ROUND 5 – MONTEGI EAST – 6th DECEMBER 2009

LANCER IN A CORNER

ScoLancer makes it two on the trot – Brilliant last corner victory denies
Pete – JC Meister in the hunt early on in great clean battle - Pete takes the
FTCC after problems for others – Raver takes first season victory in
Supermini's – Big Supermini crash – Lag hits Gixerben hard.

Lancer grabs his last corner victory

ENTRY

Gixerben – Mini Cooper, BMW M3 E36, Porsche 997 Turbo –

Meeting Rating 6

No change for Gixerben in the Supermini and Enduro, but he was left
rueing his PI in the FTCC.

JC Meister – Fiat Abrath, VW Corrado, Dodge Viper – Meeting

Rating 7

JC had done little work in the week testing wise, believing a change of luck
was what he needed the most.
Major Raver – Alfa Romeo MiTo, Seat Cupra Leon, Ford RS200 –
Meeting Rating 7

Raver replaced his tail happy BMW for a Seat Leon, whilst his Ford GT was
still in 680PI trim.

Maverick – Renault Twingo, Mugen Integra, Ferrari 360 CS –

Meeting Rating 5

Maverick had been complaining of ABS issues on all 3 cars through the
week, but his line-up remained unchanged.

ScoLancer – Toyota Yaris, Mugen Integra, Dodge Viper 08 –

Meeting Rating 9

Lancer was showing Vodafone sponsorship and a PI drop on his Sunset

winning Enduro car; his other two mounts remained untouched.

Vanquish BHP – Scion XD, Mercedes C32, Lamborghini Muira 06 –

Meeting Rating 7

Enduro leader Vanquish admitted he was worried about the pace of Pete
in the Enduro, but was confident of a good showing in the FTCC with his
impressive Sonic Mercedes.

Wiseoldduck – Mini Cooper, Honda Civic Alfa Romeo 8C – Meeting

Rating 7

Wise had been heavily at work with his testing, getting the Mini more
stable. His Alfa had been present at MART engineering for some work and
he found the car an improvement but had already confirmed he will be
leaving the Milan Stable for next season.

Wookie Pete – Renault Twingo, Mugen Civic, Ferrari 360 CS -

Meeting Rating 9
Pete was worried about the lack of straight line speed on his Ferrari, due
to the PI drop, but was confident of a strong showing across the board in
his unchanged cars.

FX ENDURO – MONTEGI EAST 25 LAPS

As the cars lined up on the grid the advantage was given to JC Meister and
then the two Ferrari’s of Wookie and Maverick. Gixerben though made a
fantastic start to split the two Italian cars in to the first corner only to find
Wookie retake the spot on the corner exit. Pete was already on a
challenge and lined up a very rugged Maverick through the esses to grab
second, but Maverick held strong and Pete was now watching his mirrors
as Gix was attacking. Through the second esses it all feel nicely for
Lancer as Maverick went wide, as did Gix and Raver, and Lancer was
through to fourth, behind a slightly delayed Pete who slowed to avoid
Maverick as he rejoined the circuit. It took Pete to the end of lap 3 to
dislodge Maverick, ironically at the last corner for later as Maverick out
braked himself on the inside line. For Maverick a promising early laps
went all wrong in the second corner on the next lap, Wise who was on a
charge was up to 4th and attacked the subway Ferrari down the inside into
the esses, Mav though turned in to early and the two made contact, the
Alfa out and Maverick limping back to the pits. This put Lancer up to third
and he set about chasing down the top two, Pete only 2 seconds behind JC
Meister still out front.

Three laps in and the pack is still close

Vanquish was holding on to 4th with Gixerben in close company, Raver
behind them was looking rather ragged and pitted on lap 5 for some clear
air knowing he would be clear of Maverick. Vanquish followed Raver in to
the pits two laps later and came out for 4 seconds ahead of the Ford, but
the championship leader set about expanding that gap quickly with some
fine consistent lapping, his pace in the second half being so impressive
that he wasn't far off the times of the three out front.

By lap 12 and the top three were all over each other in a fantastic clean
battle, Lancer getting alongside Pete twice, whilst Pete nibbling at the
back of JC’s leading Viper. Finally though on the start of lap 14 Pete made
his move and out braked the Champion into the first corner to take the
lead, this prompted both JC and Lancer to pit at the end of the lap, JC
making slightly the quicker stop as they rejoined second and third.

On lap 17 Lancer finally found a way past JC only to make a mistake a lap
later and let JC back past, great clean stuff. On lap 18 Pete made his stop
and he managed to rejoin ahead of the warring pair of American Muscle
cars. The top 3 were at it again, but on lap 20 a mistake by JC let Lancer
back through and he now started to try and home in on Pete, but the
problem for the Scot was he was unable to find the punch on the straights
to get close enough, the corners though no problem. JC behind them was
trying everything to make up for this mistake, and for a while was closing
back in, but another off 2 laps from the end put paid to him joining the
grandstand finish. On to the last lap and Lancer knew he needed
something special to alter the top step of the podium, he got alongside
coming down to the first corner but that was no go, but he was trying so
hard and coming under up to the twisty section near the end of the lap he
found himself right on the tail of the Ferrari and coming out he got the
traction down well and mounted a challenge down to the last corner. Pete
put the Ferrari on the inside line to defend the right hand final corner,
daring Lancer to try and go around him on the outside, on the dirtier side
of the track. Lancer accepted the challenge and they headed into the
final corner side by side, but it was Pete that realised he had a problem as
he turned in to the final corner, his braking just slightly later on a tighter
line, whilst Lancer broke slightly earlier, envisaging a cut back on the
corner exit. It worked a treat, as Pete drifted wide the nose of the Dodge
snuck up the inside and pulled in front on the drag to the chequered flag,
Lancer a double winner, Pete a graceful new championship leader, a
brilliant battle to the end. For JC third was a good result, to a nightmare of
a meeting, but the reigning champion was rueing earlier mistakes and
missing the chance to gatecrash the grandstand finish. Vanquish lost his
Championship lead to Pete with 4th, but it was a fine drive and the Muira
just continues to impress. Behind him Maverick stole 5th near the end
from Raver, who seemed to be all at sea in the Ford GT.
 JC Meister leads Wookie and Lancer in a classic clean race

