TALENTED THOMPSON TASTES THE SPOILS OF VICTORY

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Bobby takes another win at Snetterton

   

Fastest laps in both races

   

Bobby beats his own lap record set in 2015

A cool sunny morning welcomed the 24 drivers to Snetterton in Norfolk for the 20 minute qualifying session. The field streamed out the pits and began working heat into their new Hankook tyres. Returning champion Phil House broke the timing beam first throwing down a bench mark time, which was quickly matched by Thompson as he flashed across the line. Jamie Bond was next to top the times but only for a brief moment as Thompson threw down the gauntlet putting a 1 second margin between himself and the second fastest time.

As the time on the stop watch counted down Bobby took the gamble and decided to sit in the pits and preserve his tyres for the remainder of the qualifying session eagerly watching to see if his provisional pole time was to be beaten.The chequered flag dropped with no further improvements in the field seeing Bobby Thompson claim pole position in his Team Hard Golf                                                                                                                                                                                             

“ I knew I had put in a really good time early in the session, beating the track lap record which I set in 2015, so we decided to sit in the pits, saving our tyres for race one. With my fingers crossed I watch the time clock hit zero and the chequerd flag come out. Once the last car crossed the finish line I saw we was still in P1and our stressful gamble had paid off” said a relieved Thompson

The sky became slightly overcast as the field lined up to tackle the 3 miles of Norwich tarmac. Bobby Thompson lined up on pole position in his red, white and Blue GKR Scaffolding liveried Golf R.. As the lights flashed off, Phil House launched off the line making the best start from the leading group demoting Bobby down to 3rd place. Undeterred Bobby kept a clear head and continued his fight for top honors.

The field completed the second lap, the top three broke away from the chasing pack.  Bobby had begun applying the pressure to the rear bumper of the race leader Jamie Bond, closing in down Bentley straight, the number 19 Golf took the outside, locked up and drove onto the grass before re-joining and giving Bond the position back.                                                        

Multiple track limits infringements saw many of the front runners receive 5 second penalties before the race was up, two of which were given to race leader Jamie Bond, and third position runner Kieran Gordon. As the chequered dropped, Bobby Thompson was granted the win, with Phil House receiving second place and Jamie Bond in third

The sun returned once more for the final 20 minute race of the day for the Volkswagen Racing Cup competitors. With the revers grid of race one Bobby had to start in 6^th place with further pressure of knowing he was caring an extra 40kg of success ballast from his race one win.

As the lights flashed off Bobby got a fantastic start overtaking two cars in the first 20 feet promoting him to 4^th. Down the long Bentley straight Bobby was a sitting duck and all he could do was watch the lighter cars pass him demoting him down to eventually 8^th place. 

Knowing that his new Hankook tyres and car set up had been set to get better as the race went on the 20 year old started to work his way towards the front.

Up next to challenger Walker was the fast charging Bobby Thompson, getting the job done under braking into Agostini, before getting onto terms of Darelle Wilson’s smoke belching Scirocco, making the move before the end of the lap. As the field entered lap 8 Thompson set the fastest lap of the race charging down House in fourth.

Heading towards Agostini the number 19 Golf jinked to the inside displacing house with two laps left to run. As Witts led the field onto the final lap, the 25 year old looked comfortable to pick up his third win of the season, but Thompson was not finished on his charge through the grid. Running alongside Walker-Tully into Riches Thompson took third position around the outside, before latching onto the rear bumper of Kieran Gordon for second. Heading towards Thompson’s favorite place for displacing his fellow competitors, Bobby dove to the inside of Agostini snatching second off Gordon.

The chequered flag was ready and dropped on Tom Witts  Next across the line was Bobby Thompson closely followed by Kieran Gordon in third. 

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