Atomcup 2nd race. 11-12 May - Cadwell Park

[Mark_]

I'm still waiting for RaceTV to get back to me with full transmission dates.  They originally said it was this coming Friday but not seen anything.  When I find out I'll post them on here....should be good viewing!

The racing from all rounds has been fantastic.

[Kezzie]

[quote="Mark_"]
I'm still waiting for RaceTV to get back to me with full transmission dates.  They originally said it was this coming Friday but not seen anything.  When I find out I'll post them on here....should be good viewing!

The racing from all rounds has been fantastic.
[/quote]

I understood it was going to be on Friday 17th May.
Just looked at Motors TV site and they have "FULL SPEED RACING EPISODE 4 - Action from the likes of MSVR F3 Cup, Team Trophy and Historic Minis, as well as news from the UK club-racing scene." at 18:25 so might be mixed in with that.

Adrian

[Mark_]

Might be a mention in there but we also have our own 30min program.

[Kezzie]

[quote="Mark_"]
Might be a mention in there but we also have our own 30min program.
[/quote]

Superb, I'll look forward to watching that.
Is there one 30 min programme per race meet?

[Mark_]

Yup.  As yet we have not been able to get Tom on the telly....but I'm working on it

[Andrew300]

30 minutes of this kind of action 

[John Scherrer]

As yet we have not been able to get Tom on the telly....

I immediately thought of this ..

[AtomMadStew]

  some people have too much time on their hands John!

[toms]

Ever considered getting out more John? 

[Monza]

Strong old TV ... but i would like to see Tom on the edge of a flat new LED screen 

[toms]

[quote="Monza"]
Strong old TV ... but i would like to see Tom on the edge of a flat new LED screen 
[/quote]

[John H]

Wicked weekend and amazingly well run for a bunch of cow botherers. I've sat in virtually every BTCC awning and none of them are as impressive as the setup the Atom Cup has. Highlight for me was getting a full on gawp at young Georgie's rack during the post-race interview, but there was no shortage of other forms of excitement, both on and off the track.
I was a bit off the pace in the wet and in the dry - probably a lack of seat time, coupled with a lack of skill in a rwd car and decided that I couldn't possibly win race 2, having binned it in race 1 (I took the line round the outside at Coppice which tuns into a field) if I did the same as everyone else, hence opting for wets. The weather worked in my favour and I didn't have to do anything stupid or drive outside of my comfort zone to get to and stay at the front, so although a win is a win, it was more down to luck/judgement than my driving prowess. I guess it proves that you don't have to be the quickest to win and that race "experience" isn't always to do with how you drive the car. Strategy always plays a far bigger part than it is given credit for. Had everyone been on wets, or I had stayed on dry tyres, I could just as easily have finished last.
I'd really like to do the rest of the season, as it is brilliant fun and it's genuinely nice to hang out with all the old Atom crew again, so hopefully I can find some assistance with my budget from somewhere and carry on.

[Mark_]

[quote="John H"]
Wicked weekend and amazingly well run for a bunch of cow botherers. I've sat in virtually every BTCC awning and none of them are as impressive as the setup the Atom Cup has. Highlight for me was getting a full on gawp at young Georgie's rack during the post-race interview, but there was no shortage of other forms of excitement, both on and off the track.
I was a bit off the pace in the wet and in the dry - probably a lack of seat time, coupled with a lack of skill in a rwd car and decided that I couldn't possibly win race 2, having binned it in race 1 (I took the line round the outside at Coppice which tuns into a field) if I did the same as everyone else, hence opting for wets. The weather worked in my favour and I didn't have to do anything stupid or drive outside of my comfort zone to get to and stay at the front, so although a win is a win, it was more down to luck/judgement than my driving prowess. I guess it proves that you don't have to be the quickest to win and that race "experience" isn't always to do with how you drive the car. Strategy always plays a far bigger part than it is given credit for. Had everyone been on wets, or I had stayed on dry tyres, I could just as easily have finished last.
I'd really like to do the rest of the season, as it is brilliant fun and it's genuinely nice to hang out with all the old Atom crew again, so hopefully I can find some assistance with my budget from somewhere and carry on.
[/quote]

Thanks for the writeup John!  We have worked hard to raise the bar in British Club Motorsport.  Looking forward to seeing you at the other rounds.

[toms]

A quick race report.....the video won't be live until about 8pm.