So two on the bounce for Lancer, who is making a late charge to join the
championship party. It’s still wide open, but whatever happens Sunday's
race will go down as one of the very best Enduro’s ever.

RESULT AFTER 25LAPS

1. ScoLancer Dodge Viper (A670) 36mins 00.121 seconds

2. Wookie Pete Ferrari 360CS (A650) +1second

3. JC Meister Dodge Viper (A670) +6seconds

4. Vanquish Lamborgini Muira (A660) +14seconds

5. Maverick ZX Ferrari 360CS (S710) +1minute 10seconds

6. Major Raver Ford GT (A680) +1 Lap

7. Gixerben Porsche 997T (A680) DNF

8. Wiseoldduck Alfa Romeo 8C (S730) DNF

Fastest Lap: Wookie Pete 1:23:864 (NEW LAP RECORD)

Raver leads the Supper-mini race into the first corner.

FX SUPERMINIS – MONTEGI EAST - 3 LAPS

Major had pole for this with the little Fiat 500 alongside of JC, the two cars that seem
usually the quickest off the line. Raver seemed to get the power down first but JC had
the better traction and he offered a look at the Coca-Cola car in to the first corner.
Deciding to play safe he decided not to lung down the inside, which compromised him
slightly and letting Wise's Mini through to second as they headed under the bridge,
Lancer in the Swan Vesta car following them through with Maverick alongside him. What
happened next in the chicane sequence left Raver with a massive lead as Wise now in
second had chaos reign behind him. What actually happened will remain a mystery as
various replays seem to suggest different things. JC going through the esses seemed to
lose a bit of balance, or did he get the slightest nudge from Maverick, either way he
slowed and was hit what seemed like at the exact same time by Lancer and Maverick.
This sent him spinning, Lancer spearing off in to the gravel, Maverick with damage and
Pete taking a hefty whack from the spinning Fiat. This put Gixer up to third with
Vanguish fourth.

Raver was untouched at the front and finished lap one 4 seconds in front, the lead safe
he extended that slightly over the next couple of laps for a comfortable win, surprisingly
his first of the season. Behind him Gixerben was trying his all to gain top Mini honours
from Wise, the two dropping Vanquish and having a right battle, but on the start of lap
Gixerben got his nose in front on the run down to the first corner, only to out brake
himself and go off, Wise doing the same thing though in sympathy, allowing Vanquish
through to second. Both Mini’s rejoined but this allowed the recovering Lancer and
Wookie to close up and Lancer pulled off a fantastic overtaking move two corners from
home to drop Wise to fifth. Both Wise and Gixerben were left thinking they both could
have been second.

Spare a thought for JC though, having decided to play safe at the first corner and avoid
any contact, he was again on the receiving end of punishment to his little Abrath through
no fault of his own; surely his luck has to change soon.
 Result after 3 Laps

1. Major Raver

2. Vanquish

3. Gixerben

4. ScoLancer

5. Wiseoldduck

6. Wookie Pete

7. JC Meister

8. Maverick

Fastest Lap: ScoLancer 1:40:852 (NEW LAP RECORD)

FTCC – MONTEGI EAST – 7 LAPS

Pete was confident of success here and led Gixerben and Maverick
through the opening corners, with Raver chasing these guys down in the
new Seat, but he made a mistake and drifted wide, then as he tried to
stay on track he had slight contact with Lancer which pitched him wide
and into the path of the unlucky JC, with a heavy smash to them both. A
racing accident in all parts, although Raver blamed his cold brakes for
starting the messy sequence of event off. Raver pitted and returned to
the fray last but set the second fastest lap of the race, whilst JC run
strongly with a damaged car for a while until his usual dismal support luck
reared his head and he found his car in a mess on debris from Gixerben's
later retirement.
 Super-mini chaos with JC facing the wrong way.

Gixerben was looking to get after the leading Honda, but his hopes
vanished when Maverick left his braking a little too late and spun the
BMW, this put the Brawn GP Sponsored car back to 6th and this became
worse later when his car fall apart causing his retirement. Pete had a nice
lead which he continued to extend; Vanquish now up to second in the
impressive Mercedes gave chase but knew it was in vain, whilst Lancer
rounded out the podium. Fourth was Wiseoldduck who was very happy
with the continuing improving fortunes of his new Honda.

Result after 7 Laps

1. Wookie Pete

2. Vanquish

3. ScoLancer

4. Wiseoldduck

5. Maverick

6. Major Raver

7. JC Meister

8. Gixerben
Fastest Lap: Wookie Pete 1:33:411 (New Lap Record)

ROUND-UP

So off to the double pointer at the Ring which should give a clearer picture
on all 3 fronts to who is the championship favourite in each championship,
will Lancer and Pete continue their strong form or will Vanquish and
Gixerben bring themselves back into the fray?