GAME ON FOR NAPA TRUCK RACE AT DONINGTON PARK
15 Aug 2024
NAPA Racing UK maintained its fine form in the British Truck Racing Championship with a triple win in Division 2 as the BATTLE FOR SUPREMECY RAMPED UP AT Donington Park for round four.
Driver Paul Rivett was looking to build on a double success in the previous meeting at the wheel his MAN TGX, which had allowed him to regain some of the ground lost when he was forced to miss the event at Pembrey after suffering a broken ankle.
The Donington weekend started well when Paul powered his way to pole position in class, setting a best time that was more than a second clear than his closest Division 2 rival and quicker than a number of the Division 1 entrants.
Paul duly converted that into a dominant victory in the opening race of the weekend as he led every lap, finishing 15 seconds clear of runner-up Adam Bint – the man he had beaten to the title last season and who was returning to action for the first time this year.
Having also scored fastest lap to pick up maximum points, Paul went into race two keen to repeat his front-running form but lost the lead on the run to turn one to title rival John Powell.
Paul wasted little time in reclaiming his place at the front however as he dived ahead at Redgate on the second lap, and was then able to ease away at the front to secure another comfortable victory, with fastest lap meaning a perfect Saturday for the NAPA Racing UK squad.
Having lost the lead to Bint at the start of race three in Sunday morning, Paul slipped back to third spot at the end of the opening lap when an attempted move for P1 saw him lose momentum onto the start/finish straight.
Paul then slipped back to fourth when he had to take avoiding action when a Division 1 truck suffered a spin ahead at the Old Hairpin but fought his way back ahead of Simon Cole into third, right on the tail of Powell.
TAKE A PEAK AT SOME OF THE ACTION
Having tried to go around the outside at Redgate, Paul was unable to find a way ahead of his rival, but eventually got through when Powell suffered a brake problem on the penultimate lap – resulting in contact that forced Paul off track as Powell was forced to retire.
Although Cole nipped ahead at the time to leave Paul crossing the line in third, Cole was carrying a time penalty for exceeding track limits, which meant Paul would be classified in second spot having once again scored fastest lap.
The grid for race four had Paul on the front row overall and whilst he remained towards the sharp end in the opening laps, he would gradually slip down the pack as the quicker Division 1 trucks worked their way forwards.
Paul would once again head the Division 2 field throughout to make it three wins from the weekend but his hopes of a fourth win ended on the opening lap of the final race when the MAN developed a gearbox problem.
Bringing the truck into the pits, Paul would rejoin despite the loss of third and fourth gear in a bid to pick up championship points, although it would ultimately be in vain as he wasn’t classified in the final results having taken the flag five laps down.
STANDINGS
Paul leaves Donington Park 3rd in the Championship:
Paul Rivett: 251 points
John Powell: 279 points
Simon Cole: 292 points
Next stop
Paul and the team head to Snetterton on the weekend of 14/15 September.
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