Coming into the final Super Battle of 2010, everything was still to fight for in most of the classes. In CC 4WD, Scott Robson had retired during qualifying where his Impreza suffered an engine failure blowing the CC 4WD Championship wide open. In the CC FWD category, Bo Nielsen, who’s Astra VXR expired during morning warmup, has borrowed a friend’s Astra VXR with stock suspension and brakes in an attempt to score enough points to secure the 2010 CC FWD championship. The Pro class would come down to the victor of the final session to decide the 2010 Pro class championship. I can’t remember this many championships coming down to the wire in quite some time, let alone all taking place on the same day at the same event !

Enough chit chat, let’s check out the final results for the 2010 Time Attack Series …

Gary Searl in his Evo VIII finished third on the day in CC 4WD with a 1:20.928. Scott Robson who was forced to retire would take the third step on the championship podium …

Fiona Kindness would benefit most from Robson’s retirement, taking second in class with a 1:17.425 on the day and winning the 2010 Club Challenge 4WD Championship !

Warren Kelly took top honours on the day in CC 4WD with a 1:16.040 which was also enough for him to leapfrog Scott Robson and secure second place in the CC 4WD Championship.

Moving along to CC FWD, Nigel Brown was fast enough with a 1:22.235 to secure third step on the podium for both the event and the overall championship.

Similarly, David Ward finished second on the day with a 1:20.916 which was enough for him to secure second overall for 2010.

He was fastest in qualifying and proceeded to dominate the final session with a class fastest of 1:18.936, Romain Levesque has laid down his intentions for the 2011 CC FWD Series.

It was Bo Nielsen who was to emerge 2010 CC FWD Champion, with Levesque taking the spoils it prevented Ward and Brown challenging Nielsens grasp on the title. Credit where it’s due however, he’s driven fantastically all season and even borrowing a friend’s car demonstrates his ‘never say die’ attitude. A worthy champion.

Ronnie Amis set a final time of 1:21.651 which was enough for third on the day and second overall in the CC RWD class.

Gordon Wright was quick enough with a 1:20.489 to place second on the day and take the third step on the championship podium.

Matthew Webb would emerge 2010 CC RWD Champion. A final time of 1:18.285 was the fastest CC RWD time of the day (excluding OHW competitors) and cemented Matthew’s grip on the 2010 series.

In the NA Up to 3.0L class, Daniel Gannon’s 1:18.796 was enough for third on the day and second in the championship.

Mark Pollard’s 6R4 set a 1:18.751 for second on the day and was enough for him to secure the NAU3 Championship.

Jeff Mileham would take the spoils on the day with a 1:18.638 and finish his 2010 season third in the championship.

Rounding up the top three on the day in Club Pro 4WD was Simon Deaton in the JAPDNA.com Evo VIII with a 1:18.787. It was enough for him to take third in the class championship.

In the Scooby Clinic Impreza, Kevin Horsley was second in the final with a 1:13.905. More importantly, it was more than enough for him to become 2010 CP 4WD Champion !

Fastest on the day and second overall in the series standings was Paul Doyle with a 1:11.581.

In Club Pro RWD, Paul Whiffin in one of two Garage Whiftbitz Supras finished third in class with a 1:15.833 which placed him third in class in the season standings.

Jamie Wilson in his S1 Exige was the meat in a Whifbitz sandwich. A final time of 1:14.824 was quick enough for second on the day but enough to take the CP RWD 2010 Championship.

Steve Linton’s Whiftbitz Supra navigated the Snetterton course in a 1:14.787 which gave him the win on the day and second overall in the championship.

Now to the Pro Class. This is the class where only the fastest survive. With a 1:12.010, James Nicholls Evo VI placed fourth on the day but gave him just enough to finish the season third overall in the standings.

Gavin Renshaw used every bit of track to lay down a 1:11.163, enough for third place on the day.

On his sixth lap in the final, Steve Guglielmi put in a time of 1:09.032. This was some six tenths faster than the Pro Class lap record set in 2009 and an amazing two seconds faster than the BTCC fastest qualifying lap set by Jason Plato in 2009 (which was a 1:11.145) Guglielmi surely must of though he had done enough to take the win and the 2010 crown but Gareth Lloyd had other plans …

On his LAST lap of 2010, Lloyd came past me at a speed I can only describe as vulgar.

Lloyd knew he had to beat Guglielmi to take the 2010 Pro title. Second place would not be good enough.

One minute, eight seconds, two tenths, nine hundreths and nine thousanths of a second. 1:08.299.

Lloyd was 2010 Pro Champion.

What an incredible push by Lloyd in the dying moments of the 2010 series. It was an all or nothing lap that was nearly three seconds faster than a BTCC car in qualifying trim around the same circuit and the lap was completed on road legal R888 tires. An average speed of 102.88MPH around the 1.95 mile ex-RAF base.

From here it was to the podium, where the awards were handed out to each competitor who had done enough to deserve them.

The champions stood proud. They may be some the fastest men in the UK but they weren’t quick enough for one man …

Cue Andy Barnes’s surprise sneak champagne attack. A reminder of who the boss around these parts really is.

Whilst Maz and Bryn song each other a romantic love song, it was time to reflect on the 2010 Series.

Walking through the paddock towards the press centre to return my bib, the teams were busy packing everything away.

The effects of a full season was clear to see on some cars.

It literally only felt like yesterday that I was rolling into the car park at round one in Oulton Park (minus an alternator pulley, but that’s another story) and we are with the season done and dusted.

Champions have been crowned …

… whilst some must be wondering what they have to do to take the title in 2011.

With the sun setting on Snetterton, Gareth Lloyd was Pro champion. Although he never once had it easy all season thanks to Mr. Guglielmi, it was a title well earned.

Folks, that rounds up our Time Attack Series 2010 coverage. It’s been a wild one and an absolute eye opener for myself. I’m already looking forward to the 2011 coverage and to seeing what news the winter months brings us.

I’m wondering will a certain Mr. Clark return in 2011 to take back his title ?

What other builds are in the works to challenge the newly crowned champions ?

More importantly – any desktop requests ?

–

Paddy McGrath

Time Attack Series Coverage in Speedhunters