So, we’re all set for a Silverstone showdown to determine the final outcome of the 2011 Championship. What a turnaround we saw at Brands; punctures for the two Hondas in race one, their fightback in race two and eventual triumph in race three to salvage their championship winning ambitions.
Meanwhile Plato dominated the first 2 races just as he did on the Brands Indy circuit at the beginning of the year. Yes, I know the season’s been controversial with discussions about equalisation, and sometimes one group of cars has the advantage, then another, but here we are with a five way tussle for the title (let’s not forget Jackson and Nash) and just three races in which to settle it; fantastic!
Of course, for Mat Jackson or James Nash to win the overall title would take a minor miracle because they’d need both Hondas and the Chevrolet to have a torrid weekend. Jackson knows it can happen though; after all he’s just come off the back of two non scoring weekends at Knockhill and Rockingham.
Apparently the Airwaves Motorbase team had to fix or replace 11 doors and 19 damaged alloy wheels after the Rockingham event. When the first race at Brands was over and no damage had been done to any of their three cars, the mechanics were wandering around the pitlane with bemused expressions on their faces wondering what to do with themselves.
Still, they were nearly kept busy by Michael Caine’s antics. He managed to spin his Focus in the first race when he got his feet tangled up in the pedals. Normally a right-foot braker, his foot got jammed as he came off the accelerator pedal in preparation to brake, so instead he leapt onto the middle pedal with his left foot.
Unfortunately, the nerve endings in that foot have not been as well trained in subtlety over the years and he promptly spun the car. He was later observed with several strips of tank tape wrapping his race boots to prevent any more lace-catching moments. Entry number 5437 in the driver’s book of excuses….
James Nash’s attention is on the Independent’s title, and that is going to be close fought as well. He currently lies 17 points ahead of Jackson, despite them being the other way around in the main championship, and just to add to the confusion he now has a new team mate who’s also called Jackson.
My job might look easy but there are times when my head gets in a spin. For example, when first Matt Neal and then Gordon Shedden suddenly appeared on our screens going slowly in that first race, I had to do a mental double-take. Matt was so wound up after that incident that he refused to talk even to Tim Harvey who’s been a pal for years. It just goes to prove how intense these guys are about their racing, and how much they want the title.
So what’s going to happen at Silverstone? Just about anything and everything I should think. It might be raining, or judging by our recent weird weather, probably snowing. Plato and Neal both want to be the first three time winner since Andy Rouse, and this battle encapsulates their rivalry which has been so fierce for so long.
But waiting in the wings for his first title is Gordon Shedden, and despite that trace of an error when he half spun at Graham Hill Bend in the first race at Brands, I still think he may be able to take advantage of the intensity the other two can’t help but display.
Roll on the 15/16th of October, and all will be revealed…
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