Race Report - Irish Vee

Phoenix Park Races 11/12 August 2007

The Leastone organisation as a whole enjoyed a fantastic weekend at the Phoenix Park motor races although it was semi works driver John Stapleton who took the honours on both days. Ken Elliott was to the fore on both days but slight mishaps prevented his from taking a win around the Dublin streets for the second time in as many years.

Qualifying was held in treacherous conditions after a early morning downpour left the track soaked. Many people were caught out by the standing water but Elliott despite making some strange set-up choices managed to secure a second row grid slot, while Stapleton took the top spot for both races.

Elliott made one of his super quick getaways but got a little ahead of himself into turn one, briefly taking the lead before sliding wide and dropping back to ninth. He began to battle his way back through the field but was held up on a number of occasions by slightly slower and very erratic drivers. By the mid-way point, Elliott was back with the lead pack. Earlier in the race when he was trying to make up lost time, he clipped the temporary chicane, damaging a suspension mount.

With the bumpy nature of the Phoenix Park the damage was too much and it eventually failed entering the last corner. Luckily the damage was minor and a major accident was avoided. During all this Stapleton had calmly controlled the field, making a break in the closing stages which allowed him to cruise home for an extremely popular win.

Sunday’s race saw Elliott rammed from behind which in turn pushed him into second place man at the first turn, losing his nose cone and a lot of time in the process. Luckily his JH004 stood up to the assault and he was able to continue, eager to make up for lost ground. He steadily reduced the gap to second place in the opening stages of the race but when he began to mount a challenge, the two drivers were so focused on each other that they were overtaken by the fourth place man who leapfrogged them into second!

On the following tour, Elliott jumped into 3rd place just as the safety car was about to be deployed. Three laps behind the pace car gave Elliott the chance to think of a new game plan and he wasted no time in dispatching the second placed car into turn one, once the green flags flew. He immediately began chasing down John Stapleton and reeled him in steadily before snatching the lead on the main straight.

Heading into the closing stages of the race Elliott looked to have everything in control, but could not fully relax as the blood red Leastone was still prominent in his mirrors. Heading onto the final lap Elliott assumed he had everything covered but Stapleton had other ideas as he sailed by at the first corner to snatch the win.

Ken Elliott heads to Kirkistown this weekend in a bid to extend his championship lead as the Formula Vee championship kicks off again after its summer break. This result will spur him on and it will give him confidence to see that his JH004 can perform well on the quicker circuits.