Jan

Pro závodní série Rd 7 / 8 KKC: Touring Car Rd 7, 11 září 2010: kvalifikace, mřížky a závod

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The Pro Racing Series visited the almost brand-new Kaeng Krachan Circuit (KKC) located just south of Petchaburi at the weekend for the fourth and penultimate round of this year’s championship. For 2010 the multi-programme format, which focuses on classes for cars, bikes and pickups, has swapped last year’s five races which all took place at the Bira track for three this time at the Pattaya circuit with the other two rounds being held at KKC, Thailand’s newest racing facility. Thailand certainly lacks top-notch race tracks and most of the sport is focused around the Bira International Circuit just inland from the seaside resort city of Pattaya, which happens to be the country’s only FIA sanctioned facility, so the arrival of KKC on the scene makes a welcome addition to the calendar although this year only the Pro Racing Series and the Honda Racing Fest seem to be making the trek. The Pro Racing Series, promoted by GPI Motorsport, is one of the key motor racing series in Thailand, slotting in underneath the Thai Super Car championship and above the more grassroots-focused Nitto 3K Racing Car Thailand and Super Club Thailand events. The Pro Racing Series revolves around three main categories: for cars there are two levels, Pro Car and the 2.0-litre Thailand Touring Car class, while there is the obligatory championship fought out by 2.5-litre turbodiesel-powered pickups. There is also the Singha Racing School championship for less experienced drivers providing a very suitable stepping stone. Bikes are usually included but not this weekend. The programme at KKC is split over two days: qualifying and the first set of races for all the series (round 7) takes place on Saturday with a second group of races on Sunday (round 8). The day’s programme kicks off with practice runs for all classes through the early morning with the first qualifying sessions getting underway in the late morning before there is a scheduled break for lunch from 1130 to 1200. After lunch qualifying is completed (there are two separate track periods for the Thailand Touring Car runners) before the first race – round 7 – sees the Pick Up Truck drivers fighting an 18 lap race from 1355 to 1430. That is followed by 12 laps for the Pro Car category (1455-1520, 12 laps) and the bill-topping Thailand Touring Car race (1545-1620, 18 laps). The Singha Racing School 8-lapper wraps up the race action and the day will conclude with a crowd-pleasing drifting display. There are 11 runners in Pro Car but the biggest field comes when the 22-strong Thailand Touring Car drivers take to the track as the overcast skies start to give way to hot sunshine, clear blue skies and wispy white clouds. The ‘big boys’ are split into two groups with 15 minutes each to set a time. The fight for pole is hotly contested and when the dust settles it goes to Tin Sritai in the #32 Honda Civic in 1:27.101, just 0.135 seconds ahead of Piti Bhirombhakdi (#12 Honda Integra) while third slot goes to his Singha PTT Honda Team Thailand team mate Karun Suppaphong in the similar yellow-and-white #11 Integra. Point to a close race in store, Karun is just half a second from pole (1:27.680). Completing row two of the grid is the #19 Honda Accord of Traitanit Chimtawan (1:28.190, +1.089). Row three is made up of Thai Super Car regular Jack Lamvard (#44 Honda Civic) with a best time of 1:28.932 and Eakprawat Petchrak (1:29.418) in another Civic. It’s actually almost an all-Honda affair in Thailand Touring Car: just Preecha Pisanthanakul (#33 Toyota) interloping from the rival Japanese brand. The real drama comes in the 18 lap Thailand Touring Car encounter as pole-sitter, Tin (#32 Civic) dramatically rolls out on the fast uphill section after the start after several pressurised laps. That brings out the Safety Car and once the race goes green again the lead battle becomes a titanic duel between Piti (#12 Integra) and Traitanit (#19 Accord). Lap after lap the latter simply cannot find a way past the bright yellow Integra as the former holds the racing line and he simply cannot make a pass stick despite plenty of grunt from the bright-red Accord. Eventually Traitanit surges past Piti (whose famous actress wife Woranuch Wongsawan is observing from the pitwall) on the uphill run to the far end top of the circuit but ends up involved in the race’s second dramatic solo roll. Also involved in the bout chassis-crushing crash is Chaiwat Pantayangkul (#66 Honda Civic).