Success at Spa Francorchamps

2010 6 Hours of SPA Francorchamps

AC COBRA

Qualifying

Once again, Olly partnered Grahame Bryant and Andrew Smith aboard the trusty Cobra for the annual 6-hour race. Qualifying went well in drying conditions with Andrew and Grahame successfully completing there mandatory laps and Andrew getting a good run in the car with some competitive times. Olly went out at the end of the session as the track dried and set a time of 2m56.348s to put the car 5th overall and 2nd in the GT car class. The front row was made up of the Ford GT40s of Leo Voyazides and Richard Meins.

Race

Grahame was passed by several cars on the opening lap but soon settled into a good rhythm and was running well. As usual the race had been shortened as it started late so this allowed us the team to pit the car and get Andrew on track with no queue at the fuel pumps. Andrew had an excellent stint and was running in the top 5 by the end of his 2 hours. Unfortunately as he handed the car over to Olly, the queue at the fuel pumps was large and the car lost a great deal of time waiting for a pump to become available. Olly resumed as the sun had set and was lapping in the 2m56s in the dark. The heavens then opened and the track became flooded within in handful of laps. The Cobra struggled for grip in these conditions and Olly was forced to pit to clear the window that had an oily deposit on the outside and was steamed up on the inside. For the remaining 2 hours of the race, Olly struggled on through the torrential rain to bring the car home 5th overall and 2nd in class after a very difficult race.

WORLD SPORTS CAR MASTERS

Lola T70MK3b

Qualifying

Olly qualified the Lola in 2nd position in the very wet qualifying session with a time of 2m.58.394s just 0.094s off pole.

Race

Olly was on the tail of the race leader and at the end of the first lap, when the engine cut out and the car coasted to a halt at the bottom of Eau Rouge. Olly couldn’t get the car re-started so had to retire.

TOP HAT TOURING CARS

Plymouth Barracuda

Qualifying

The circuit was wet for this session and big Plymouth slid around in a time of 3m36.633s, and 4th in class.

Race

Grahame Bryant started the race and was running well. Olly took over after the 1-minute compulsory pit stop and set about catching the Ford Mustang which was 3rd in class. Unfortunately that car had not waited for the mandatory 1 minute and gained a large amount of time. Olly was closing on the Mustang at several seconds a lap but the race wasn’t quite long enough and he crossed the line under 5 seconds behind at the flag and 4th in class.

MASTERS PRE-66 GT CARS

AC Cobra

Qualifying

Qualifying for the 2-hour race took place just before the Spa 6 hour qualifying, which the car was also competing in. Olly therefore just completed the mandatory 3 laps as the circuit was wet and he didn’t want to risk anything for the main race. 16th quickest was the result.

Race

The race took place at the end of the weekend and in torrential rain. Grahame opted not to drive so Olly was in it alone for 2 hours to try and win the race they’d won for 5 years in a row from 2004-2008. Olly got off to a good start and was on the tail of the lead few cars after 3 laps. As the weather worsened, Olly capitalised on the situation and moved up through the spray into 2nd position after the pit stops. The rain then stopped but the greasy circuit was just as treacherous and Olly balanced the car on the throttle from corner to corner. The car was breaking traction in a straight line so full throttle could barely be used. Olly closed on the lead AC Cobra of Simon Hadfield but eventually the gap evened out at around 10 seconds and stayed that way until the flag.

U2TC

BMW 1800ti

Qualifying

The highly competitive field for under two-litre touring cars attracted 50 cars to this event. A wet qualifying session with several yellow flags eventually lead to 14th overall and 4th in class.

Race

Grahame started the race and was having a competitive run and some great battles with Lotus Cortinas, Minis and other similar BMWs. A huge accident involving John Young in the Alan Mann Racing Lotus Cortina put out a lengthy safety car period but also allowed Grahame to pit in a good position relative to the leaders. Unfortunately the car had developed a misfire so was seriously down on straight-line speed when Olly took over. Olly pressed on hard and was soon running in 3rd position battling with Richard Postin’s BMW and a French driven Lotus Cortina. Olly got passed them both on several occasions through the corners but lost out on the long-haul up the Kemmel straight where the misfire was at its worst, and they simply blasted back past. At the flag, Olly had to settle with 4th place, 2nd in class and just 1.7 seconds behind 2nd overall.

Sir Stirling Moss Trophy

Lotus XV

Qualifying

Another wet session allowed Olly to plant the little Lotus in 3rd position on the grid, in front of the other Lotus XVs, and just behind the two torque Listers which made up the front row.

Race

Olly made a good start but was forced to the inside for La Source and had to take a tight line, this caused the car to bog down and several cars got passed on the way to Eau Rouge. Olly soon began to pick these position off and after the pit stops he was running in 6th position. He then had several multi-lap battles with the Lister Knobbly driven by Ewan Mcintyre, and the Lotus XV of Jamie Mcintyre. Olly also had to find his way past the Lister Jaguar of Gary Pearson before setting off after the 2nd place Lotus XV of Joe Twyman and Roger Wills. Olly had the XV flying at this point lapping the fastest on the circuit and he closed on the cars ahead but fell short and was 3rd overall at the flag, to make up an all Lotus XV podium. Danny Wright was 1st with Joe and Roger 2nd.