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Radical Nevada Cup: Ascari, Spain, 27-28 February 2010
1st March 2010
The Radical Nevada Cup series moved on to Race Resort Ascari, Spain, for another thrilling weekend of racing during the second event of the season.
Despite storm-force conditions in the week leading up to the meeting, the clouds parted allowing dry-weather testing and two close races for the weekend’s participants. Joining the series at Ascari were numerous Radical rookies, getting their first on-track taste ahead of the Radical UK Cup, Clubman’s Cup and Radical Masters series later in the year. These included SR3 newcomers Chris Hillaby, Mark Smithson & Grant Sharman, and Mark White & Gavin Pickering, alongside a strong Czech contingent testing their SR4s in preparation for this year’s Radical Czech Cup.
The technical, rollercoaster nature of Ascari tested all the drivers to the limit, with the Radical Works Team car of Roger Bromiley and Stefan Rehkopf taking pole for race 1, closely followed by 360 Racing’s Terrence Woodward, and local driver Alvaro Fontes in his SR5.
Light drizzle at the start of race 1 made initial tyre choice difficult, but newcomer Hillaby took the early lead in his new SR3 RS, initally pulling away, but was then steadily reeled in and caught by the faster V8 runners Woodward, Bromiley/Rehkopf and Pierre Schroeder. Woodward passed and managed to just hold onto his lead, crossing the line with only two seconds separating him and second-placed Bromiley. Schroeder took the remaining podium spot. Further down the order, Hillaby took the Supersport class win in only his second race, with Anthony Thorpe and Alan Freer scooping the Clubsport spoils.
Manhal Allos pulled out all the stops for race 2, setting the fastest time to bag pole position a clear 3.9 seconds ahead of Pierre Schroeder. Radical France’s pairing of Nicolas Powilewicz and Franck Bodet lined up in third position on the grid.
The second race saw brief contact between two of the works cars, allowing the SR5 of Alvaro Fontes through, closely chased by Radical Czech’s Zbynek Passer. However, the real movers were Moore Racing’s Mike Gardiner and Phil Keen, the pair fighting through the pack to take the chequered flag, 27 seconds clear of Allos and Fontes, who also took the Supersport honours. Radical co-founder Phil Abbott, and his son James (in only his fourth race) won the Clubsport class.
The third and final meeting of the Radical Nevada Cup takes place at Guadix in three weeks time, on 20/21 March. After that, there’s only a short break before Radical three main championships kick off the 2010 season, at Rockingham on the 10 April (UK & Clubman’s Cup) and Spa-Francorchamps on the 07 May (Radical Masters) respectively.