Pembrey 1-8-10

The team enjoyed a strong return to the UK Formula Vee scene at Pembrey in Wales last weekend. The championship, in which Leastone made its name with 4 championship wins, has been somewhat neglected by the Kildare squad as they focused attention on the Irish racing scene in recent years. David Heavey piloted the latest spec JH004 model and he was joined by Clondalkin native and former Irish Formula Vee champion, Ken Elliott for the weekend as the team launched a 2 pronged attack on the championship stalwarts.

The weekend began poorly when Heavey blew an oil filter on the opening lap of qualifying, leaving him to watch the session as a disinterested spectator. Elliott struggled with engine issues to line up 10th for the 1st of the weekends two races.

Elliott made a solid start to hold station in the early part of the race while Heavey began the unenviable task of scything his way through the 21 car field. Both drivers suffered in traffic, a result of lack of race time through their limited programme of 2010. However, Heavey managed to pull himself into the top ten with a 7th place finish while his team mate finished 9th, still struggling with the engine issues which hampered him during qualifying.

Heavey appeared to have eradicated some of his ‘race rustiness’ and stormed from 21st to 4th by lap 5 of race two. Unfortunately, Elliott was already a spectator at this stage as he was rammed at first corner at the beginning of lap two; the force of the impact greatly rearranged the rear end of his car. Heavey worked up a comfortable gap in 4th but made little impression on the top three group who had already amassed a substantial gap at the front.

‘The car was working well all weekend. Without the problem in qualifying we would have easily been mixing it with the top three guys, such was the pace we had in testing. We have a few minor tweaks to make before the next outing which will put us on a more equal footing with the championship regulars. The next one is the important one anyways!’ said Heavey after the weekend.

Such a weekend would not be possible without the continued support of Leastones long term sponsors, Stena Lines ferries, Dunlop tyres and Finol lubricants. The team are now gearing up for a possible outing at Oulton Park in Chesire at the beginning of October with Heavey already confirmed for the televised Formula Vee Festival at Brands Hatch on the 23/24th of October.