News

Snows BMW Z4M is a winner at round 1 of GT Cup Series
15/04/2008

Team Snows BMW / Atkins Motorsport arrived at Donington Park on Saturday 12th April for the first round of the GT Cup, confident of good results after our competitive testing pace at the beginning of the week. We were therefore, somewhat disappointed to complete only 3 laps in the free practice sessions on Saturday morning. The brakes had been fitted with harder pads to cope with the heavy braking that the Donington circuit imposes on the car. Unfortunately, this had the effect of overheating the system and boiling the brake fluid! Team Snows BMW driver, Lee Atkins experienced complete brake failure in both sessions and was extremely fortunate not to hit the barriers. Wisely, he aborted further running.

After much scratching of heads we decided to revert back to the softer brake pad compound and change the fluid to one with a higher boiling point. Rain was forecast for the official qualifying and therefore, braking would not be as heavy in wet conditions as experienced in the dry. The result was stunning. Lee qualified 14th overall from a field of 34 cars with the class 3 BMW Z4M ahead of Porsche 997's and 996's, and Ferrari 360 and 430 models from class 1 and 2. We were both relieved and confident that our performance was back where it should have been, and we were looking forward to another competitive showing the next day.

Sunday 13th April dawned bright and sunny, but heavy rain was forecast, and Lee was in fact hoping for 2 wet races! He had ambitions of not only winning class 3 but perhaps bagging a podium from under the noses of the class 2 drivers. Unfortunately his prayers were not answered and in the first race he dropped back to finish 21st overall, still a creditable position beating several class 1 and 2 cars. The class 3 win was ours with fastest lap, a bonus.

Race 2, similarly, was held on a dry track although a shower just before the start made for a slippery start. Lee kept his position and held a constant 7 second gap to the second placed car, finishing in 17th place overall with fastest lap and the win in class.

The next round is at the Anglesey Circuit in North Wales on the 17th / 18th May by which time the engine in our BMW Z4M will be improved after a dynometer test
revealed that power was down some 40 bhp. Team Snows BMW are looking to
improve on their overall race position while retaining their 100% record of winning class 3.