Premier Logistics Christopher takes the title

A guesting Chris Smiley took up a late offer to race one of Team Hard’s Golf’s in the VAG Trophy finale and despite not having raced this season, showed his class with two dominant victories.

28 cars made it to the grid for the first of the final day’s races following a wet qualifying session.

Didge Dziurzynski had pole on his first time out in the ex David Sutton Scirocco. “It felt alright but we are used to driving old cars and this was driveable straight away,” he explained.

He had Sam Edwards Golf sharing the front row, with former Mini Challenge Champion Chris Smiley heading row two. “I had a call from Tony Gilham on Wednesday asking if I would like to race and here I am,” he said.

Alex Dziurzynski was alongside Smiley in his ex James Greenway Scirocco. “I tested the day before but still getting used to the car,” he said.

Mark Smith’s Scirocco and Martyn Culley’s Seat Leon shared the next row. “I found it very slippery and just did what I had to,” said Smith. “The track was covered in leaves for the first few laps but I was near the front and had clear vision. I got a bit of understeer and guessed my wet set up which seemed almost bullet proof,” Culley added.

Darelle Wilson was seventh quickest with his diesel Scirocco, just edging out BTCC driver Martin Depper who was guesting in a Maximum Scirocco.

But the main title contenders found themselves in ninth and 11th. Lee Christopher’s Scirocco’s led the way, with Paul Taylor 11th having hired a Team Hard Golf after his own Seat was damaged at Donington. ”It was the worst conditions I have been in, so much spray,” said Christopher. “I aquaplaned off at Old Hall but it was my first time in this car in the wet,” Taylor added.

They were split by Paul Ivens’ Scirocco in 10th,”the car felt good but I couldn’t see,” he reckoned. Cameron Thompson also had a problem with visibility in his Scirocco. “Couldn’t see and was aquaplaning,” he explained.

Chris Mohan’s Golf took the class B pole by a massive 11 seconds over returnee Steven Rowland’s Beetle. “I was busy looking for standing water but it went OK for me,” said Mohan. “My first race for 18 months having smashed my Mk2 Golf up at Snetterton,” Rowland added.

Further down the order Mini Challenge racer Simon Walton was making his debut with the Power Maxed Golf, but found the Lodge gravel trap when he was trying to find his way back to the pitlane.

Class B Champion was also struggling after beefing his Golf up to class A spec. “I lost fifth gear so I pitted as I thought I had broken a driveshaft,” he said.

RACE ONE

It was still raining as the grid formed up but it was three abreast for the lead into Old Hall at the start, before Smiley led onto the Avenue from Didge Dziurzynski and Edwards.

As early as the second lap the lead trio began to split up, with fourth placed Alex Dziurzynski coming under pressure from Wilson as Depper edged close to their duel too.

Smiley’s lead continued to grow but by the end of lap four Edwards was poised to challenge Didge for second. Taylor had made it past Smith for seventh and Culley was poised to follow, while Thompson was busy fending off Christopher’s quest for 10th.

Wilson had just made it into fourth when he headed for the pits, “it just went into neutral on its own,” he explained. But there was still no respite for Alex as he had Depper inches from his tailgate.

Once Christopher had got ahead of Thompson and Culley, he latched onto Smith and was setting his sights on Taylor too.

But it was all change on lap five, with Edwards going side by side through Knickerbrook with Didge before taking second up Clay Hill, Depper took fourth from Alex through Cascades and both Christopher and Culley ousted Smith from seventh and started to reign in on Taylor too. “I had fended Martin off I thought but then couldn’t see him and hoped I hadn’t put him off. Then this green car suddenly appeared and it was too late for me to respond,” Alex explained.

Smiley cruised through the remaining laps to take victory by 2.460s from Edwards. But having held onto third Didge finally succumbed to Depper’s challenge on the last lap. “I had stayed out of trouble at the start

and then on the last lap Didge went wide at Knickerbrook and I reeled him at Druids, before going ahead at Lodge,” he explained.

“The car was fantastic but we need to play about a bit with tyre pressures. I had overshot Knickerbrook and didn’t want a penalty so decided to let Martin go,” Didge replied.

Taylor, Christopher and Culley ran nose to tail for a while.” I was trying to ride shotgun for Paul, “said Culley. Taylor held onto the place, “I had a good start but couldn’t hold onto the quick guys and didn’t want to throw it away,” he said.

Christopher was only 2/10ths behind at the flag, “a great duel with Paul he backed me up to Culley and did a good job, but Martyn went off twice at Cascades chasing me,” he replied.

Smith finally pipped Culley for eighth after initially dropping back from the three way fight for sixth. “Once they got by I couldn’t stay with them as I struggled for rear end grip,” he said,

Thompson was heading for a top 10 finish too until he went off on lap eight. “I was having a good duel and glanced down at the wrong time and was off at Lodge,” he said. His exit left a clutchless Simon Deaton to complete the top 10 on his Scirocco.

Mohan took Class B comfortably from Rowland and Christie Doran after Barrie Culley’s Vento retired with a wheel bearing failure.

RACE TWO

There was only one casualty from the first race when Allum’s Golf blew the turbo and so 27 cars lined up for the last race of the year with the title still to be settled between Christopher and Taylor.

The rain had stopped but it was still damp when the lights went out. Smiley led Edwards and Depper through Old Hall, but Didge was soon into third as Depper lost out.

Taylor and Christopher were together again in fifth and sixth, with Alex D, John Stevens, Smith and Kenan Dole completing the early top ten.

Christopher was in trouble though, “It wouldn’t rev on the warm up lap then cut out and I lost my gears,” he explained. He was down to 11th after two laps and continued to fall.

Depper was back into third at Old Hall on lap three and second at Druids before the lap was completed as it was beginning to hot up when the red flags came out.

Smith and Dole had been fighting for eighth and both went wide exiting Old Hall. Smith shot across the track and piled into the barriers bringing an immediate race stoppage.

The restart had hardly got underway when there was more contact in the tricky conditions. Damani Marcano had caught Thompson’s rear exiting Old Hall and the Scirocco spun. A chain reaction left the Golf’s of Amy Dziurzynski and Simon Tomlinson locked together. “Like dragon flies,” Simon reckoned. But James Stevens’ Golf was launched into an alarming roll from which he walked away and the red flags flew once more.

The race was declared at the end of the opening two laps with Smiley confirmed as a double winner from Edwards, Didge D, Depper, Taylor and Alex D, with class B identical to the first race with Mohan heading home Rowland and Doran, from Michael Harding and Barrie Culley.

The final points in the championship couldn’t have been closer however, with Taylor thought to have just taken it initially. Christopher had been classified 10th but after recounts and double checks he was confirmed as the 2015 Champion by a solitary point.

“I really can’t believe it as it hasn’t sunk in. I came to Oulton expecting to finish second in the championship and now I am the Champion. My first full years racing and it’s great to have been supported by the Slidesports Team and my family and friends,” he concluded.

“That couldn’t have been much closer, a great year though and it’s down to the people that backed me and my wife for putting up with it,” Taylor added.