TF Sport enjoyed a highly positive opening to its 2015 GT Cup campaign at Donington Park on the Leicestershire/Derbyshire border, notching up a hat-trick of race podiums, including two victories for the Paul Bailey and Andy Schulz driver pairing in their Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 (25-26 April).
The weather was typically British and, while the sun shone for free practice, rain arrived for qualifying, contrasting what drivers had experienced in the morning.
Bailey negotiated his way through slower traffic in the Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3, as the rain fell heavier to finish the session in ninth overall and fourth in class, while Houghton and Glew qualified fifth in the GTC class and Johnston ninth in the GTA class.
Track conditions began to dry for the afternoon’s season opening 50-minute race. Bailey took the start and by lap four had scythed his way through the field to move up to third position, before a coming together with Phil Burgan’s Audi R8 LMS Ultra warranted the appearance of the Safety Car just as the pit window opened.
During the pit stop, Bailey handed over the reins to Schulz, who, once the order had played out, was able to bridge a gap to second-placed Richard Chamberlin and bring the Aston Martin home in first with a 27-second lead.
Houghton and Glew ,who are entering the championship on a round-by-round basis, also opened their accounts with silverware after becoming entangled in a tight battle with another Ferrari 458 Challenge of John Seale and Jamie Stanley for the majority of the race, before crossing the line fifth overall and third in class.
In stark contrast to the previous day’s action, Sunday’s (26 April) two sprint races were held under clear blue skies, Bailey lining up on the front row alongside Darren Nelson’s Ferrari 458, with Houghton four rows back in seventh and Johnston 25th.
Bailey was quick to tuck himself under the rear wing of Nelson’s Ferrari at the start, as the grid charged towards Redgate for the first time and snatched the lead from his rival on the second tour of the 1.97mile circuit, to then go on unchallenged up until the chequered flag.
Johnston ran a comfortable race in the GTA class to bring his V8 Vantage GT4 home sixth in class, after an unfortunate off for Houghton saw the Sporting Drivers’ weekend come to a premature end.
In the weekend’s third and final race, Bailey jumped from third to second position at the start, after a brave move up the inside of Burgan at Redgate, and set about chasing down the Ferrari 458 of Nelson.
The pair were embroiled in an intense battle and Bailey looked to make his way past the Ferrari as quickly as possible with his warmer tyres. However, the Rutland racer was unable to negotiate his way past and was caught by Aaron Scott.
Sporting Driver Bailey would relinquish his second position to Pro driver, Scott, at Redgate, but would remain latched to his rival to get a tow down the hill towards the Old Hairpin, where they would both pass race leader Nelson several laps later.
Bailey would run yet another solid race to round off a superb weekend in second position, a third podium in as many races allowing him to extend his lead at the top of the Drivers’ standings.
Elsewhere, Johnston concluded his trouble-free weekend sixth in class behind the wheel of the team’s Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT4.
TF Sport Director, Tom Ferrier, said: “It was a good weekend for Paul Bailey, who is over the moon with his podiums. It was a shame that Aaron Scott did the last race, as he is the Professional driver, but it was like a win for us, as Paul beat all the other Sporting Drivers.
“Andy Houghton did a brilliant job all weekend and it was so unfortunate for it to end with an accident. He was great considering this was his first ever race weekend. Martin Johnston went out there and did exactly what he wanted to do by going round-and-round. He finished more races this weekend than he did during the whole of last season, which was his objective. Generally it has been a very happy weekend all round.”
TF Sport will resume racing in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship next weekend (2-3 May) at Corby’s Rockingham Motor Speedway with its two Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3s.
For more information on TF Sport and its racing activities, visit the official www.tfsport.co.uk website, ‘like’ the team’s Facebook page of follow @OfficialTFSport on Twitter.