Associated R5 Dominates at Maritime National
Round five of this year?s BRCA 1:12 series took drivers to the excellent permanent indoor track at the Maritime Raceway in Kent, a popular venue with nearly all the drivers.
The weekend got off to a great start on Saturday for the Associated team with a 1-2 in Pro Stock qualifying. Keith Robertson dominated the early rounds of qualifying with only Olly Jefferies and Elliott Harper able to match his pace, Keith took pole with Olly second.
The Associated pair looked good to carry on their domination into the final but an early error saw Elliott take the lead. Elliott then had to fight off a strong challenge from Olly, and an unlucky electrical problem allowed Olly take the lead. From then on Olly looked well in control until the last lap when Keith made a last minute lunge on Olly but it did not come off and it cost Keith second place as Andy Griffiths nipped past in the dying seconds of the race.
The win for Olly now sees him in the mix for the pro stock title which will go down to the wire at the final round next month at Chesterfield. Olly needs another good result to get him into the top three but on this form not many would bet against that.
Day two of the Maritime national and time to put the pro stock motors back in the box and replace them with something a little more exciting, modified motors with drivers using a mix of cells and Lipo was the order of the day, the Associated team feel that the R5 gives them a good advantage as they can run Lipo in the link car.
Qualifying on Sunday was all about Olly and Elliott Harper, Olly led from the front with Elliott keeping him on his toes, these two were the class of the field and at the end of qualifying Olly took pole for the A final by three seconds from Elliott, these two were nearly a lap in front of the chasing pack.
The promised showdown for the A final did not really materialise as Olly edged away from Elliott from lap one and quickly built up a small buffer, Elliott then put in a charge to hunt down the R5 ahead, but in his effort to catch up Elliott clipped a track marker, breaking the wishbone on his CRC. Olly was then left to wind down the remaining laps with a comfortable lead.
Coming in second and crowning a fantastic weekend for team Associated was Keith Robertson with his Reedy Lipo powered R5.
Team Associated Microtech also took the team prize on both days, Mark Burgess, Gary Dyson, Olly and Keith making up the winning team.
This fantastic result for Team Associated could not come at a better time as in less than two weeks time the 1:12 Euros kick off in Hinckley Leicestershire. With home advantage and a confidence boosting performance at the nationals the team are looking in great shape.
The win for Olly now sees him in the mix for the pro stock title which will go down to the wire at the final round next month at Chesterfield. Olly needs another good result to get him into the top three but on this form not many would bet against that.
Day two of the Maritime national and time to put the pro stock motors back in the box and replace them with something a little more exciting, modified motors with drivers using a mix of cells and Lipo was the order of the day, the Associated team feel that the R5 gives them a good advantage as they can run Lipo in the link car.
Qualifying on Sunday was all about Olly and Elliott Harper, Olly led from the front with Elliott keeping him on his toes, these two were the class of the field and at the end of qualifying Olly took pole for the A final by three seconds from Elliott, these two were nearly a lap in front of the chasing pack.
The promised showdown for the A final did not really materialise as Olly edged away from Elliott from lap one and quickly built up a small buffer, Elliott then put in a charge to hunt down the R5 ahead, but in his effort to catch up Elliott clipped a track marker, breaking the wishbone on his CRC. Olly was then left to wind down the remaining laps with a comfortable lead.
Coming in second and crowning a fantastic weekend for team Associated was Keith Robertson with his Reedy Lipo powered R5.
Team Associated Microtech also took the team prize on both days, Mark Burgess, Gary Dyson, Olly and Keith making up the winning team.
This fantastic result for Team Associated could not come at a better time as in less than two weeks time the 1:12 Euros kick off in Hinckley Leicestershire. With home advantage and a confidence boosting performance at the nationals the team are looking in great shape.
