EDWARDS BACK IN ACTION

Speedworks Motorsport’s Ross Edwards will return to the cockpit of his Ginetta G20 for the first time since the second round of the championship at Cadwell Park in April today.

Edwards, who missed the Knockhill and Croft rounds of the championship because of work commitments, will join Speedworks G50 drivers Christian Dick and Tony Hughes in testing at Snetterton.

All three are testing in preparation for the next rounds of the Texaco Havoline Ginetta G20 and Ginetta G50 championships at the Norfolk circuit on June 7/8.

Edwards has started four races this season since joining the team for the 2008 season, taking a Ginetta career-best eighth place finish at Cadwell Park.

ANOTHER WIN FOR HANCOCK

Speedworks Motorsport instructor Ollie Hancock claimed his fourth win in five starts to extend his lead at the top of the Formula Renault BARC Championship.

Despite qualifying only fourth, Hancock made a superb start to take the lead from pole position starter Menasheh Idafar when the lights went out.

The Scorpio Motorsport driver was then forced to repeat his perfect start when the race was red-flagged after a stalled car was hi at the start.

Again, Hancock jumped into the lead at the start and pulled away, only for the red-flag to again fly when Jordi Weckx spun.

With just six laps scheduled for the final restart, Hancock wasted no time in pulling away in the lead, and set fastest lap while pulling away from the pack. The race lasted just three laps, with yet another red flag being deployed after Ian Pearson and Ross Curnow clashed.

“It was really frustrating with all the red flags, we’ve had them in just about every race this season,” said Hancock.

“I’ve worked hard perfecting my starts and this really paid off. I just made a decision to go for it as the car was running well and pretty soon I lost sight of anyone in my mirrors.”

Hancock now leads the championship by 17 points from Idafar.

SYKES BACK IN SUPERKART

Speedworks Motorsport driver Richard Sykes endured a luckless run on his outing in the British 250cc Superkart Championship at Oulton Park on Bank Holiday Monday.

Sykes, who is combining his campaign with Speedworks in both the Ginetta G50 Cup and the Texaco Havoline Ginetta G20 Championship, qualified 21st fastest out of a field of almost 50 karts after lapping at an average speed of over 100mph.

Despite his pace in qualifying, Sykes didn’t last long in either race, retiring from each after just one lap.

His next racing outing in what is a very busy season will be in the next rounds of the Ginetta Championships at Snetterton on June 7/8.

SPEEDWORKS MAKES HISTORIC RACE DEBUT

Speedworks Motorsport made its historic racing debut in the Masters Racing Series event at Brands Hatch yesterday, running its Sunbeam Tiger in the Cloth Cap and Allcomers races.

Car owner Neil Merry and Speedworks Team Principal Christian Dick combined to finish 14th in the 45-minute Cloth Cap race despite struggling for grip.

"The car was strong in a straight line and good on the breaks but we were really struggling for grip," said Dick. "It was a really enjoyable race, but most importantly we made some good progress for the Allcomers race and went a lot faster."

Despite retiring from the Allcomers race after suffering a broken gear linkeage, Merry improved his laptimes by around four seconds as the team continued to learn more about the car.

SEASON SO FAR: GINETTA G20s

Speedworks Motorsport has fielded six cars in the Texaco Havoline Ginetta G20 Championship, with all seven of its drivers turning in strong performances during the first half of the season.

The high point for the team came at Knockhill, where Phil Sykes, in only his second outing since returning to Ginettas after briefly appearing in the series at the start of 2007, claimed his first G20 victory. Despite missing the opening round of the championship at Oulton Park, his impressive performance have left him a strong seventh in the championship.

Phil wasn't the only Sykes to make an impression for Speedworks in the first four rounds of the season. Richard Sykes has enjoyed a dramatic campaign - combining impressive pace with some spectacular charges during the races. After running strongly in the fourth event at Croft, it is only a matter of time before he claims his first podium.

Paul Sheard, a multiple Ginetta Winter Series race winner, contested the first three rounds of the season before dropping out before the Croft meeting. He claimed a fighting second in the season-opener at Oulton Park, and also turned in a race-winning performance at Knockhill.

The team's Mr Consistency has been Neil Merry. After a difficult start to the season when he struggled with an engine problem at Oulton Park, Merry has been a consistent top ten runner and has climbed to 12th in the championship.

Dave Jackson, entering his second year in Ginettas, has been able to show his pace despite being hit with bad luck. Although he stands only 16th in the championship, Jackson too has been a regular top 10 contender.

New signing for 2008 Ross Edwards had to skip the Knockhill and Croft rounds, but not before he had claimed an impressive eighth place finish at Cadwell Park.

