Successful week for FUCHS sponsored teams
It has been quite a week with trophies galore for our FUCHS LUBRICANTS and FUCHS Silkolene-backed riders and racers.
Magnificent Morgan leads the way in BTCC
Adam Morgan sits proudly at the top of the British Touring Car Championship for the first time after a stellar weekend at Thruxton.
Carrying 66kg of success ballast, Morgan managed P12 in qualifying and was happy with 14th in race one after a poor start.
Seventh in race two was respectable, but much better was to follow as Morgan was drawn in pole position for the final race - and he held on for a lights to flag triumph.
“There may only be a third of the season gone and there is a huge amount of racing to come but I must admit it’s a fantastic feeling to be sitting at the top of the British Touring Car Championship,” Morgan told us.
“It’s the first time I’ve found myself in this position and it’s something that everyone within the Ciceley Motorsport team is thoroughly enjoying.”
Next up is Morgan’s ‘home’ track of Oulton Park on June 9-10.
Team-mate Tom Oliphant managed a P17, P19 and a DNF.
Bogie takes 50th outright win on home event
David Bogie partnered again with long-time co-driver Kevin Rae in the Skoda Fabia R5 run by FUCHS-backed CA1 Sport to notch up his 50th career win on the Scottish rally last weekend. The crew had a trouble free run on the usually unforgiving gravel roads of south west Scotland and were only beaten to a clean sweep of fastest times by Jock Armstong / Cameron Fair (Subaru Impreza) on the fifth of the six stages.
Afterwards, a delighted Bogie said: “It’s always special to win your home event but it makes it even more special when it is win number 50!”
Yates in European adventure
Rhys Yates and co-driver Elliott Edmondson travelled to the south of France last week to take part in the Rallye Antibes Cote D’Azur. As usual, their Skoda Fabia R5 was prepared and looked after on-event by Martin Wilkinson and his crew from FUCHS-backed CA1 Sport in Carlisle.
Afterwards, an elated Yates said: “Some epic roads here in France and to take seventh overall against some massively experienced drivers is a real confidence boost.
“Huge thanks to CA1 Sport Ltd for their fantastic support and to Elliott Edmondson co-Driver for a stunning job on the notes.”
The CA1 crew who looked after Bogie on the Scottish event last weekend are now en-route to Barbados to look after Tom Preston (Skoda Fabia R5) on the up-coming King of the Hill event this Saturday which sorts out the seeding for the two day Rally Barbados next weekend.
BHRC commits to historics first target
Following the MSA’s recent changes to the running order on rallies, the FUCHS LUBRICANTS MSA British Historic Rally Championship has reaffirmed its commitment to have all historic cars running first on the road on gravel rounds.
The Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club, which currently holds the contract to organise the BHRC, has been working behind the scenes to achieve the best possible outcome for the historic rallying fraternity for the balance of 2018 and beyond.
The RACRMC ambition covers three main topics:
All classes of two-wheel drive historics running in the first section of the field
All Category 1 cars and other 1600cc historic running first on the road
Minimal or no double use of special stages
Championship manager Colin Heppenstall said: “Since the MSA announcement about the changes to running order, we have been in extensive dialogue with events about the format for 2018 and beyond. The speed of change took everyone by surprise but came too late to make major changes to some 2018 events. However, our commitment for 2019 is clear and we will continue to work closely with event organisers to achieve the best result for our competitors.”
Freddie takes Novice Driver success
Karting starlet Freddie Housley took part in his second NKF Championship round on the weekend at Larkhall Circuit in Scotland.
Competing against a very experienced field of 27 drivers, Freddie finished in P16 from a starting position of 27th in race one, followed by 16th in heat two and P20 in heat three, putting him on the grid in 16th for the final.
Starting against much older and more experienced youngsters, Freddie got swamped going into the first bend and lost a place.
But Freddie held his nerve and picked up speed to finish an excellent 21st – making him the highest finishing novice driver and collecting another trophy for the cabinet.
He also smashed his personal best lap time by half a second.
His final race as novice is in two weeks’ time at the PFI Circuit in Lincolnshire.
Shakey undergoes surgery
Reigning British Superbike champion Shane Byrne has undergone surgery following an awful crash during a test session in Norfolk.
Our man needed surgical procedure to stabilise spinal fractures.
Shane’s wife Petra has released a statement to say he is “alert and in good spirits”.
A long road of recovery is ahead – and all at FUCHS Silkolene wish him the very best.
Awesome Irwin collects double triumph
Glenn Irwin, part of the FUCHS Silkolene stable, swept to an emphatic double victory at the International North West 200 in Northern Ireland on Saturday when he took both Superbike races by commanding margins around the high-speed 8.9-mile circuit.
And there was more Silkolene success as Peter Hickman clinched both his and the Smiths Racing BMW team’s first ever International North West 200 victory when he came out on top of a thrilling Superstock race, which he followed up with a runner-up place in Saturday's second race.
Meanwhile, Alastair Seeley and EHA Racing made it a Supersport class double with yet another stunning performance.
Starting from pole position, Seeley took control from the word go, and while his rivals had spells at the front periodically, the EHA man worked his way methodically through a game-plan, that saw him storm to a comfortable 5.5-second win after breaking clear in the last 11 miles of pure road racing.
The result completed a perfect North West 200 for Seeley and the EHA Racing team, converting a pole position into two wins, two fastest laps and a new class lap record.
