ins

ide t

his

mo

nth

’s e

dit

ion

... Latest news Latest news Latest news

JUN

E 1

4

June saw us compete in five championships and 19 races over five weekendsWe started June with a three-hour race at Silverstone for the third round of the British GT Championship. We had season regulars Mark Patterson and Matt Bell in the Audi, while Jim and Glynn Geddie joined us for a one-off race in the McLaren MP4-12C GT3. Sadly, both cars had to retire. Mark was hit from behind while entering the pit lane, causing too much damage to continue and the McLaren suffered from a broken front right wishbone, leaving them unable to continue too.

The following weekend we went to Oulton Park for the BTCC and Ginetta GT4 Supercup championships and Silverstone for the GT Cup championship. Jim Geddie clinched his first win of the year in the 45-minute pit stop race at Silverstone and followed that up with two more wins in the sprint races. Glynn and James showed promise at Oulton Park in their Toyotas. Unfortunate red flags halted any real progress in qualifying, which ultimately ruined any chance of a top-10 result for both cars. A season best of P12 for the team and Glynn and a fastest lap from James in race three showed we have the pace to be battling in the top half of the grid. Both Carl and Luke scored more podiums in the two Ginetta GT4 Supercup races at Oulton Park and we left Cheshire leading the team’s championship.

The weekend after Oulton and Silverstone, the historics team travelled to Le Mans where Zak Brown would be racing his 1986 Porsche 962 in the Group C race. Unfortunately, his weekend ended early as a fire during qualifying meant he would not start the race.

The British GT team travelled to Snetterton for the fourth round of the championship on 21-22 June where they had their best weekend of the year so far. Iain Dockerill joined Matt Bell in the Audi and the pair finished both races in P6.

At the end of June, we went to Croft for the fifth round of the BTCC. Our home race looked set to be an improved one for James and Glynn. Unfortunately, a poor qualifying session ruined any chance of the good result we were hoping for. Round five of the Ginetta GT4 Supercup was much better as Carl Breeze took not only his first win, but his first two wins of the year at Croft, along with a second in race three. Luke had a mixed weekend with a DNF in race two but a fifth place finish in race three after starting from the back of the grid.

Iain Dockerill joined Matt Bell in United Autosports Audi for SnettertonGT racer Iain Dockerill joined United Autosports for the two one-hour races at Snetterton. He partnered Matt Bell in the Audi R8 LMS ultra as his usual partner Mark Patterson sat out the Snetterton round. Iain’s first experience of the Audi was at a pre-Snetterton test on the Thursday at Rockingham. The pair came away with seventh and sixth place finishes after a tough year for the BGT team to date.

Race Action

Team Member

Profile

Historic Event

Driver Profile

Dear Flower...

IN NEXT MONTHS EDITION: All the latest news from our overseas trip to Spa and the latest GT Cup round HENDERSON

INSURANCE BROKERS

HENDERSONINSURANCE BROKERS

UNITED UNTIED

Silverstone BGTWe endured a miserable race at Silverstone during the third round of the British GT Championship. For the third time in a row we had a DNF with the Audi and also suffered a DNF with the McLaren. Season regulars Matt Bell and Mark Patterson retired their Audi R8 LMS ultra in the fourth round at Silverstone after damage to the underfloor, rear diffuser and exhaust after a bizarre pit-lane accident when the Audi was hit as Patterson entered the pit-lane. Meanwhile 2011 British GT and reigning Supercar Challenge champions, Jim and Glynn Geddie, making a one-off return to the series, retired after suffering a broken front right upright on their McLaren MP4-12C following an opening lap pit stop to replace a rear wing that had been damaged due to first lap contact.

Oulton Park Ginetta GT4 SupercupThe team left Oulton Park leading the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup Team’s championship for the first time while Carl Breeze and Luke Davenport remain fifth and sixth respectively in the Drivers’ standings following the two races at Oulton Park. Breeze and Davenport recorded second and fifth positions in the opening race staged early on Saturday evening. Carl finished a mere 0.373s behind the race winner after 12 laps while Luke was less than a second behind the third-placed car - the team doing a sterling job to repair his car after an off in the closing minutes of wet qualifying earlier in the day. The following day Carl and Luke recorded sixth and third place finishes respectively. Unfortunately, Carl received a drive-through-penalty for creeping at the start of the race, ultimately ruining his chance of a podium and maybe even a win.

Oulton Park BTCC We underlined our progress in the BTCC at Oulton Park when Glynn Geddie and James Cole recorded the team’s best race finish and first-ever fastest race lap respectively.

In qualifying, Geddie and Cole placed ninth and 12th with both on faster laps on a wet but drying track before the session was red-flagged with 10 minutes remaining. Unfortunately, the red flag meant we were unable to progress any further and we ended up qualifying P18 and P20.

