Grainger off to a good start

Brilliant weather graced the opening round of this year?s Schumacher BTCC and despite entries trickling in at unusually slow rate the final line up saw a full entry of 120 drivers. The stock and modified classes were boosted by virtue of the fact that the BRCA national series kicks off here two weeks after this BTCC round. The BTCC has always had a good reputation for a good friendly atmosphere together with an ultra competitive race meeting and Stafford continued that theme for 2007. The modified and stock classes were full of drivers getting some national practise, most running a mixture BRCA RP30?s and Sorex tyres on the Saturday, but on Sunday morning the serous job of round one of the BTCC got underway and everyone was on the controlled Sorex tyre In modified Olly Jefferies looked quick with his Orion brushless powered Hot Bodies, but it was Chris Grainger and his Yokomo that stormed to FTD in the Modified class just ahead of Olly. Lining up fifth was Chris? team mate Andy Robson who was also using the meeting to get some pre season testing with his Yokomo and Novak brushless power, John Pape also got his Yokomo into the A final with a fine driver to 9th on the grid. The two A finals were always going to be exciting with the two top drivers on a very similar pace. Olly got the jump on Chris at the start of the first final and then the two touched into the first corner and both dropped down the order. As the race progressed Chris and Olly picked there way through the field to finish one and two the result going in favour of Chris. For the second final the watching crowd were treated to the best race of the day. Chris was watching out for Olly at the start of the second final and Olly had to tuck in behind the Yokomo driver as the ten car field blasted around the Stafford track on lap one. For the duration of the race Olly gave a demonstration in applying pressure to the current national champion while Chris showed how to be defensive and protect his lead fairly, the two drivers were never more than a cars length apart as Olly pushed for a way pass at every opportunity to take the lead, the two of them often side by side in the fast corners. Chris held on to take the win but the real winners were the watching crowd who were treated to a fantastic race with two of the countries top touring car drivers right on the limit for five minuets. The result gives Chris a real confidence boost going in the first round of the BRCA series at Stafford in two weeks time, modified brushless seems to be re kindling the modified class with drivers beating their personnel bests as they get used to the new technology.