Tuesday 3 November 2009: Solihull racing driver Nick Yelloly secured his
first podium finish with second place in the opening round of the 2009
Michelin Formula Renault Winter Series Cup at Snetterton. The 18
year-old, in just his fourth year since first testing a 100cc TKM kart,
catapulted into second off the line as the pack filed into the first
corner and was never pressured as he went on to take second at the flag.
The teenager had set an impressive pace in pre-event testing,
consistently first or second fastest at each circuit and headed to the
Norfolk track looking for a podium finish. In Friday's test sessions,
the Montpelier Group-backed racer wound up quickest in the second of
three sessions.
Heading into Saturday morning's wet qualifying session however, things
didn't quite go as planned the youngster struggling to find the form of
the previous day. Nevertheless a third row start for the first of two
races on a circuit in which he'd previously had his best finish proved
to be enough.
An earlier attempt to hold the race was abandoned after a multi-car
accident blocked the track on lap six. In that Nick had made a superb
start and was up into third place but the restart was even better.
A lightening getaway off the line, allowed him to push the race leader
hard into the first corner. However the wet track conditions proved
decisive in the results, with the leader, unaffected by spray, able to
pull away at the front.
Nick though drove a strong race to pull away from third place to take a
well-earned runner-up spot at the end of the 15 lap race.
Race two again saw another strong start from Nick, his now legendary
getaways propelling him up four places although he was then pushed out
wide costing valuable places. A steady run in tricky conditions allowed
him to maintain seventh place and a fantastic overtaking manoeuvre on the
penultimate lap saw him move up to sixth which he held to the flag.
"It was great to finally get my first Formula Renault podium," said
Nick. "After the first start I was disappointed as I'd been running
third and on course for a podium but my second start was actually even
better.
"I'd got right onto the tail of the leader going into the first corner
and thought I might be able to get him, but then I made a small mistake
at the Bombhole corner which dropped me back and allowed him to pull
away.
"The car was great though and I really hope we can continue that pace
into testing this week and the next rounds of the series."
The four-race mini-series continues at the Rockingham Motor Speedway this
weekend (November 7) with testing at the Northamptonshire circuit on
Friday prior to qualifying and two races on Saturday.
-credit: ny
