2016 CHAMPION: PHIL HOUSE

Rounds 10 and 11 of the 2016 Milltek Sport Volkswagen Racing Cup got underway this weekend at a cloudy but humid Snetterton circuit.

17-cars played part in the 5th weekend of the season, and as Qualifying got underway, it didn’t take long for series veteran Phil House to take to the top of the timing screens.

It didn’t take long however for Rob Allum to upset the rankings going 2nd before being pushed down the leaderboard to start 6th position.

Paul Ivens and Simon Rudd could hardly be separated the whole session but as the chequered flag fell the pair would begin the opening race of the weekend in 3rd and 4th respectively.

But it was Dennis Strandberg who ultimately took the honours in the dying stages of Qualifying. As the chequered flag was deployed, it was a lap gasp lap as the Swede appeared over the line to steal pole position from House by 0.151 seconds!

Thompson, Smith Wallace and Johansen complete the top 10.

Dennis Strandberg: That’s mega! I mean, I went out of the pits with 2 minutes 20 something left and just thought I need to be on it from now. I knew I had that one last lap to try as hard as I could. I just tried as hard as I could, but I mean getting the car to perform that well at the end of the session is just brilliant.

Phil House: I was gutted, I came in early because I couldn’t do anymore so that was me done and when I saw P1 I thought at the end of that no one would go any quicker, but he (Dennis Strandberg) must have done some slow cool warming up laps to get that lap in at the end so fair play to him.

Paul Ivens: Absolutely over the moon with that, especially in the VW Cup. It took me a while to get there but I think it was the last but one lap I got it but yeah absolutely over the moon.

Race 1 took place under the blistering sun and as the 17-strong field took to the grid.

Strandberg knew he would be instantly under pressure from House but as the lights went out it was Wallace who stole the attention making a slow start dropping back from 9th to 14th.

Series newcomer Mason Lennick appeared to be struggling during the opening laps as a couple of spins dropped him to the back of the running order.

Up front, House was pressuring Strandberg and before too long made the pass stick as Strandberg made minor errors around the 2.99-mile circuit. House then continued to lead for the entire race before pulling a comfortable gap 5.451 seconds as the chequered flag fell.

However, the attention soon turned to the Championship leader – Bobby Thompson. Thompson suffered a mechanical failure which resulted in contact with the tyre wall ending his race and his consistent run of results.

Kieran Gordon once again drove an impressive race holding back the fighting force of Rob Allum for several laps before he made a superb move to claim 4th position.

John Robins was making further progress in his new Power Maxed Racing Volkswagen Scirocco climbing from 15th to 12th whilst Toby Davis and Kenan Dole were having a battle of their own but proving close racing is fun racing in the middle of the pack in 10th and 11th.

Phil House: Dennis got a mega start and he was so strong the first 2 laps, and I couldn’t keep up with him full stop. He made a couple of mistakes going into the hairpins and I thought I have got to strike it hot and don’t hang on too long, I did and made good room then I just got my head down.

After the race was concluded a post-race examination of Simon Rudd’s car highlighted a technical infringement which resulted in exclusion. Therefore, bumping Rob Allum up into 3rd and his first ever podium within the Milltek Sport Volkswagen Racing Cup.

It didn’t take long for race 2 of the weekend to turn into one of the most exciting races of the season to date.

The drama unfolded on the green flag lap as a loud bang was heard from Thompson Polo R before limping around to take to the pit lane.

As the lights went out Witts and Dole made a charge from the line but it didn’t take long for Strandberg to start picking off his fellow competitors one-by-one.

Further down the field and Simon Rudd, who wasn’t having the best of weekends was starting in 17th and by the end of the opening lap had made up 3 places.

As the pack emerged from lap 1, Thompson re-joined from the pit lane but only managed 2 laps before being forced to retire the car with a misfire – throwing the championship wide open.

House was now pushing hard to ensure he collected as many points as possible, but Witts was looking to keep his own championship title challenge alive. Witts now found himself defending from Dole who had closed the gap down from over 1 second to only 0.288.

Strandberg was pushing harder and harder to claim a podium position and as he headed into 3rd position he was handed a 5 second time penalty for exceeding track limits – demoting him to 5th.

This automatically handed Phil House the 3rd spot, but the drama wasn’t over yet as Strandberg made a mistake allowing Ivens to make the pass.

As the chequered flag was deployed Witts claimed a lights to flag victory with Dole and House joining him on the podium.

The top ten was rounded out by Ivens, Strandberg, Wallace, Gordon, Rudd, Allum and Johansen.

Tom Witts: That was the hardest race ever. It was just unbelievable, we are miles of the pace so to get a win is so unexpected, but I just did what I could do to keep them behind, and luckily it worked but I just watched the minute’s tick down, but they seem to go on forever!

Kenan Dole: That was great fun. I thought I had a win there, but he made the car big enough, he drove well. I’m happy with that; I had to fight off Dennis then House then Allum to be fighting off this kind of drivers in my debut season – I have to give myself a pat on the back really!

Phil House: I’m happy with that! I hate seeing what happened to Bobby, I’ve had that over the last couple of years, and I do feel for him I really do, but equally, I am happy about taking the championship lead, but that could also happen to me at Donington so it's all to play for still.

The championship now heads to Donington Park in just under 5 weeks time for rounds 12 & 13 with the addition of round 7 which was cancelled due to adverse weather condition earlier in the season.