keith Robinson
Paul Bates
Andrew O’Dell
David Nash
James Palmer
Race 1.The sun came out for the rest of the day and dried up the track very quickly, so when we made our way on to the grid it was like learning the circuit all over again, different lines and braking points. Everyone started well and it was very tight going into Montreal, Palmer and Agostini.Sarah Franklin then pushed a little too hard and had a big spin going in to Palmer, Keith Robinson then followed her and came back on just in front of Andrew O’Dell. Sarah seemed to loose quite a lot of time and ended up at the back. Battles then went on all the way down the field and Sarah then managed to work her way back to 7th Place, Great Drive…
Final positions.
David Moore
Tom Mills
Howard Kayman
Keith Robinson
Marc Kemp
Andrew O’Dell
Sarah Franklin
Paul Bates
David Nash
James Palmer
Race 2: It was now very sunny and warm, Most of the drivers had adjusted suspension set up and tyre pressures ready for the next race. We were all held in the assembly area for nearly an hour while the marshals tried to free a Fiesta that had berried itself in to the barriers and gravel under the bridge. Finally we were let out on the grid. Everyone seemed to get away well except Marc Kemp in number 12. He stayed stationery for quite a while. As I learned later, he loosened his belts to adjust his wing mirror on the 5 second board. Not a wise move… Marc then drove like a man possessed and I had quite a few laps trying to fend him off, Until he decided to dive don the inside coming into Brundle. I have never seen a smart car doing about 80mph completely side ways and trying to brake and turn the other way into Nelson… Great move Marc. The rest of the race was great with all the drivers getting quicker and quicker. I think David Moore decided to see how much dust he could through into the crowd by the new elevated viewing area, as every lap he went wider and wider, but they seemed to like it.
Final Positions.
David Moore
Tom Mills
Keith Robinson
Andrew O’Dell
Sarah Franklin
Howard Kayman
Marc Kemp
Paul Bates
David Nash
James palmer
There was a couple of great statements made the weekend.Keith Robinson reigning Britcar champion and last years 24hr winner said “ The last time I drove round here in the Ferrari I did a 2 hour stint and the 20 minutes in the smart has made me sweat more and has knackered me out”.
In the bar Saturday night a marshal said to me “ the smart cars really surprised me, I was expecting them to be slow and boring and they were far from it”A big thank you to all the members of The smart Racing Club for helping set up, delivering cars and washing cars. Also Marc Waller for the use of all his photography.
Roll on Silverstone and the the 24hr race with the smart forfour.
Paul Bates
Smarts4you racing
Well what can I say. The sun was shinning all weekend, the racing was superb with battles going on all the way down the field. Here are a selection of pictures showing what a great time was had by all. Roll on Snetterton…
After a very busy and successful Autosport International Show, where the UK’s first smart car race series was unveiled, the 4two cup organisers headed up North so that a team could get to grips with the pint sized car.
Co-founder, Paul Bates said: ‘We were approached by Simon Moore, owner of Tockwith Motor Sport at the show to test the smart. We went up to Tockwith, which is Simon’s private track, so that the family could try out the 4two BRABUS race car.’
The Moore family has a rich racing pedigree and two champions took to the track to put the smart through it’s paces. Nigel, the current Formula Palmer Audi Champion and younger sibling Sarah, 2009 Ginetta Junior Champion felt at home in it.
Sarah commented: ‘It’s a small car and the wheelbase is so short, it’s like ragging a kart around, but a big one! It’s a fun car to drive and I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was.’
The race car is also road legal, so has many uses away from the track, which is what has appealed to the business side of Simon’s company. Head of the family, Simon said: ‘It’s not a raw racing machine, but the handling is fantastic, the car is good and it has three uses: driver training, motor sport and general car, which can work well for us.’
With the series aimed not just at youngsters, looking at the next affordable level of racing, but drivers that have wanted to race and couldn’t afford to, the founders of the 4two cup hope to have a cross spectrum of drivers on the grid.
Simon added: ‘Youngsters will love it to bits, as I could tell from my lot. Nigel, being that bit older will look upon it like it didn’t do what he wanted to do, gear change wise. But like the rest of us as hardened racers, if you put ten of them on a grid the racing would be very close, like karting and he’d come back with a big beaming smile!’
With news on Sarah’s racing plans for 2011 still to be announced, she admitted that the series was one she is considering. ‘Being on the Britcar package, which is something I’d like to do in the future would be ideal for me. Racing around in smart cars might make some people laugh, but some will find it really entertaining!’
The endurance element is a side to the car that Simon would be keen to go down. ‘I’d like to do something on the endurance side as I think it would be unique and completely different and one that would excite us as a team.’
The test ended well into the late afternoon, as it proved to be popular amongst the entire family, with them all taking turns driving the car around.
Paul Bates concluded: ‘The test went really well and in my opinion their overall impressions were that they thought the car was great; the handling, brakes and that it was a fun car to drive. Hopefully we can get them onboard this year.’
Here are some more pics taken during daylight hours at the Britcar 24hr race at Silverstone. Great time..
highly recommend going to the next one. Or even the next race which is on 30th October night race at Donington park
What an amazing race. Weather could have been better, but oh well. The smart cars lead the parade laps just before the start of the race, which was great fun and also helped to promote the new race series.
I would like to say a big thank you to James Tucker and all the Britcar team for looking after us so well all weekend. Roll on next year when all the fortwo cup drivers will join in the fun and glamour of the Britcar series. Which I believe will be called the British endurance championship. This new status will mean bigger and better cars from all over Europe will be competing. Even better exposure for the fortwo cup.
Please see our updates race information under the fortwo cup heading.
