Triple Eight Snetterton Report

Solid day for Triple Eight

It was another solid day’s racing for the Triple Eight with Collins Contractors Vauxhall turbo team at Snetterton, near Thetford in Norfolk yesterday, venue for rounds 16, 17 and 18 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC).

Rising star James Nash had top six finishes in each of the three races, including an Independent win and second place overall in the second race. It was the fourth time this season alone that James has finished runner-up in a BTCC race and consolidates his Championship challenge.

Tony Gilham in the team’s other car bounced back from disaster in the opening race when he was pushed aside by the Ford of Andy Neate in the run-up to the first corner breaking his car’s suspension. Gilham’s personal highlight was the second race when he finished 13th from a P25 starting grid.

James Nash, 888 Racing

Photo by: Pat Cranham

James Nash #14:

“I have to be reasonably happy with another second place and a couple of trophies, but we need to find a bit more straightline speed from the engine somehow when it goes back to (engine company) Swindon. We’ve definitely lost something these past two meetings.”

“My opening race wasn’t a great one. I’d started fifth and finished there but along the way I’d had to cede position to Frank Wrathall’s new generation touring car (NGTC). The second race was really good and the final one reasonable given our set-up.”

“It was certainly interesting now finding ourselves fighting for position with one of the NGTC cars. In fact their speed here was astonishing. Whatever those cars have found, I’d like some too!”

Tony Gilham #34:

“Race one wasn’t brilliant was it? 200 yards is all it lasted and not even past the first corner. Race 2 was better, much better and great fun. I think I made up 10 places to finish 13th.” (it was actually 12).

“We may though have gone a bit too far on set-up in race 3 because while it was good at the start and we actually got up to 9th at one point, the car’s performance soon started ‘falling away’ and there wasn’t much I could do to stop the cars behind me getting past.”

Ian Harrison, Chairman Triple Eight:

“A solid day for James. We probably went a bit too conservative on set-up but two good results for him. I also have to say that the first 7 laps of race two when he’d climbed from P5 on the grid and then had Frank Wrathall breathing down his neck were I think the best 7 laps he’s driven for us since joining Triple Eight.”

“Tony unfortunately broke his car in race one when he was hit by Andy Neate, again. He then drove really well in the second race, but after his practice was interrupted with an issue on the car that clearly wasn’t his fault he was always on the back foot this weekend. His race two should have been his race one. He started very very quick in the final race but unfortunately the set up was too aggressive. His tyres started to go off and he was literally being pushed into the corners which made things worse. All he could do then was to keep going which he did and get lots of laps under his belt.”

“It was a shame he’d had to contend with issues beyond his control, but as I’ve already said Tony drove really well when he could, and in race two particularly he drove a solid race even if the end result doesn’t suggest it.”