It was a busy test day on Friday 10th May before Atom Cup Round 2 at Cadwell Park, with many of the racers lining up for some practice and suspension set-up work before the race weekend.  Blue skies and warm weather were greatly appreciated and competitors could get some worthwhile running time on the narrow, fast and tricky Lincolnshire circuit which includes a jump over the mountain with all four wheels off for Atom Cup cars.

Saturday dawned dry and clear, and after a hearty breakfast in the hospitality drivers went to sign on and get their cars scrutineered for the weekends racing.  Free practice was a dry affair, and those with plenty of run time under their belts from the Friday test day scored highly here, with Richard Marler quickest and Nick Whitehead and long time Atom owner Stuart Drewell in 2nd and 3rd place respectively.  Ex Atom owner John Hamilton, guesting for the weekend in one of the arrive and drive cars put his car 4th quickest with series stalwart Lewis Cook in 5th place.

After practice it was back to the garage to check over the cars and eat an exquisite lunch served again by Absolute Taste – the mushroom and truffle ravioli scoring particularly high in feedback ratings!

The clouds loomed in the distance, and after a particularly heavy downpour it was decided that a change to wet tyres was the way to go by all but one competitor, Lewis Cook.  His decision to remain on dry tyres was nearly vindicated, as through the middle part of the session Lewis’ times were quickest by a small margin.  Unfortunately for him (but not the other drivers on wet tyres!) another downpour ensued, with all drivers skillfully negotiating the tricky conditions and the Yokohama racing wets really coming into their own.  At the flag, it was Richard Marler who continued his earlier form and put his Atom Cup car on pole by half a second in front of Ariel factory car guest driver Matt Walton.  The returning Paul Donkin built up and up through the session to put his car at the front of row 2 in 3rd place, just over a second behind the leader, with the hard charging Nick Whitehead finishing off row 2.

It was early to bed for all competitors to get ready for Sundays two races, and after another wonderful breakfast all drivers and team personnel alike were looking at the clouds to see if and when the forecast rain would appear.  As it turned out conditions stayed dry for the first race – which was fast and furious with a huge amount of excitement and overtaking.  Though not as wide open as Silverstone, Cadwell Parks twists and turns suited the Atom Cup car and ensured we got an exciting 20 minutes of racing.  On form man and fastest so far throughout the weekend Richard Marler headed for most of the race but got involved in a tussle with a back marker, allowing Stuart Drewell and Paul Donkin to catch and overtake him.

At the flag it was a win for series first timer and Atom 3 300 owner Stuart Drewell, with Paul Donkin taking second place just under half a second back and Richard Marler in 3rd place less than a second behind.  A close finish showing the even and competitive nature of the racing!  Nick Whitehead left the track early on, but set his stall out to his fellow drivers by posting fastest lap of the race by nearly a second!

And then the rain came.  After lunch, just before race 2 it started, light, then building up, then easing off again.  It was time to head to the assembly area so most left dry tyres on and headed down – but John Hamilton opted to hang back and fit wet tyres, a good decision as it turned out!  Race 2 was slippery and wet, with bravery and car control needed to get the most out of a light, rear wheel drive car with plenty of power.  It was the fast starting Nick Whitehead who raced off into the distance, and man on the move was Matt Walton having started from pit lane.  Walton has plenty of drifting experience in a variety of cars so his car control was to serve him well during the opening stages.  Everything was going well and he was up into 4th place when he had a coming together with Stuart Drewell, sending him into the armco, shortly followed by a tyre wall.  It’s a testiment to the strength of the Atom Cup car that Matt was able to rejoin the race – it was too late to come back but he set 2nd fastest lap of the race on lap 9, a clear indication of the pace he had in the car.

John Hamilton meanwhile, having started behind Walton in pit lane after a coming together on the warm up lap, was quietly waiting for his wet tyres to come to him.  And they did, Hamilton picking off the other drivers one by one to take the chequered flag with an 8 second gap back to Paul Donkin in second place, with Nick Whitehead taking the final podium place a further 6 seconds behind.  The unlucky Richard Marler had worked his way up to 4th on lap 9 with a superb display of wet weather driving but crashed out at the bottom of the Mountain, ripping the bottom off his radiator and ending his race.

It was a very exciting weekends racing for both drivers and spectators alike – you can see some video of the highlights here

AtomCup Round 2 Cadwell Park

Round 3 of Atom Cup is at Brands Hatch on 8th/9th June and there is still a seat in an arrive and drive car available – why not come and join the action or just come and watch the UK’s most exciting new race series!

[Daniel]

It's live!!!!