We showed the car now has the pace to be battling in the top half of the grid - James scored the fastest lap of the race in race three and Glynn finished a season best of P12 also during race three so we are feeling positive going into the next round at Croft on 28-29 June.

Team Member Profile: Stephen Lewis

What is your age? 42

What is your role at United Autosports?Good question. I’ve been asking myself that. I’m number one mechanic on James Cole’s BTCC Toyota Avensis.

How long have you worked at United Autosports? Some would say too long. I have been with the team for a year and a half now on a self-employed basis.

What do you get up to outside work?I like gardening, cooking, drawing, visiting modern art galleries, camping, bunny juggling, disappointing people, darts, pool, swimming, barbecues, shopping and general socialising with selected friends. I also work for M-Sport on the World Rally Championship cars when the races don’t clash with BTCC events.

How did you end up working for United Autosports?I was a tramp living out of a cardboard box at Oulton Park when Richard Dean asked if I knew where the toilets were. I showed him and the rest is history.

What is your best memory of working at United?Having a shower with a chair – long story!

What is your nickname?Stig, dumpster, dumpie, some boy but usually Stig is what people call me (from Stig of the Dump not Top Gear)

Snetterton BGTWe achieved two sixth place finishes in the fifth and sixth rounds of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship at Snetterton. Despite Matt Bell posting the second fastest time in the raceday warm-up, the crew then changed the Audi’s gearbox in record time allowing new recruit Iain Dockerill to line-up on the eighth row to make his United race debut after just one brief test at Rockingham to acclimatize to the R8 LMS ultra. Iain’s race pace continued to improve throughout his stint before handing over to Matt after 26 minutes in 15th place. Matt moved up to 10th with 15 minutes left to run and ultimately eighth place with two laps remaining around the 2.96-mile Norfolk venue – less than one second behind the sixth-placed car. Almost half the qualifying session for race two was lost on Saturday due to a red flag but Matt claimed a third-row start after just two flying laps – despite being blocked on his quickest lap in which Matt had set the fastest outright middle sector time. He made up a place at the start of the second race but a first corner accident caused an hour-long stoppage, Matt sixth at the re-start of the shortened 55 minutes race that began behind the safety car for the opening 10 minutes. He remained sixth for most of his stint, among a six-car dice for second place, before handing over to Iain, in fifth, with 22 minutes remaining. Iain resumed fourth after a great pit-stop from the United Autosports team, impressively resisting intense pressure from a “train” of four-cars driven by more experienced drivers but succumbed on the penultimate lap dropping two positions.

www.unitedautosports.com

Race Action Race Action Race Action Race Action Race Action Race Action Race Action Race Ac-

Oulton Park Ginetta GT4 SupercupThe team left Oulton Park leading the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup Team’s championship for the first time while Carl Breeze and Luke Davenport remain fifth and sixth respectively in the Drivers’ standings following the two races at Oulton Park. Breeze and Davenport recorded second and fifth positions in the opening race staged early on Saturday evening. Carl finished a mere 0.373s behind the race winner after 12 laps while Luke was less than a second behind the third-placed car - the team doing a sterling job to repair his car after an off in the closing minutes of wet qualifying earlier in the day. The following day Carl and Luke recorded sixth and third place finishes respectively. Unfortunately, Carl received a drive-through-penalty for creeping at the start of the race, ultimately ruining his chance of a podium and maybe even a win.

Silverstone GT CupWe won all three GT Cup races at Silverstone on the International circuit during the second weekend in June. Jim Geddie drove a stunning first race to bring the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 home in first place in Saturday’s 45-minute pit-stop race after posting a P2 time in qualifying. Starting from pole in Sunday’s first sprint race, Jim led from the start, giving the team their second win of the weekend. They then completed the hat-trick of wins in the final sprint race on Sunday evening.

Driver Profile: James Cole

Age: 25

What championship do you race in? BTCC

How long have you been racing with United Autosports? Not long enough

Why do you like driving for United Autosports? Yorkshire Tea, Fishy Fridays and the team are alright too.

What is your racing history? - 2007 Northwest Formula Ford Champion- 2008 British Formula Ford - 2009 British Formula Ford Champion, McLaren Autosports Young Driver of the Year Nominee- 2010 British Formula Three - 2011 FIA Formula Two- 2013 Part Season in BTCC

How did you get into racing? My father’s fault. As a kid I followed my dad up and down race tracks as he managed other racing drivers (Dan Clarke - Champ Car & Michael Bentwood - ex BTCC) I always wanted to have a go but because of my road accident I had when I was 11 it was always frowned upon. My first experience of driving a real go kart was through Richard Dean. I was 15 at a race track in Wales called GYG. So I guess he is as much to blame!