Team-mate Edd Straw has also been a regular contender for top ten positions, and if he can cut out costly mistakes should be able to pick up strong results in the second half of the season.

The next round of the championship will be held at Snetterton on the weekend of June 7-8.

SPEEDWORKS TIGER HITS THE TRACK

Speedworks Motorsport gave its immaculately-prepared Sunbeam Tiger its first full test ahead of racing it for the first time in the Masters Racing Series event at Brands Hatch on May 25/26.

Car owner Neil Merry and Speedworks team Principal Christian Dick shared the driving duties at Silverstone yesterday. Although it was the second time Merry has driven the car, which delivers well over 165bhp, it was the first chance Dick has had to drive it.

“It’s fantastic fun,” said Dick. “It won’t stop, won’t grip and won’t turn! Just like a historic car should be. I’ve never had to work so hard to go so slowly in my life!”

Dick and Merry will share the car in the Gentlemen Drivers GT & Sports event at Brands, and Texaco Havoline Ginetta G20 regular Merry is looking forward to his historic debut.

“It’s a completely different driving style to the Ginetta but I’m really enjoying it,” said Merry, who had enjoyed a first runout in the car in March. “I’ve always liked the Tiger as a car and it’ll be a great experience to be racing it.”

For further information on Masters Racing Series click here

HUGHES HAS A POWERFUL NIGHT

Speedworks Motorsport’s Tony Hughes took time out of his Ginetta G50 Championship campaign to race in last week’s PowerNights event at Silverstone.

Hughes took advantage of a gap in the Ginetta calendar to return to the wheel of his Mazda MX-5, competing in the Toyota MR2 v Mazda MX-5 races on Silverstone’s National circuit configuration on Thursday.

After qualifying 16th, he finished both races 15th overall and thoroughly enjoyed his experience after a challenging start to the year adapting to the 300bhp Ginetta G50.

“It was fun,” said Hughes. “It’s great to be able to throw a car into a corner as fast as you like and know you’ll still be on the track at the end of the corner!

“I had some good races with some of the guys who’ve been racing Mazdas for years. I’ve only done a couple of races in them and only 30 minutes of practice this year so I did ok!

Hughes now plans to test his G50 at Mallory Park, Brands hatch and Snetterton in the lead-up to the championship restarting next month.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CAKEBREADS

Long-time Speedworks Motorsport driver/mechanic Andy Cakebread's wife, Anna, gave birth to the couple's first child yesterday.

Andy reports both mother and baby Lilly are doing well, and everyone at Speedworks Motorsport offers their congratulations and best wishes.

Cakebread was the inaugural winner of the Speedworks Scholarship back in 2005 and also appeared for the team in the Texaco Havoline Ginetta G20 Championship last season.

SEASON SO FAR: GINETTA G50 CUP

Speedworks Motorsport has been at the forefront of the inaugural Ginetta G50 Cup.

The team has fielded a total of three of the 300bhp machines in the new series, and although Team Principal Christian Dick has yet to notch up his first win he has been a regular frontrunner. That first victory is surely just around the corner for Dick, who has a best finish of second this year.

“On the one hand I’m really pleased because we’ve managed to get well on top of the car with limited testing,” said Dick. “But at the same time bad luck has denied us the results we’ve deserved.

“We’ve had several opportunities to be right up there in the fight for wins, but in racing you have to have everything on your side. We haven’t had that so far this year, but I’m encouraged with progress.”

The team has also fielded G50s for Richard Sykes and Tony Hughes. Sykes’s season was blighted by a massive first-lap accident at Knockhill caused when Tony Newton spun in front of the pack. The team worked around the clock to repair the car, and Sykes rewarded them with a drive to tenth place in dismal conditions in race two at Croft.

Hughes, after missing the opening round at Oulton Park, has also performed well. Despite being in only his second season of car racing and never having raced anything with as much power as a G50, he has shown steady improvement every time he’s gone out in the car.

“I’ve been pleased with both Richard and Tony,” said Dick. “It’s a new experience for them to be racing the G50 and they’ve made sure they’ve learned something in every session or race. They’re only going to get better in the second half of the season.”

The Ginetta G50 Championship continues at Snetterton on June 7/8.

CHRISTIAN DICK
Starts: 8
Best finish: 2nd
Best qualifying: 2nd
Fastest laps: 1
Championship position: 10th, 94 points

RICHARD SYKES
Starts: 7
Best finish: 10th
Best qualifying: 12th
Fastest laps: 0
Championship position: 16th, 52 points

TONY HUGHES
Starts: 6
Best finish: 10th
Best qualifying: 16th
Fastest laps: 0
Championship position: 17th, 44 points