Clean sweep for Igoe in opening day of 2020 season

Michael Igoe and WPI Motorsport dominated the opening day of racing as the 2020 GT Cup returned to action at Snetterton for the first time this season since the global pandemic.

Igoe backed up his strong performances at the Norfolk circuit last season by adding a brace of wins in his Lamborghini Huracan, claiming the first two GT3 class wins in the process by over a minute on each occasion.

There were also double wins for Scott Sport Racing in their Ferrari 488 Challenge, as well as Team HARD’s new Porsche 997 thanks to Sam Randon. The GTH spoils were shared between Craig Wilkins and James Guess in Ginetta machinery, while Team HARD’s two Ginettas shared wins in GTA with their similar G55s.

Qualifying

The quick 15-minute qualifying session was dominated by the ever-improving Igoe. His Lamborghini Huracan GT3 was not only quickest in the new class, but was the only car to dip into the 1m49s bracket on its way to the first overall pole position of the season.

The chaser was GTC pole sitter John Dhillon in his tiger-liveried Ferrari 488 Challenge, pipping the GT3 Lamborghini of GT Cup regular, John Seale. Team HARD enjoyed a strong session, with their Porsche topping the GTB class thanks to Sam Randon and Ollie Brown heading GTA with his Ginetta G55.

Sprint Race

Igoe showed no signs of letting up his scorching pace as he jumped clear into a healthy lead in the early stages of Saturday’s 25-minute sprint race from pole. The Lamborghini dropped the chasing Dhillon, while Seale unfortunately dropped out with left-rear bodywork damage on his Huracan after slight contact fending off a brace of attacking Porsches.

While Igoe sprinted to victory by over a minute, Will Goff charged to second past Dhillon’s Ferrari in the closing stages, after Porsche 911 man passed the Team HARD Porsche 997 of Randon in the early laps. Dhillon held onto third for GTC class honours, Randon chasing but fourth was enough for Porsche to earn a class win in GTB.

GTA also went Team HARD’s way thanks to a fine performance from inexperienced Ginetta G55 racer Ollie Brown, surviving a track limits penalty to beat their sister Ginetta. GTH also saw the British manufacturer win in the hands of Craig Wilkins, meaning a second class win for Scott Sport Racing alongside’s Dhillon’s success.

Endurance race

Igoe proceeded to double his tally with a lights-to-flag success in the 50-minute enduro that followed in the afternoon. The WPI man went alone without co-driver Dennis Lind and set a consistent pace up front to extend the lead cushion until the mandatory pit stops began cycling through.

The gap was kept to under 40s by the charging fellow GT3 entrant of Goff, who later fell adrift of the GTC-winning Ferrari 488 of Dhillon and a rapid Aaron Scott. The latter would finish a distant bit hard-earned second overall behind the winning Lamborghini driver as Igoe stretched his legs in the latter stages.

The Team HARD Porsche again shone in the GTB class. Randon and Ben Clayden flew to fifth overall after running inside the top three initially, Randon doubling his success after sprint race honours. The GTA class went the way of Team HARD also, this time for Simon Orange and Josh Jackson and they overtook the Jaguar of Immanuel Vinke just before stops took place.

The real dice came from the GTH runners. Reigning champions JM Automotive took the shock early lead in the championship-defending McLaren 570 GT4, having passed the Feathers Motorsport Ginetta G55 of James Guess at the first turn. Wilkins chased the lead McLaren hard before stops, only for the class win to be snatched by the faster stop and in-laps of Guess who took it by less than a second in a tight finish.

Michael Igoe

“The car and team were faultless all day so we’ve used the day well, but most importantly it’s great to be back out racing again. That’s down to the efforts of all the people behind the scenes working hard on a plan to keep us safe during the pandemic, and we feel that today has been a good day for motorsport. Hopefully we can now look positively towards the future and see more competitors heading back to the grid to fight with.”

John Dhillon

“It’s not been bad has it? After so a while away from GT Cup where we’ve all been missing out because of what’s happening and lockdown, it’s good to be back and be quick with the new version of the 488. It’s very quick and particularly in a straight line, so we’re just wanting to be a bit faster now, and Aaron has been helping me with the driving as always and it’s making a difference.”

Sam Randon

“It’s been an awesome day for us and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve had very little time in the car what with the circumstances and other factors out of our control, so to turn up and bond with it already is awesome. I’d never driven the Porsche, so it’s good that we’re getting on really well and we keep finding time out there. We’re making a strong partnership and it’s onwards and upwards.”

James Guess

“An exciting race! In the sprint race I feel that I messed it up and wasn’t consistent enough, but then in the second I got my head down and got into te battle with the McLaren, Ginetta and Astons. I tried to chase them down and down, but then the Feathers boys did me a real favour in the pits stops and we got in and out quick enough. I put in some quick laps just to get the job done and then started looking in ny mirrors towards the end. I know what it’s like after looking in them in the first laps!