Friday Testing Results at Oulton

[ZBOYD]

Hodgetts quickest in Oulton SEAT Cupra Championship test.

Stefan Hodgetts set the fastest time in today’s test session at Oulton Park for Sunday’s rounds five and six of the Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Championship, but the fourth and final session was cut short following Stephen Colbert’s high speed accident.

Hodgetts didn’t leave the pit lane in his loaded-backed Leon Cupra R race car in the final session, as the 21-year old Redditch driver was already happy with his day’s performance. Most drivers that did venture out only completed a few laps, as the red flags came to stop the session, after Colbert had crashed at Island Bend – the fastest corner on the circuit.

The Ulsterman’s front right tyre suddenly deflated at around 100mph as he went around the fast left hand corner, sending his Auto Trader / Track Smart Leon backwards through the gravel trap and into the barriers. He was uninjured and the ultra-strong Leon only sustained panel damage. Amazingly, Stephen finished the day second fastest, just 0.3 seconds behind Stefan.

Local driver James Pickford was third quickest, a mere 0.3 seconds further behind. As predicted a number of drivers followed Pickford’s ABT Sportsline / Haribo Leon to learn the best lines.

Championship leader Robert Huff was just 0.1 seconds behind Pickford in his Marshall of Cambridge Cupra, while Gordon Shedden was fifth quickest – despite spending most of the third session in the pits after damaging the front of his Scottish Sun car after a minor off.

Two qualifying session takes place tomorrow, which will determine the grid for Sunday’s races.

Stefan Hodgetts 1min 50.5secs
Stephen Colbert 1min 50.8secs
James Pickford 1min 51.1secs
Robert Huff 1min 51.2secs
Gordon Shedden 1min 51.4secs
Gavin Smith 1min 51.5secs
Paula Cook 1min 51.9secs
Julian Westwood 1min 51.9secs
Andre D’Cruze 1min 52.2secs
Spencer Marsh 1min 52.2secs
Emmet O’Brien 1min 52.3secs
Ben Winrow 1min 53.6secs
Karl Goshawk 1min 53.6secs
Hamish Gordon 1min 55.5secs
Natalie Barratt 1min 56.5secs
Melanie Healey 2min 01.9secs