NEWS RELEASE: 3 JULY 2011

DOUBLE DUTCH FOR CHAPLIN AS HE CLAIMS RACING CUP LEAD

With two wins under his belt from yesterday’s Dutch rounds of the Volkswagen Racing Cup with FUCHS Lubricants, it’s no surprise to learn that Steve Chaplin loves the circuit of Zandvoort. The Beetle-driving reigning champion not only won both races but also claimed the fastest lap in each, and a new lap record. Shrewd playing of his points-doubling ‘Joker’ card in the first race has also brought him a handsome championship lead.

Seventeen-year-old Zoe Wenham delighted everybody, including herself, with a fantastic second place in race two. “What a great race. I can’t wait to do the same in England,” the Golf GTI racer said after her superb performance.

Not everybody was as happy, however. Aaron Mason went to Zandvoort as championship leader, but lost his points advantage after placing 16th and seventh in respective races. Steve Wood, who had been second in the championship, fared even worse, finishing neither race.

Round 7
Brands Hatch race victor Kieran Griffin qualified his Addison Lee Scirocco on pole position on Friday and seemed to have made a great start as he led the pack into turn one. A jump start, race control concluded, so a drive-through penalty was ordered. But Kieran was unable to take his penalty as his race came to a premature end on lap two when James Walker, trying to pass Griffin, forced an error from him and Griffin crashed into the tyre wall, ending his race and prompting a brief safety car period.

Aaron Mason’s Golf GTI took over in the lead, pursued by Chaplin, who had had a narrow escape during Griffin’s incident, having to take to the grass to avoid contact. Walker’s Golf followed in third position.

The safety car diminished the gap between Mason and Chaplin but at the restart Aaron’s reactions were as sharp as a knife: coming out of the last turn he stepped on the gas to hold his lead across the start/finish line, already 2.7 seconds ahead of Chaplin.

The Beetle driver was however eager to improve on the second and third places he scored last year at Zandvoort. He closed the gap within two laps, and then went head to head with Mason into turn one, Tarzan corner. Mason left his braking too late but managed to avoid a collision with Chaplin; instead he went sideways into the gravel and lost many places, compounded by a visit to the pits for mechanical attention.

The sixth-lap sort out put Chaplin on course for his second win of the season, which he claimed by a 5.8-second margin from 2008/’09 champion Joe Fulbrook in his Bora. Joe started sixth and wasted little time in battling towards the front, lifting third from Walker on lap five before Mason’s demise promoted him to second.

On his home track, Golf GTI driver Peter Lettinga put in the performance of his season to claim his first championship podium. The Dutchman steadily climbed the order from his seventh-placed grid slot and snatched third from Walker’s grasp on the final lap.

Zoe Wenham continued her impressive championship progress with fifth in her Golf, behind Walker and just ahead of Tim Snaylam’s GTI. Championship returnee Mike Kurton brought the sole surviving Scirocco home seventh, ahead of Thomas Wilson, Martyn Walsh and Nick Beaumont, whose 10th place was the best finish yet for the new Mk VI Golf GTI.

Caddy racer Simon Elliott pleased the crowds immensely on his way to 12th spot, just behind the Golf GTI of Simon Andrews.

Round 8
Snaylam, sixth in race one, started from pole position in the reverse-grid race, and led the first five laps ahead of Wenham, who despite being the youngest in the field has a year’s championship experience under her belt.

Fulbrook seemed to be the fastest in the opening laps, the Berkshire racer storming up to third from fifth on the grid. Chaplin meanwhile was making steadier progress towards the sharp end, passing Lettinga for fifth and Walker for fourth by lap four, surviving a lurid trip across the grass en route.

Wenham battled to take the lead from Snaylam several times and achieved the feat finally on lap six, only to lose top spot a couple of corners later to Chaplin, who had followed her through past Snaylam’s Golf. Zoe kept the Beetle racer honest to the chequered flag, and was afforded a bit of breathing space by a furious battle behind her for third between Snaylam and Fulbrook.

Wenham crossed the line 1.5s behind Chaplin to claim her first podium finish in the Volkswagen Racing Cup, with Snaylam hanging on to third for his first podium also. Tim cannily played his Joker card pre-race, hauling himself into the championship top seven as a result.

Chaplin had a great weekend, knowing that his opponents Mason and Wood lost a lot of points. “It was hard to pass everybody, but I’m very pleased with my two wins today.”

Wenham added: “I should have played my joker today,” she smiled. “But then again, I can save it for when I take my first win.”

Snaylam concludes: “Starting from pole and coming third may seem a loss but I’m content, knowing how fast Steve is. And of course I’m very glad for Zoe: she drove a great race.”

Fulbrook followed Snaylam home for fourth, 2.8s clear of Walker’s Golf and Lettinga, with Aaron Mason putting in a superb effort from near the back of grid to race to seventh, ahead of Griffin, Wilson and Kurton. Mark Howard’s Golf placed 11th, just ahead of Beaumont and Caddy man Elliott.

There’s a long summer break for the championship now – ample time for Chaplin to enjoy his 70-point championship lead and for his rivals to plot how they can whittle it away.