Race Reports
Podium For Ben Greenhill
Cadwell Park 2020 Rounds 1&2
In round 1 of the Junior Saloon Car Championship at Cadwell Park, Ben Greenhill scored his first career podium in an excellent display of composure and pace which granted him 3rd place and his best ever result.
Race 2 Saw Ben once again up near the front and in 5th place with some excellent defending to prevent Ruben Hage in the #600 Car from passing despite his best efforts.
Championship Position- 3rd
An Unfortunate Outcome
Croft 2020 rounds 3&4
Race 1 Saw Ben pick up from his Cadwell form with a 6th place finish after a long fought battle with drivers Ruben Hage #600 and Harvey Caton #54.
However Race 2 saw an unfortunate incident at turn one which saw Bens car be collected as a result of a nudge from another driver causing the 86 Car to retire and saw the first DNF for both driver and team. After seeing valuable points lost the team was determined to bounce back
Bouncing Back
Brands Hatch 2020 Rounds 5&6
After the unfortunate events at Croft Ben went into Brands Hatch with a point to prove. Due to a busy qualifying Ben was unable to set a lap without traffic and started 10th for both races
Race one saw Ben once again display his composure as he battled his way through to 6th place crossing the line just 0.2 seconds behind the 4th place car of Jake Weston. Showing once again why Brands Hatch is one of his favourite circuits.
Race Two saw an Excellent start from Ben making it up to 5th by the first corner , however not wanting to risk a collision he backed out and ended up in 7th after a long battle with Ashley Gregory which saw Ben come out on top with excellent driving displayed by both drivers.
A Great Weekend and a brilliant way to bounce back from the unfortunate events at Croft 3 weeks prior
Championship position- 7th Photo Credits- Motographygram
Highs and lows in the Highlands
Rounds 7&8 Knockhill
Saturday Anti Clockwise - With a different format this weekend the two days would have separate qualifying sessions due to the track being run in different directions. The anti clockwise layout saw Ben qualify in P6 . Ben got a good start moving up into P5 and doing well to hold the position until a small mistake under braking left the door open causing Ben to be swamped and fall into P10. Not an ideal result but some valuable lessons and points gained.
Sunday Clockwise- After Saturday Ben had looked over some footage and now under the advice of 2019 JSCC champion Scott Mcintyre Ben’s instructions were to send it. Ben qualified in P4 in the clockwise layout and now aiming for his second podium. Ben got a great start managing to hold onto P4 despite starting on the outside before contact in front saw Ben momentarily sit P2 before contact further back resulted in a red flag. Now having to do it all again at a wet Knockhill. Again Ben got a good start remaining until Harry Rice #8 would pass Ben leaving him in P5 a solid result for Ben and the team ahead of Mallory in a weeks time.
Championship Position- P4
Harry’s First Race
TARC Cadwell Park 2020
Whilst Ben was in Scotland it was time for Harry’s first race meeting. In qualifying Harry managed to complete 4 laps until an overheating issue forced him to head for the pits. However he had still managed to qualify P3 in class out of 5. A solid result.
Harry got a good start and had moved into P2 in Class after a retirement from the 1st place Car. Managing to Defend from Craig Walker for 4 laps before the overheating issues came back causing Harry to try and coast the car home until eventually having to retire the car on lap 6. An unfortunate way to end your first race.
Race 2- A retirement in race 1 would mean Harry would start P4 in class. After a good start Harry would move into P3 in class before the first corner until a charging Carl Powell overtook Harry at the first corner. With the overheating issues returning 4 laps in Harry decided to drag the #116 Car to the finish line in P4 in class. A valuable experience for the rookie driver.
Bens Battle With His Gearbox
Mallory Park JSCC Rounds 9&10
This Report is from Bens Perspective.
Practice,After making a few changes after Knockhill, I thought that I should go and see what the car could do, turned out it was pretty good with getting 6th fastest lap time, after a red flag.
Qualifying,Starting just after practice I decided to get out in a pack of fast cars and get my foot down. On the 3rd lap I was in 1st, but after getting stuck in traffic and another red flag, I ended up in p4 for race 1 and p3 for race 2.
Race 1,Getting a good start from p4 but missing 2nd gear due to a wounded gearbox, I managed to finally get it into gear and came out of the first corner p8 and after some battling and another red flag, I brought it back in p7.
Race 2,With a wounded gearbox I knew that I would have to be gentle while changing from 1st to 2nd, but I managed to get it in and not lose any positions. Coming back round in p3 and after some more battling and a few more red flags it was across the line in P4
Position in Championship- P4
Gaining Experience
TARC Brands Hatch 2020
This report is from Harry’s Perspective.
Qualifying- Had me p4 in class after setting one fast lap during the session whilst trying to learn the track.
Race 1- With wheelspin off the line I was 3 wide into paddock hill but came out in front holding onto 4th until the race reached its conclusion.
Race 2- I got a much better start making it into p3 after the first corner. A few driving mistakes from me allowed the car behind to pass. Staying in close proximity to the car ahead for 5 laps after this would eventually see me fall behind as the faster cars came around to lap us. This race was full of positives for me as it saw a 2 second improvement on my average lap time after some driver coaching from Ben Greenhill.
