It was a tough start to the weekend at Snetterton for the RAW Motorsports, after Ben Dimmack suffered damage during Friday’s pre-race practice, after a front strut broke on their Radical RXC.
Having had little time on track, Steve Burgess went out in free practice, before Dimmack took over for qualifying. “We had an ABS problem and it was the same for Ben, “said Burgess after they qualified 12th.
Dimmack was in the driving seat for the first sprint race too and had a terrific opening lap, making eight places, to cross the line in fourth.
The Radical was flying and after quickly picking off Mike Price’s Mercedes, Dimmack was all over Orange’s McLaren into Murrays and was ahead in the drag to the line for second place after only two laps.
“A cracking start as I backed off in anticipation of something happening in front, and it did. I had understeer into Riches and was pushing hard, but overcooked it at Wilson and spun,” he explained.
After dropping back to seventh, he made rapid progress again and on lap five took Tilley’s Mercedes for fifth.
“The rear end was a bit loose in the slow stuff, but I expected to close the gap again, but couldn’t and kept outbraking myself as I was trying too hard,” he admitted. He was fifth at the flag which gave him second in class.
Burgess started the first of the two-driver races and was soon catching the duel for third between Dhillon’s Lamborghini and Price’s Mercedes. “It took some time for the tyres to come in and then I just went for them,” he admitted.
He managed to split them heading into Riches on lap six, before demoting Dhillon two laps later, handing over to Dimmack with the race lead after his rivals had pitted earlier.
Having settled in fourth, he lost out to Amici’s Lamborghini on the 23rd lap but was beginning to struggle. “I had no brakes for the last five laps and overshot at Nelson and was able to continue, then I nearly hit the barrier at Agostini, so not a lot of confidence after that,” he said after his seventh on the road became sixth, with Amici/Dhillon excluded. More importantly it was a class win too.
With brakes restored to full working order Burgess qualified sixth for Sunday’s sprint and was third by the end of lap three. “One car spun at Nelson, then I got the McLaren’s of Orange and Tillbrook. All was working well, and I was nicely in the grove, slowly pulling in the leader too,” he explained.
Second looked secure until the final lap. “I caught backmarkers and spun at Nelson, just braked too late,” he admitted after dropping to fourth.
Dimmack took the opening stint in Sunday’s finale, starting from the outside of the front row, enabling him to charge ahead of poleman Loggie to lead into Riches.
“I knew I was holding them up, but I was fastest on the straights and was really enjoying it,” he said after holding the advantage for five laps.
Once Orange was into second, he forced Dimmack wide into Murrays and Tilbrook followed too, but with Orange then serving a penalty, Dimmack shared a couple of exchanges with Tilbrook before handing to Burgess in second. “That was the best the car has been all weekend and I was neat and tidy,” Dimmack added.
Burgess was up against the Pro drivers and had a couple of swaps with Tregurtha’s Mercedes, finally taking sixth with a third-class win. “It was reasonably plain sailing, but I expected them to catch me quicker,” Burgess concluded.