Lee Martin doubles at BRCA 1/10th Buggy Nats Rd5

Round five of the BRCA 1/18th Buggy National Championship was held at Titchfield Off Road Club Hampshire this past weekend. The new track layout was long and very fast and with the incorporated jump sections, certainly another different great test for the competitors. The weekend started off with 2WD on Saturday and it was Neil Cragg who put his Team Associated buggy on pole position for the triple A-finals. Yokomo’s Lee Martin and Tom Cockerill came in 2nd and 3rd respectively.

2WD qualifying top 10:
1. Neil Cragg – Team Associated
2. Lee Martin – Yokomo
3. Tom Cockerill – Yokomo
4. Tom Yardy – Team Associated
5. Elliott Boots – Kyosho
6. Craig Collinson – Team C
7. Richard Lowe – Hot Bodies
8. Simon Moss – Yokomo
9. Nathan Waters – Schumacher
10.Danny McGee – Schumacher

In the opening A-final Neil Cragg led the field and everyone thought it would be just like a train going round but the top 3 were running at such a pace they very quickly broke away from the chasing pack. Neil, Lee and Tom were very much on par too with extremely similar lap times were being posted. But at the end Lee Martin took the win from Neil in 2nd and Tom in 3rd. Leg 2 got under way right on schedule and an early mistake by Neil let Lee get ahead. Lee then did what he does best and kept the buggy right side up to just stroke it home to take leg 2 and the win. Neil finished in 2nd again with Tom in 3rd. Before leg 3 the meeting was all tied up by Lee as he won the first 2 legs so now it was time for the podium positions. At first Neil was in control but once again the smallest of mistakes gave Lee the lead with Tom moving into 2nd and Neil down to 3rd. Out of the blue and more or less instantaneously Lee seemed to make an error that gave Tom the lead. Of course this was panning out just nicely for the Yokomo boys because if Tom could win this leg he would be 2nd at the meeting demoting Neil to 3rd. Certainly this would tighten up the Championship too, right down to a single point between Neil and Lee. Lee didn’t need to overtake Tom and didn’t. Tom drove a perfect race for himself it has to be said and took leg 3 and 2nd overall. Lee was 2nd in the race, Neil 3rd.

2WD A-final result:
1. Lee Martin – Yokomo
2. Tom Cockerill – Yokomo
3. Neil Cragg – Team Associated
4. Craig Collinson – Team C
5. Elliott Boots – Kyosho
6. Tom Yardy – Team Associated
7. Nathan Waters – Schumacher
8. Danny McGee – Schumacher
9. Richard Lowe – Hot Bodies
10.Simon Moss – Yokomo

Before the 4WD event on Sunday the weather looked questionable but it changed through the night though and by the first practice it was all over, the threat of rain was gone and the shorts were out once more. After four rounds of qualifying Lee Martin put his Yokomo in front with newly-crowned 1/8th Nitro Buggy European Champion Elliott Boots (Kyosho) in 2nd. Neil Cragg (Team Associated) rounded out the top 3 result so far.

4WD qualifying top 10:
1. Lee Martin – Yokomo
2. Elliott Boots – Kyosho
3. Neil Cragg – Team Associated
4. Ellis Stafford – TLR
5. Simon Moss – Yokomo
6. Tom Yardy – Associated
7. Michal Orlowski – Schumacher
8. Nathan Waters – Schumacher
9. Craig Collinson – Team C
10.Jack Neal – Schumacher

A-main leg 1 held a lot of excitement for everyone. Lee started from pole and was put under pressure from Elliott straight away. Lee then had a champions roll and that’s all that was needed for Elliott to shoot his Kyosho into the lead. It looked around the half way distance that Elliott was actually pulling away a little until Lee got his head done and did some of the quickest laps of the meeting to catch up with Elliott. Elliott did the same and these two were the only ones doing 24s laps although Neil in 3rd on a 25 dead. Last lap and Lee tapped Elliott trying to get by and instantly stopped to give the advantage back and they went off again.  Elliott’s car seemed to be on the wrong line down the straight and suddenly tumbled flat out into the RudeBits banner at the end of the straight. Lee was through and with only a few more corners, Lee won the first leg from Elliott in 2nd and Neil in 3rd. Leg 2 then was a great race too. Lee led them off again, Elliott pilling on the pressure from word go and did some amazing laps but after only 4 laps had a failure and had to drop out. Neil took the final by the neck and somehow Lee made an error and Neil was away. Lee then was catching or Neil was crusing, either or, it finished with Neil taking it and Lee 2nd. The decision would be made in A3 and only 3 laps in it wasn’t meant to be for Elliott as he retired with another mechanical failure. It was all up now to Lee and Neil to fight it out for the win. Neil made an error and Lee was past and just kept it on its wheels and cruised round to take the win and the meeting. Neil came in 2nd to take 2nd in the meeting. Si Moss took 3rd to put his new ride on the podium first time out.

4WD A-final result:
1. Lee Martin – Yokomo
2. Neil Cragg – Team Associated
3. Simon Moss – Yokomo
4. Tom Yardy – Team Associated
5. Ellis Stafford – TLR
6. Michal Orlowski – Schumacher
7. Elliott Boots – Kyosho
8. Nathan Waters – Schumacher
9. Craig Collinson – Team C
10.Jack Neal – Schumacher

Source: BRCA [brca10thoffroad.co.uk]