Spa Francorchamps - Demetriou takes control

3rd May 2005 - click here for more images from Spa

Despite strong pressure in race one and a stop-go penalty in race two, Andy Demetriou continued his winning habit as the Radical series made its annual pilgrimage to Spa Francorchamps. Teams from Sweden, Finland, Germany and the USA joined the UK regulars creating a massive fifty-five car grid for the two races run on Sunday.

Unsurprisingly it was the gaggle of 360bhp SR8s that headed the multi-class field with Demetriou sharing the front row with the works car of Phil Abbott and Roger Green. Abbott, driving with a pulled muscle in his right arm, was in some discomfort trying to hold onto the high downforce machine through g-loading corners such as Pouhon and Eau Rouge and was passed three laps in by a hard charging Tim Greaves.

The front runners had taken full advantage of the absence of any noise limit in the Ardennes forest, fitting minimal silencers, or in the case of Demetriou, straight-through pipes. The un-muffled sound of the high-revving V8s was awesome as they battled hard between the pine trees. After the compulsory pit stops Demetriou found himself behind Nick Dove (now in the Greaves car), before reasserting himself by diving down the inside at Fagnes and pulling out a five second gap at the finish.

Stuart Moseley drove brilliantly in Phil Quaife’s car to overhaul Ross Kaiser in the battle for the SR3 class, even managing to keep a few of the SR8s honest. Lee Atkins won the SR4 class for the smaller cars, Mark Sutterby was the Prosport victor and Phil Waite took first in the Clubsports.

In race two, Demetriou put in a series of blistering laps to claim his second victory, after a yellow flag infringement was punished with a stop/go penalty. Dove led until a puncture forced him to make an unscheduled stop of his own, which also allowed Henk Thuis and Christophe Geoffroy to grab second in class. Quaife and Moseley wrapped up the SR3s, again ahead of Kaiser and Chris Stoney. Joe Tuckey was the first SR4 home finishing fourteenth overall ahead of Daniel McKenzie and Matt Moore, while Steve and Will Hodges took the Prosport prize with Glen Stokes taking Clubsport honours.

Radical Race 1
1 Andy Demetriou (SR8) 45m01.446s (109.09mph); 2 Tim Greaves/Nick Dove (SR8) 45m:07.320s; 3 Phil Quaife/Stuart Moseley (SR3); 4 Ross Kaiser (SR3); 5 Phil Abbott/Roger Green (SR8); 6 Chris Stoney (SR3). Class winners Quaife/Moseley (SR3); Lee Atkins (SR4); Mark Sutterby (Prosport); Phil Waite (Clubsport) Fastest lap: Andy Demetriou 2:23.200s (109.09mph) Fastest lap: Andy Demetriou 2:24.376s (108.05mph)

Radical Race 2
1 Andy Demetriou (SR8) 50m38.177s (108.05mph); 2 Phil Quaife/Stuart Moseley (SR3) 50:58.094s; 3 Ross Kaiser (SR3); 4 Chris Stoney (SR3); 5 Tomi Furu (Prosport); 6 Andrew Smith/Alistair McCaig (SR3). Class winners Quaife/Moseley (SR3); Joe Tuckey (SR4); Steve Hodges/Will Hodges (Prosport) ; Glen Stokes (Clubsport)



Briefs
The age range of the Radical grid at Spa Francorchamps spanned some 52 years, with 16-year-old Daniel McKenzie in his first year in racing at one end and the expericed Doug Newman at the other. Both were successful, with McKenzie an excellent second in the SR4 class from the back of the grid with Newman just behind in his 1500cc version.

Larry Schnur and Paul Lahaye came all the way from California to take part in the event and brought some west coast weather with them, on race day the Ardennes forest basked in sunshine with the temperature reaching 28 degrees.

Ten Swedish teams also put on a good show in their Prosports but were pipped to the post in both races by a Finish driver as Tomi Furu took the invitation class spoils.

Words: Roger Green | Pics: Oliver Read


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