Race Report for Qualifying One
Bonamy Grimes snatches pole from GTO rivals
It was a damp, grey morning at Snetterton for the GT Cup’s first qualifying session. Seventeen of the twenty-strong grid took to the circuit to decide their grid positions. We’re used to seeing a GTO car qualify on overall pole position, but clearly the conditions favoured Bonamy Grimes from group GTC. Grimes put in a fantastic 1:57.609 (the only car to qualify below two minutes) to claim both the GTC and overal pole.
Sitting alongside Grimes on the grid for the Sprint Race will be a second FF Corse Ferrari, also from GTC. Dan de Zille took the car out for the session, putting in a time just five hundredths over the two minute mark. Third on the grid is the first GTO competitor - Richard Chamberlain in the vibrant Porsche 935.
GTB pole went the way of David Frankland in the Valor Racing Porsche 911 and he’ll line up 18th overall. His only rival in GTB is the pairing of James Simons and Fraser Smart. Smart will be behind the wheel of their Lotus Evora for the first sprint of the weekend, which will also be their GT Cup debut.
GTH is the largest group on the grid with a grand total of seven cars competing this weekend. Pole in this group went to Team Hard Racing’s #21 Ginetta in the hands of Sam Randon and Josh Jackson. Randon put in a 2:04.619, a time good enough for GTH pole and seventh overall.
Starting from ninth overall is the GTA polesitter, Grahame Tilley. Tilley’s Ginetta lines up ahead of Team Hard’s second Ginetta and the BMW E36 of Del Shelton and Geoff Steel Racing.
