Sarnian pair feature in Bouley Top 12s
THE Channel Islands are enjoying the most exciting week of their hill climb calendar and two Guernseymen warmed up for tomorrow’s ‘National’ by scoring British Championship points in Jersey.
As the sister isle welcomed several national hill climb stars to Bouley Bay, both Nick Saunders and Andy Bougourd scored top-10 championship finishes ahead of the Le Val des Terres event.
Saunders was fully up to speed on the winding route and lowered his PB to 39.47sec. for eighth in the first of two rounds.
After taking half a second off his previous best, he followed up with 40.27 on the next round as Wallace Menzies delivered more of the superb driving that has taken him into the championship lead, clocking a 37.23 ‘FTD’.
Therefore, Saunders graduated as the fastest driver in a Racing Cars 1101-1600 class where Paul Priaulx had clocked a solid 41.27.
‘All-in-all, my best Jersey rounds,’ said Saunders.
‘I had just broken into the 39s previously and I did [39.47] so it’s a good drop.
‘Confidence-wise, I am happy in my car now. The car seems to be handling well and as it’s such a short gap between .... having exactly a couple of days, you still feel warmed up for it, really.’
As Richard Spedding sped to a time of 37.34 to head the initial run-off and set a new 1600-2000cc record, in-class rival Bougourd grabbed 10th with 41.50.
Though outside his best form of years gone by, Bougourd appreciated the championship point and now faces a fast turnaround to get his vehicle in top nick for tomorrow.
‘It was my first race this year, with my new engine, so it was a bit of a baptism of fire,’ he said.
‘I was very pleased with my day,’ he added, despite picking up a mechanical issue on run two, ‘my first British Championship point and only 32 have scored in this championship’.
Outside the specialised racing cars, John Dunne headed the production cars hierarchy with 46.09 and Dale Crowsley was the fastest rally driver with 46.88.
On two wheels, Jersey’s Oliver Holmes scored another key victory but Anthony Poynder and Andy Mechem enjoyed competitive clockings in the 46sec. range.
