The G40 Cup contingent shared the grid with the Ginetta Racing Drivers Club entry for the weekend as they enjoyed the opportunity to tackle the full 3.66 mile Silverstone Grand Prix circuit on the support bill of the British GT Championship’s flagship Silverstone 500 event.
In overcast conditions, it was Alistair Barclay (SVG Motorsport) who topped the timesheets in qualifying for the second time this season to take pole for race one, while the impressive Martin Wills (Assetto Motorsport) secured race two pole on second best times.
Barclay, a four-time race-winner already this season, led the field through the opening lap of race one before Rob Keogh (W2R Motorsport) and then Chris Salkeld (Assetto Motorsport) worked their way past. They soon broke clear and enjoyed an exciting duel for the victory.
Salkeld pushed the leader hard but was unable to find a way past, with Keogh taking the chequered flag in front for his second win of the season so far. Salkeld posted the fastest lap of the race on his way to second, with Barclay completing the podium.
Arguably the drive of the weekend came from Daniel Morris (Quattro Motorsport). From the back of the grid after a technical infringement in qualifying, the Snetterton race-winner sensationally stormed through the pack to fourth position.
On his first appearance of the season, Giles Dawson (Privateer) picked up an impressive fifth place finish ahead of Roy Alderslade (W2R Motorsport), who continued his brilliant run of form in the series with a dominant third consecutive Chairmans Cup victory.
Daniel Smith (Privateer) built on his strong debut last time out at Snetterton with a seventh place result, while Bill Forbes (Quattro Motorsport), Jimmy Thomson (W2R Motorsport) and Gary Wager (SF Racing) each rose six places from their starting positions to complete the top ten.
Robin Grimwood (Assetto Motorsport) was next up as he joined Wager on the Chairmans Cup podium ahead of Shawn Fleming (SF Racing), Julian Wantling (Assetto Motorsport), Wills and Andy Marshall (SVG Motorsport), the latter making his first appearance of the season.
Unfortunately Wills’ hopes of a strong result in race two from pole position were hampered by problems before the start. Barclay stormed off the line to assume the race lead, with Dawson and Keogh then working their way into the top three.
The safety car was introduced at the end of the opening lap after an incident in the GRDC ranks, which led to a lengthy stoppage. When the action resumed, there was a three lap shootout to the flag and it proved to be an action-packed battle for the lead to the finish.
A loss of momentum on the Hangar Straight on the penultimate lap dropped Barclay from the lead to fourth, with Keogh briefly leading the pack before a slide wide promoted Dawson into top spot. He looked set to take the win, however at the last corner on the final lap, Salkeld pounced.
In a drag-race to the chequered flag, Salkeld edged his Ginetta G40 ahead to record his maiden win. Dawson capped off an impressive outing in second, while Keogh held off Barclay for third to take his seventh podium finish from the opening eight races of the year – more than any other driver.
Smith picked up his best result of the season so far in fifth ahead of Morris, who produced another sterling charge through the field from a pitlane start to the top six in just four racing laps. Ian Duggan (Fox Motorsport) also made impressive progress from 13th through to 7th.
That secured Duggan a first Chairmans Cup win of the campaign ahead of points leader Alderslade, with Fleming notching his first class podium of the season in tenth overall behind Forbes. Wills came home eleventh in the end ahead of Wantling, Lee Goldsmith (Assetto Motorsport) and Wager.
Vince Caldicott (W2R Motorsport) joined the grid for the first time this season and took a best finish of 16th in race two, while Charlotte Birch (SVG Motorsport) and John Wall (SF Racing) put in strong showings across the weekend.
The next outing for the Ginetta G40 Cup is a special one, as it joins the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge in competing at Zandvoort in Holland next month (06/07 July).
