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Downing on the up after sensational GT Cup victory in Mosler
Apr 30 2018

Downing on the up after sensational GT Cup victory in Mosler

Gareth Downing converted pole position into a maiden victory for the National Motorsport Academy team in the third and final GT Cup race at Donington Park. The Mosler MT900 delivered a faultless performance in the 50-minute endurance race, with Downing leading a chasing Nigel Hudson and Adam Wilcox by 23 seconds.
 
Downing hung onto the lead from pole as the field rushed into Redgate and would not surrender it thanks to a rapid first stint. Wilcox trimmed the gap after taking over the HUD Motorsport JMH Automotive Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in the second half of the race but could not stop Downing from clinching his first win in some time.
 
“Four years we’ve been in it and it’s the first outright win for it,” said a delighted Downing on the rebuilt Mosler’s success. “I’m delighted. We knew that the car, when it came out on Thursday, was quick. It was about tailoring the set-up changes to maintain tyre life and the brakes, knowing that it would need 50 minutes to take it to the finish.”
 
Group GTB was once again a tightly-contested affair, this time won by Welch Motorsport’s Porsche 991 in the hands of Matt Telling and Pete Parsons. Telling had to play catch-up in his battle with the Saxon Motorsport BMW of Nick Barrow, making his move stick before pit stops cycled through to grab the crucial advantage.
 
“The first two races yesterday were cool,” said Parsons. “I was lucky enough to do that, then today Matt stuck with them and did all the hard work. When I got in the car, I just kind of stayed out of trouble, didn’t get any damage and came away with a trophy. You can’t get better than that. The thing about it is that you know who you’re battling with in your class, so you give racing room and respect.”
 
Telling enjoyed his GT Cup experience as well. “It’s been a brilliant weekend and it’s great the way the Championship is set up. There’s interaction and team spirit and a real variety of cars to race against.”
 
Michael Igoe’s visit to Donington Park ended in emphatic style as he completed a hat-trick of race victories in Group GTC, leading from pole position and running third overall at one stage in his Porsche 991 GT3 Cup.
 
“I didn’t think it was going to be as good as this,” said Igoe. “It was a pretty special weekend, simply lovely. It’s a great team, great car, and great coach: the same things I’ve been saying all weekend. It was hot in the car, but I got my head down and gave it the shoe!”
 
In Group GTH it would be another hat-trick, this time for the eye-catching Maserati GT4 of Sam Randon and Anglo-Swedish co-driver Freddy Nordstrom. The latter enjoyed a strong opening stint before handing over to Randon, who kept the Ebor 23 squad’s GTH rivals of Whitebridge Motorsport at bay.
 
“We got the pitstop done quite smoothly after a few practice runs beforehand”, said Randon. “Freddy built up a good gap for me, so I had to just go out and bring it home.”
 
Nordstrom added: “it’s quite an easy car to drive I think. Coming from cars with more power, the less power you go to always feels right. It’s a cool, stable car, and neither of us have been off the road.”
 
Gary Smith and James Reveller added a second win to their own tally with Topcats Racing to open the season, the Ginetta G55 coming home victorious in Group GTA on a successful first weekend for both with their new team.
 
“It was a great fight and it’s always nice to have a battle with cars that are faster in places,” said Reveller. “It’s a big challenge, but great fun going around with them. It’s a great team, great environment, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming races. It’s been a really good weekend.”
 
“It was a cracking race,” added team-mate Smith. “James got a good start and latched onto the Ferrari and was almost pushing it along, putting in qualifying times throughout the first half of the race. He was fantastic and didn’t put a foot wrong. It was a case of just keeping our head down, fighting with some cars that should have been quicker than us and I’ll take my hat off to James – we’re a cracking pairing. I’ve got a bit of catching up to do!”
 
Result
 
Group GTO
 
1 – Gareth Downing – National Motorsport Academy (Mosler MT900)
2 – Nigel Hudson / Adam Wilcox – HUD Motorsport / JMH Automotive (Aston Martin Vantage GT3)
3 – Paul Gibson / Daniel Gibson – Gibson Motorsport (McLaren 650S GT3)
 
Group GTC
 
1 – Michael Igoe – JMH Automotive (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Gen 2)
2 – Paul Bailey / Phil Glew – Horse Power Racing / SB Race Engineering (Ferrari 488 Challenge)
 
Group GTB
 
1 – Pete Parsons / Matt Telling – Welch Motorsport (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Gen 1)
2 – Nick Barrow / Richard Corbett – Saxon Motorsport (BMW 150 GTR)
3 – Warren Gilbert / Jon Harrison – Topcats Racing (Marcos Mantis)
 
Group GTH
 
1 – Sam Randon / Freddy Nordstrom – Ebor 23 (Maserati Granturismo GT4)
2 – Chris Murphy / Adam Hatfield – Whitebridge Motorsport (Aston Martin Vantage GT4)
3 – Steve Ruston / John Whitehouse – JMH Automotive (Ginetta G55 GT4)
 
Group GTA
 
1 – James Reveller / Gary Smith – Topcats Racing (Ginetta G55)

 

 

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