Volkswagen Racing Cup News
News

Pictured: Aaron Mason. Click to open hi-resolution version

NEWS RELEASE: 11 JULY 2014

MASON FASTEST IN SPA QUALIFYING BATTLE

Three-tenths of a second covered the top five in qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps this morning, with championship leader and reigning title-holder Aaron Mason claiming pole position by a whisker for this afternoon’s ninth round of the Milltek Sport Volkswagen Racing Cup.

Mason’s best lap of the 7km Belgian Grand Prix circuit was nearly three seconds inside last year’s Spa pole time, and the Doncaster driver was pleased with his performance: “It was very greasy out there for the first few laps but then the tyres came in and the lap times kept coming down. The tyres ‘stayed in’ for longer than I was expecting – I think the long straights here help cool them and prolong their life. It’s very close and it will make for an interesting race.”

Snetterton victor Stefan Di Resta will line up second on the grid; the Scot was only a hundredth slower than Mason despite limited experience of Spa. “Yesterday was my first time here,” said Stefan, “and I managed only 12 laps because of a power steering problem, so I am very pleased.”

Lucas Orrock was third, and the top man in an ultra-competitive KPM Racing squad, with all his team-mates inside the top 12. Sam Morgan was sixth, rookie George White ninth and Philip Morris 12th on his competitive debut in his new KPM Golf.

David Sutton will line up fifth for SlideSports: “Given my recent run of luck I am very pleased to be three-tenths off the pole time,” he said. “It’s very close and I always seem to go better in the races than in qualifying…”

Championship newcomer Chris Smiley was Team HARD’s front man in eighth, two places ahead of running mate Howard Fuller. Chris Panayiotou was seventh for Maximum Motorsport, a second quicker than last year’s pole man Stewart Lines, who will go from 11th.

AWM drivers Josh Caygill and James Greenway both suffered engine problems, Greenway managing only half a lap before his Scirocco ground to a halt – this despite an overnight engine change. Joe Fulbrook found a lack of straightline speed hampering his progress; he qualified 14th.

Provisional qualifying top 10, Spa-Francorchamps 11 July 2014
1  Aaron MASON  Scirocco R  2:46.315
2  Stefan DI RESTA  Scirocco R  2:46.328
3  Lucas ORROCK  Scirocco R  2:46.371
4  James WALKER  Golf GTI  2:46.526
5  David SUTTON  Scirocco R  2:46.635
6  Sam MORGAN  Golf GTI  2:47.347
7  Chris PANAYIOTOU  Scirocco R  2:47.401
8  Chris SMILEY  Golf GTI  2:47.535
9  George WHITE  Scirocco R  2:48.115
10 Howard FULLER  Golf GTI  2:48.439 etc

Full times