Power Issues
Silverstone International JSCC Rounds 11&12
Qualifying: We found ourselves off the pace which was made worse by a bizarre event in the pit lane leaving us out of time to improve, finishing all the way back in 15th
Race 1-Starting 15th with an obvious power disadvantage this was a tall ask but Ben would try what he could and with some audacious driving and great battles with Ashley Gregory and Matthew Cripps finished 11th
Race 2- Again starting in 15th with a huge task ahead it was lights out with a good start Ben was straight on it batting through the field until a mistake under braking found the 86 car on the grass and settling for 17th and just clinging on to 4th in the championship
Championship Position- 4th
Harry’s First Podiums-
TARC Autumn Trophy Donington Park 2020
Qualifying- An early morning qualifying left the track slick for the opening laps. With Harry trying to up his pace again this weekend he was attempting to get straight into qualifying however this eagerness resulted in multiple slides all over the circuit before a small mistake caused him to mow the lawn at the Craner curves before entering the gravel narrowly escaping getting stuck. However this caused a significant shake which would mean Harry wouldn’t be able to improve on his best time leaving him P7 for race 1.
Race 1- After some advice and set up tweaks by Ben, Harry was looking to make up as much ground up as possible. This saw him get a great start and make it to 4th by the exit of the first corner. He then set about chasing down the lead cars which saw him have a race long battle with Paul Rice who was P3 before and audacious lunge by Harry saw some contact with Paul which saw Harry gain the position. Harry later apologised to Paul as the contact was unintentional but still Harry held his hands up and reminded himself that he isn’t driving a touring car.
Race 2- After the race 1 result this meant Harry would start P3 for race 2. After a poor start Harry fell back to P4 however a tangle between cars ahead saw Harry exit the first corner in P2 before a safety car with a good battle between him and the carl Powell who finished P2 in the race before Harry fell back into P3 and with a few slides down craners he decided to settle for that rather than risk a DNF.
Bumper To Bumper Racing
Oulton Park JSCC Rounds 13&14
Qualifying:Well, with our intermittent power loss issue still not resolved we knew this was a big ask for Ben Greenhill to place the car in the top 10! After the bravest of efforts and pedalling all he could, had to settle for p13, and even worse, a not happy driver after watching his 2019 car just pull away from him on the straights
Round 15:Well, to say it was wet was an understatement! So with a leafy, wet and windy track Ben headed out after two green flag laps it was time for lights out, absolutely blistering start followed by an instant red flag it was obvious the incident was serious and took time for the Marshall’s and recovery teams to clear the circuit. Fortunately nobody injured and it was time for lights out once more and we soon settle in for a display of pure racing between Ben and Matthew Cripps, Ben trying to out fox him in the corners and Matthew powering away from him in the straights, close and fair display of junior talent ending with Ben just getting past him to end in p10 and finally we see a smile on Bens face
Round 16:Now after some serious fault finding we made a discovery, after changing many parts a small unassuming wire buried in the loom has a curious green colour to its core, corrosion that one little wire has robbed us of horse power all year but we found it ,repaired it and now after a quick test and two thumbs up from the driver, power has returned and plenty of it! Game on time Now remember we’re in p13 on an evolving track so it’s a lottery at best, but with an eagerness that we haven’t seen from Ben for a while it’s lights out, also remember his opponent in this case Jamie Goode is in Bens 2019 car and is from the same stable so it’s a bit like racing himself, but thats a good thing. Ben eventually ends his day in a happy P10
Championship Position- P5
Ben Greenhill Joins The Brscc Mazda Mx-5 Supercup For 2021
After two years in the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Ben has decided to make the move to adult racing, after looking at a variety of options the team decided that the Mx-5 supercup was a great step into rear wheel drive and onto the GT racing path. With the first round being at Croft on the 15/16th May.
Arwen Graham Joins Greenhill Performance
After a long winter Arwen and Greenhill Performance have teamed up for the 2021 Junior Saloon Car Championship, The young 14 year old is making her first steps into racing and is looking to make rapid progress with help from the team.
Arwen’s First Races. JSCC Rounds 1&2 Cadwell Park 2021
After a 15 minute practice on Saturday, car 23 was performing well, rookie driver Arwen was getting used to her new surroundings
Qualifying:
Managing 8 laps fastest time set on lap 8 as the driver gains experience and pace leaving Arwen in p22
Race one:
With adrenaline flowing it was lights out, a decent start soon allowed car 23 to be in the mix with cars around her, gaining a few places and having a small racing incident Arwen continues with some minor damage just as the pace increases red flag forces a restart, after a regrid, its lights out once more, a missed 2nd gear slows progress and with only one lap remaining we settle for p20 with loads of experience gained
Race two:
Starting in p22 but with cars missing on the grid it was lights out once more, again a decent start and we’re racing! soon a familiar poping and banging noise is heard as Arwen is now exploring some of the Saxo’s power band and the times are falling 3 seconds a lap faster than race one and looking faster, a reinvigorated Arwen starts to move up the field then once more red flag a strange regrid testing Arwens newly found skills by making her drive backwards through the pit lane. after a delay it was lights out once more, 4 laps remaining the car and driver gaining confidence the mph rising she starts to hunt down a fellow Scott but just runs out of time settling for p16
Many many thanks to all sponsors, supporting charity’s friends and family next up round 3&4 Snetterton
Thanks to:
Next Generation Home Improvements
Automek
Tradeston Performance
RPM Garage - Bearsden
Hillington MOT Centre
Corolus Ltd
Tin Top Racing UK
CRPS Awareness Racing 4A CURE
Under 17 Car Club
Junction1 Graphics