Round 3 of the Lotus Elise Trophy brought yet more spectacular racing at Anglesey.
Sean Bicknell (Lotus Exige S1 Audi) and David Fenn (Motorsport Elise) took overall victories in the races as 26 cars did battle at the North Wales circuit.
Bicknell made a good start to race 1, but was challenged by the Lotus 2 Eleven of Jonathan Walker into the first corner. Walker made a move at the hairpin on the first lap, but was forced wide onto the grass and rejoined down the field. Fenn also had a nightmare start as a mistake saw him drop to the back of the field.
Scott Cruickshank’s 2 Eleven was the next to pressurise race leader Bicknell but he too made a mistake that dropped him down the order. That left Fenn as the star performer as he charged up the field following his earlier problems.
He clawed back seven seconds to Bicknell in the final three laps alone, but couldn’t get close enough to make a move, finishing just four tenths of a second behind at the chequered flag.
Connaire Finn’s Honda-powered Elise S1 NA came third, holding off the similar Ford Duratec-powered machine of Steve Williams.
Walker recovered to finish fifth and win the 211 class from Cruickshank and Stephen Docherty, while Paul Harding won the Production category from Marcus Jewell and Matt Franks.
Race 2 saw the top eight finishers from race 1 reversed on the grid. With 2 Eleven class winner Walker unable to start, Doug Setters moved up to pole position in his Exige S1 with the 2 Eleven of Tom Chatterway sharing the front row.
Neither driver managed to make a perfect getaway, with Setters in particular being swamped by the pack, allowing Williams to lead from Bicknell, Finn and Fenn.
Bicknell was quickly into the lead and lapping at a pace which suggested a second victory was there for the taking, as Williams held onto second past an increasingly frustrated Fenn.
Unfortunately, a mechanical failure midway through the 12 lap race put the leader out, making the fight between Williams and Fenn the lead battle. Fenn’s Motorsport Elise was noticeable quicker than Williams’ Elise S1 on the straights, but couldn’t compete in the twisty corners, making for an intriguing contest. Cruickshank was also in close attendance in third, meaning Fenn couldn’t afford a desperate lunge for the lead for fear of losing position.
He eventually found a way past with a couple of laps to go and pulled away to win by almost two seconds from Williams in second and Cruickshank in third and first in the 2 Eleven class.
Connaire Finn made it a strong weekend with fourth place to add to his race 1 podium, with Chatterway fifth overall and second in the 2 Eleven category. Setters recovered from his poor start to grab sixth, with Martin Johnston seventh and the final podium finisher in the 2 Eleven class.
The Production class win again went to Harding, with Jewell second and Russ Treasure grabbing third.
Lotus Elise Trophy Results – Round 3, Anglesey
Race 1
1 M Sean Bicknell, Exige S1 Audi, 12 laps
2 M David Fenn, Motorsport Elise (invite), +0.407
3 M Connaire Finn, Elise S1 NA Honda, +11.920
4 M Steve Williams, Elise S1 (Ford Duratec), +12.741
5 211 Jonathan Walker, Lotus 2 Eleven, +12.953
6 211 Scott Cruickshank, Lotus 2 Eleven, +17.449
7 211 Stephen Docherty, Lotus 2 Eleven, +21/407
8 211 Tom Chatterway, Lotus 2 Eleven, +22.536
9 M Doug Setters, Exige S1, +44.890
10 211 Martin Johnston, Lotus 2 Eleven, +45.634
11 P Paul Harding, Elise S1 111S, +1:08.182
12 P Marcus Jewell, Elise S1, +1:11.507
13 P Matt Franks, Elise S1, +1:12.016
14 P Stuart Mason, Elise S1 Sport 160, +1:12.955
15 P Mike Davies, Elise S2, +1:20.250
16 P Andy Dolan, Elise S1, +1:22.441
17 P Nigel Ayres, Elise S1 Sport 160, +1:23.625
18 P Simon Phillips, Elise S2, +1:24.923
19 P Greg Noble, Elise S1, +1:27.125
20 P Andrew Napier, Elise S1, +1 lap
21 P Neil Livsey, Elise S2, +1 lap
22 P Peter Trott, Elise S1, +1 lap
Not Classified
P Russ Treasure, Elise S2, 7 laps
M Pat McBennett, Elise S1 NA Honda, 3 laps
P Tony Verrier, Elise S1 Sport 160, 1 lap
P Vitthal Chauhan, Elise S1, 0 laps
Race 2
1 M David Fenn, Motorsport Elise (invite), 12 laps
2 M Steve Williams, Elise S1 (Ford Duratec), +1.945
3 211 Scott Cruickshank, Lotus 2 Eleven, +2.141
4 M Connaire Finn, Elise S1 NA Honda, +5.467
5 211 Tom Chatterway, Lotus 2 Eleven, +16.032
6 M Doug Setters, Exige S1, +19.129
7 211 Martin Johnston, Lotus 2 Eleven, +46.321
8 P Paul Harding, Elise S1 111S, +57.821
9 P Marcus Jewell, Elise S1, +1:05.880
10 P Russ Treasure, Elise S2, +1:06.410
11 P Matt Franks, Elise S1, +1:06.634
12 P Simon Phillips, Elise S2, +1:08.515
13 P Stuart Mason, Elise S1 Sport 160, +1:10.325
14 P Mike Davies, Elise S2, +1:21.818
15 P Nigel Ayres, Elise S1 Sport 160, +1:24.639
16 P Greg Noble, Elise S1, +1:24.639
17 P Andrew Napier, Elise S1, +1:35.072
18 P Vitthal Chauhan, Elise S1, +1:36.145
19 P Neil Livsey, Elise S2, +1:36.643
20 P Andy Dolan, Elise S1, +1:37.547
21 P Peter Trott, Elise S1, +1 lap
Not Classified
P Tony Verrier, Elise S1 Sport 160, 10 laps
211 Stephen Docherty, Lotus 2 Eleven, 8 laps
M Sean Bicknell, Exige S1 Audi, 5 laps
M Pat McBennett, Elise S1 NA Honda, 2 laps
211 Jonathan Walker, Lotus 2 Eleven, Non Starter
Watch highlights of the Lotus Elise Trophy on Motors TV.
Andy Wilkinson
International
