Both Mark Richards and Jerome De Sadeleer had the pace for podium finishers in the Radical Challenge at Snetterton, but good fortune didn’t match the pace and both completed the weekend, with more than their fair share of disappointment.
De Sadeleer headed the 360 Racing quartet in qualifying and only just missed out on pole by 0.097 secs for the first race. “I knew I had the pace and felt like there was more to come, so very happy,” he said.
Richards was fourth best, “I was losing time in the second sector, maybe 0.50 secs, but I have a strategy,” he reckoned.
Although Martin Verity was 11th, he felt he could have been quicker. “I spun on my quickest lap at Murrays,” he explained. For Sam Moores it was his first time out for nine months, “made progress though,” he said after qualifying 18th.
The safety car was out before the opening lap was completed in the first race, but De Sadeleer was settled in third, with Richards sixth Moores 14th and Verity 15th.
From the green flag they all held station, but De Sadeleer was under pressure for third from Kristian Jeffrey. They shared a couple of exchanges before the pitstop window, but once the stops were completed it was Richards who had gained massively. “Kristian was only ahead for half a lap,” De Sadeleer confirmed.
Only Championship leader Steve Burgess was ahead of Richards though and the gap to third placed Richard Baxter was comfortable.
De Sadeleer had rejoined fourth, but was soon in trouble with gear selection problems and lost ground. “I couldn’t downshift,” he added.
With only a lap to go Richards headed into the Wilson Hairpin for the penultimate time, “I just spun it and couldn’t restart,” he explained after he finally came home fifth, just ahead of the ailing De Sadeleer.
Verity settled in 15th and Moores 16th. “After contact at the first corner I just couldn’t get into it,” said Verity. “I was pleased to just see the flag,” Moores added after a delicate seatbelt issue.