What do you do in your spare time? I play a lot of music. I studied a music degree at LIPA and continue to play as many gigs as I can.

Do you have a nickname – if so, what is it? Bob... Long story that involves Bob Holness & Blockbusters as a one-year old. We shall leave it there!

Croft BTCC We had a difficult weekend with the BTCC cars at Croft. Glynn Geddie, who had set the seventh and fifth fastest times in the two free practice sessions earlier on Saturday, held down eighth on the grid early in qualifying but had to settle for a row 10 start after officials disallowed his fastest time for exceeding track limits with James Cole one row further back for race one.

Unfortunately it was the same old story with James and Glynn starting each of the three races towards the rear of the grid meaning they were engulfed in the thick of the action as soon as the green light flashed on. Incidents aplenty in all three races, often with bodywork damaging consequences requiring pit-stops to repair the damage, conspired to prevent Geddie and team-mate James Cole from progressing up the field.

Croft Ginetta GT4 Supercup We extended our points advantage in the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup after the Croft weekend.

Carl Breeze won two races – started from the front row and recorded a fastest lap and a lap record – and posted a second place in the third, which moved him up one place from fifth to fourth in the standings while team-mate Luke Davenport remains sixth after netting fourth and fifth place finishes – Luke setting race three’s fastest lap.Snetterton BGT

We achieved two sixth place finishes in the fifth and sixth rounds of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship at Snetterton. Despite Matt Bell posting the second fastest time in the raceday warm-up, the crew then changed the Audi’s gearbox in record time allowing new recruit Iain Dockerill to line-up on the eighth row to make his United race debut after just one brief test at Rockingham to acclimatize to the R8 LMS ultra. Iain’s race pace continued to improve throughout his stint before handing over to Matt after 26 minutes in 15th place. Matt moved up to 10th with 15 minutes left to run and ultimately eighth place with two laps remaining around the 2.96-mile Norfolk venue – less than one second behind the sixth-placed car. Almost half the qualifying session for race two was lost on Saturday due to a red flag but Matt claimed a third-row start after just two flying laps – despite being blocked on his quickest lap in which Matt had set the fastest outright middle sector time. He made up a place at the start of the second race but a first corner accident caused an hour-long stoppage, Matt sixth at the re-start of the shortened 55 minutes race that began behind the safety car for the opening 10 minutes. He remained sixth for most of his stint, among a six-car dice for second place, before handing over to Iain, in fifth, with 22 minutes remaining. Iain resumed fourth after a great pit-stop from the United Autosports team, impressively resisting intense pressure from a “train” of four-cars driven by more experienced drivers but succumbed on the penultimate lap dropping two positions.

Race Action Race Action Race Action Race Action Race Action Race Action Race Action Race Ac-

Question:I’m trying to continue with my work in a professional manner but I am constantly being harassed by someone who has other ideas in mind. How do you suggest I handle this?

Answer:Make sure you don’t handle her at all love, otherwise you’ll give her the wrong impression!

Please note: Flower’s monthly views on life expressed in this column are not necessarily the views of the company or its staff. United Autosports will not be held responsible for any offence caused

If you have any personal or emotional problems you would like Uncle Flower to help with, then please send a private message to him on the team Facebook page.

IN NEXT MONTHS EDITION: All the latest news from our overseas trip to Spa and the latest GT Cup round

11th – 13th July British GT Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

19th – 20th July GT Cup Snetterton, Norfolk

26th – 27th July Spa 24 Hours Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

2nd – 3rd August BTCC / Ginetta Supercup Snetterton, Norfolk

16th – 17th August Monterey Historics USA

16th – 17th August GT Cup Silverstone, Northamptonshire

23rd – 24th August BTCC / Ginetta Supercup Knockhill, Scotland

30th – 31st August British GT Brands Hatch GP, Kent

6th – 7th September BTCC / Ginetta Supercup Rockingham, Northamptonshire

13th – 14th September British GT Donington Park, Leicestershire

20th – 21st September GT Cup Donington Park, Leicestershire

27th – 28th September BTCC / Ginetta Supercup Silverstone, Northamptonshire

11th – 12th October BTCC / Ginetta Supercup Brands Hatch GP, Kent

25th October GT Cup Oulton Park, Cheshire

15th – 16th November Macau GT Cup Asia

10th – 12th December Gulf 12 Hours Abu Dhabi

unitedautosport unitedautosports unitedautosports Designed & Printed by:

Diary Dates 2014... Keep an eye out for us at the following events throughout the year

Dear Flower...

United Autosports Historic EventLe MansThis month the historics team went to Le Mans for the Group C race where Zak would race his 1986 Porsche 962. After a good session during free practice, qualifying was a different matter. Zak lost drive in the Porsche and came to a stop. A fire then broke out in the engine bay causing damage to the car that could not be repaired.