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![[*]](./images/reborn/default_icon.gif) posted on 26-6-2005 at 08:41 PM |
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GT Battle, Drift and Track, Rockingham Speedway, 25-6-05
The GT Battle event took Jon44w.Com on our first trip to Rockingham Oval in Corby. Corby is in
Northamptonshire and is located very close to Silverstone and Santa Pod. A early start and quick flight over saw us arrive at the awesome venue bright
and early to catch all the track and drift action. The line up of drivers included a host of famous names and famous including Andy Barnes from Sumo,
Rocket Ronnie, Fensport, Norris Designs, Abbey Motorsport, RC Developments and a couple of Japanese Drifters including the world famous nut case Ken
Nomura. A little more about him later.
After we got used to the staggering size of the place we collected our press passes which allowed into an exclusive group of well known magazine
photographers. With Max Power on one side of us and Fast Car on the other Baz and Brona set about their photos too. The action started off with the
Drift cars having a practice and qualifying session. As it was raining, if only just a slight drizzle, the track was very slippery and only a few cars
made it around the first corner without spinning. Some were unlucky enough to hit the armco, others ended up in the gravel, but the word coming back
from the pits was that it was very difficult. One driver told us "as you come off the main straight to drift into the first right hander your off
camber as the track slopes down and then there's a bump on the track which throws the car off, if you master that corner then there's a chance of
surface to cope with as you come into the S bend" A few driver which caught the eye very early on were a couple of Dutch drivers. One was piloting an
M5 and the other a BMW Touring car and they were impressive. But by far the most committed and enthusiastic were the D1 IRL drivers. There were just
as many, if not more, of them sliding around the track and the standard of their driving edged out that of their D1 UK competitors.
While the drifting action was happening the time attack trials were starting to get warmed up around the inside of the oval. The loud rasp of exhausts
and ear piercing whistling of the turbos made us turn our heads away from the drifting all the time as some blindingly quick times were set. As
qualifying was getting cleared up two famous Japanese D1 Drift drivers came out onto the track. At first we thought they would take it easy because
the track was so damp and slippery. As the first driver, Ken Nomura, came bombing along the back straight it was astonishing to see him enter the
corner about 90mph. Fully committed he starting drifting about thirty feet before anyone else had tried. As he came out of the first corner he
perfectly executed the S bend with no trouble at all. All the media stood their gob smacked as the pair jabbed on their hand brakes and came back the
other way. Once again, with pin point precision, they steered their sideways around the corners. This has to be the most impressive thing I have ever
seen in my life. The confidence and skill of Nomura was second to none. As he jumped out of his car in the pit lane to take the cheers and applause
from the crowd he slipped and nearly fell on his head. Instead of being embarrassed he jumped up onto the way and started bouncing around like a
monkey as the spectators cheered, laughed and applauded him!
Once the qualifying was finished it was down to the finals and the drift lads went first. An impressive one, two, three for the D1 IRL lads rounded
off an impressive and well deserved display from the all. It was clear to see they were a close knit team as they all supported and cheered each other
the whole way through the event. Well done guys and girls. The time attack was finished off just before the 6pm closure deadline and sadly the 0-60
time sprints did not happen. I am not sure of the reason but lack of entries might have been why.
To round up it was a great days fun and well worth the trip over. A big thanks to Lex and all the organisers for sorting us out with passes, to
Rockingham Speedway for sorting us with press access, to Fly from Max Power who slagging the D1 IRL drivers off (then had to apologise to us as they
came 1st, 2nd and 3rd!), for the D1 IRL drivers for their comedy in Burger King, to Fuzzy at Flush Bus for just being Fuzzy and to Baz and Brona for
their photos.
Drift Battle - Final 16
1 - 48 - Damien Mulvey - Nissan 180SX - Track Performance - 87 pts
2 - 59 - Martin French - Nissan 180SX - D1 IRL Drivers - 85pts
3 - 2 - Phil Morrison - Nissan 200SX S14a - Driftworks - 67 pts
4 - 52 - Walton Smith - Ford Sierra P100 - D1 IRL Drivers - 65 pts
5 - 4 - Julian Smith - Nissan Skyline R34 GTT - Watford Motorsport- 64 pts
6 - 15 - Brett Castle - Nissan 200SX S14a - OPT Motorsport - 60 pts
7 - 50 - Johnny Power - Nissan 180SX - D1 IRL Drivers - 57 pts
8 - 16 - Non Pompatanarak - Nissan Silvia S15 - OPT Motorsport - 57pts
9 - 30 - Declan Hicks - Mazda MX5 Turbo - Conedodgers - 52 pts
10 - 13 - Stephen Evans - Toyota Starlet - Supastylin / Riart Graffix - 51 pts
11 - 27 - Johan Jansen - BMW M5 - 50 pts
12 - 25 - Paul Vlasblom - BMW M3 Touring - Vlasblom Porsche Tuning - 47pts
13 - 11 - John Moffat - BMW M Coupe - Zoom Motorsport - 44 pts
14 - 5 - Matt Traynor - Nissan 200SX RPS13 - Nightspirit - 38 pts
15 - 57 - Sean Newe - Nissan Silvia S15 - D1 IRL Drivers - 35 pts
16 - 31 - Alan Tang - Nissan 200SX S13 - Pow-R/AI's Junkyard - 20 pts
Drift Battle - Final 4
1 - 52 - Walton Smith - Ford Sierra P100 - D1 IRL Drivers - 40 pts
2 - 59 - Martin French - Nissan 180SX - D1 IRL Drivers - 30pts
3 - 48 - Damien Mulvey - Nissan 180SX - Track Performance - 20 pts
4 - 2 - Phil Morrison - Nissan 200SX S14a - Driftworks - 10 pts
GT Time Attack - Final 15
1 - 52 - Gareth Lloyd - Ford Escort Cosworth - 1m30.73
2 - 7 - Andy Barnes - Honda Civic Type R - 1m35.08
3 - 23 - Steve Rance - Porsche GT3RS - 1m35.16
4 - 43 - Lee Manning / Renton - Ford Sierra Cosworth - 1m35.77
5 - 45 - Darren Bly - Nissan Skyline GTR32 - 1m35.99
6 - 60 - Kevin Atkins - Mitsubishi Evo - 1m36.38
7 - 26 - Andrew Baughan - Porsche GT3RS - 1m36.39
8 - 15 - Sean Breslin - Porsche GT3RS - 1m36.52
9 - 64 - Simon Norris - Lancer EVO 8 - 1m36.61
10 - 71 - Peter Everett - Nissan Skyline GTR33 - 1m37.24
11 - 55 - Mike Rainbird - Ford Escort Cosworth - 1m37.93
12 - 48 - Adrian Smith - Tyota Corolla - 1m39.90
13 - 28 - Sean Bicknell - Lotus Exige - 1m41.57
14 - 56 - Robbie Thornton - Nissan Skyline R32 GTR - 1m42.49
15 - 66 - Matt Taylor / Jeff Stokes - Lancer Evo V1 RS11 - 1m44.02
Report: John
Photos: Baz/Brona
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| posted on 26-6-2005 at 09:53 PM |
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