Bumper MX-5 SuperCup grid is packed full of eastern promise as the championship heads to Snetterton
Well, what superlatives could you possibly use to sum up the first half of this year’s BRSCC Mazda MX-5 SuperCup season? Well, a lot actually! We’ve seen nail-biting finishes, dramatic action, incredible pack racing and phenomenally large grids throughout the first four meetings of the year. With the level of driving talent as high as it’s ever been, one has to wonder just what the second half of 2017 has in store. Snetterton in Norfolk will help us begin to find out the answer as another bumper grid of 38 equally matched racing roadsters takes to the tarmac.
So, who are the main contenders at this point? Leading table is 2012 champion Luke Herbert, who rebounded from a tricky Silverstone weekend to pick up three superb wins at Oulton Park. This now puts him four points ahead of Tom Roche, who also has three victories to his name and is seriously gunning for that coveted SuperCup title he’s missed out on twice before. Just perched behind them are Liam Murphy and Jonathan Greensmith, with the former having always been a threat around the top five throughout this campaign, while the latter has taken a little bit of time to get back up to speed in his new car but now appears to have found the groove.
2015 Mk1 MX-5 champion Brian Chandler has also had to adapt to SuperCup life pretty quickly and fifth in the table is his just rewards, but behind him sits a driver who definitely will feel he should be higher in the standings. Jack Harding has a win and six podiums to his name this year, but has also had his share of bad luck. This weekend he’ll be determined to make up for lost ground.
There are plenty of other drivers who have impressed this season and have the pace to win but just haven’t had the luck to grab one. Reigning champion James Blake-Baldwin is one of them as a mix of fortunes have left him languishing in the middle of a very populated table, so Snetterton will be another chance for him to re-discover his 2016 form. Carl Garnett has been steadily getting quicker and quicker with every race he completes, while Ben Short is also managing to get to grips with a Mk3 MX-5 as two podiums at Silverstone showed. Mike Comber, Sam Tatler, Aidan Hills and Steve Roberts are also drivers that could produce a surprise or two. Roberts in particular showed the kind of pace at Oulton Park that was reminiscent of his BMW Compact Cup title winning days, so if he can rediscover it this weekend, he’ll be a dark horse to watch out for.
Garry Townsend sits at the top of the popular Masters contest for drivers aged 45 and over, ahead of Alec Livesley and Simon Fleet, who will be competing for the second weekend in a row as he’ll be fresh from his Formula Ford adventures at Donington Park last weekend. Others who will be keen to take points off the top three will be Geoff Gouriet, Jeremy Crook and George Grant, the man behind one of our championship sponsors Clapham North MOT.
Last year it was 2015 champion Alan Henderson and eventual 2016 champ James Blake-Baldwin who shared the victor’s laurels on the SuperCup’s last visit to Norfolk. The championship returns this year sporting a very different dynamic with many people at a loss as to who to predict as a race winner, given the level of driving talent on display. Whatever happens, excitement, drama and plenty of action will be in store as the second half of the season begins!
Confirmed Entry List
1 James Blake-Baldwin
2 Jonathan Greensmith
3 Liam Murphy
7 Alex Miller
8 Andy Coombs (M)
9 Alec Livesley (M)
10 William Sharpe (M)
13 Gregg Catton (M)
14 Jake Bailey
17 Nicholas Dunn
19 Carl Garnett
21 Simon Fleet (M)
23 Adam Bessell
25 Tom Roche
26 Duncan Harris (M)
27 Jim Hart (M)
35 Alex King
36 David Henderson
43 Jack Harding
50 Luke Herbert
56 Steve Roberts
58 Mike Comber
66 Sam Tatler
67 Simon Orange (M)
68 Ben Short
69 George Grant (M)
76 Richard Wicklen
77 Jeremy Crook (M)
80 Aidan Hills
85 Ian McDonald (M)
88 Colin Bysouth
93 Aldo Riti (M)
100 Mark Holme (M)
146 Craig Denman
176 Brian Chandler
192 Will Stacey
196 Oliver Bowen
223 Garry Townsend (M)
Download the meeting timetable HERE