Above: Paul Freeman joined Marcus in Sunday evening's
non-championship pit stop race to finish 5th, his first race in a Mallock!
Click
on the VIDEO button to see the racecam video of the MG XPower Clubmans
Cup Round 4 at Rockingham: the start
Rockingham,
MG XPower Clubmans Cup Round 4: Racecam video 2 of 2 - my dice with Ian
and Simon
Right: Marcus unbuckles and Paul stands by to take over at the obligatory 45 second pit stop. Yes, the marshall has the stop watch. Ian Megson and Pete Richings make up the pit crew.
Qualifying
I was so busy getting the video camera
set up, plus more work on the brakes, that I was late getting out to qualifying.
By the time I got up to speed and was looking for a clear lap, the chequered
flag went out. Bad.
The video was worth the hassle though. Here is a first lap incident where I swear I touched Simon Kelly's rear... but no white paint to prove it. If this is not a close shave I want money back from Gillette.
The Race
I got a good start and was ahead of Jamie Champkin, Glenn Cantello
and Arf Dickens at the end of lap 1. Have a look at the video.
I then had that brilliant dice with Simon Kelly and Ian Crombie which is
shown on the second video. Heavens knows how I got past them and stayed
there, but I did.
Statistics: Qualifying
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Circuit
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Fastest test lap
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Conditions
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Previous personal best
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Fastest qualifying lap
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Qualified in position
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Statistics: Race
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Finishing position
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Number of cars at start
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Average speed
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Number of cars finished
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Conditions
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Fastest race lap
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Number of laps behind
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Dan Eagling, last year's MG XPower Clubmans Cup Champion, is now driving this fabulous Marcos Mantis in the British GT championship. He qualified fourth at Snetterton where this picture was taken by Steve Jones (phone 01905 424944). Yesterday he failed to finish in the Silverstone 3 Hours, but he'll be up at the top soon.
Matthew Slinn made it four different winners from four races in the
MG XPOWER Clubmans Cup with a dominant performance at Rockingham on Sunday
(May 25) during a major weekend of MG racing. Slinn, a former category
champion, won from pole with a faultless drive in the series that enjoys
support from Powertrain Ltd and Ricardo Plc.
From another excellent 25-car field, Slinn stamped his authority on
the race right from early in qualifying on the sports car circuit at Rockingham.
Pembrey winners Lindley and Webb were next up, but Slinn was looking very
strong for his first win of the season. Sure enough, when the green lights
flashed, Slinn shot straight into a lead that he never looked like losing.
To underline his dominance, Slinn also set a new outright circuit record
for the sports car circuit and later in the day added a second win in an
open pit stop race that completed the programme.
Lindley gave valiant chase but had to concede that Slinn was unstoppable,
while the major battle of the race was over third place. For 14 laps, Webb
held off Payne, but on the final lap the Silverstone race winner squeezed
ahead to edge Webb back to fourth. 
Mike
Luck chased Webb home in the unique Dart while Nick Bailey had one of his
best races to date to claim sixth place, finishing closer behind the Payne/Webb/Luck
trio.
On hand to present the awards was Kim Johnson, director of MG Sport and Racing and his presence was warmly received by all the drivers.
Results - 15 laps:
1 Matthew Slinn (Mallock Mk30) 17m 33.652s (83.02mph); 2 James Lindley
(Mallock 29H); 3 Howard Payne (Mallock Mk20B); 4 Barry Webb (Mallock Mk23/03);
5 Mike Luck (Dart S16); 6 Nick Bailey (Mallock Mk30 EBX). Fastest lap:
Slinn 1m 09.072s (84.43mph).
Next round: Oulton Park, June 28. Issued on behalf of the Clubmans
Register by Paul Lawrence (01952 510382).
25 May 2003
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Right: Matthew Slinn with his immaculate Mallock Mk30 EBX pictured with his much better half Amanda, Sue Mallock, Charlie Mallock and Richard Mallock. Note the pair of laurels; Matthew won Clubmans round 4 and the MG Car Club Pit Stop Race at the end of the day. His time of 1'08.987 on the Rockingham Sports Car circuit is an all-category lap record... on 120 horse-power.
Below: Chris Bicknell contemplates nose cone number 7, smashed during testing on Friday. We're down to only six.
