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Double win for John Hammersley
Class wins for Jason Holmes (2), Stuart Jefcoate,
Jim Mepham and Simon Jackson (2)
John Hammersley moves into championship lead
Photo courtesy of  (click for more)
The intrepid travellers who made their way over to France for rounds 2 and 3 of the LMA Euro Saloons championship were rewarded with a great weekend both on and off the track.
Qualifying
Saturday morning qualifying took place in a cold but dry Croix, but black rain clouds looked threatening. John
Hammersley (Vauxhall Cavalier ST) and Trevor Nicosia (Lancia kappa) were straight out of the blocks setting their fastest times on their first flying laps, Hammersley taking pole from Nicosia by less than 2/10ths
. By the second lap, the red flags were out, Matt Speakman's Renault Clio being stranded in the gravel trap
after a weekend fraught with brake problems. Shortly after the restart, the red flags were out again, this time for Dave Roberts whose Rover Tomcat was suffering transmission problems and had parked up.
By the time the third attempt came, the rain was with us and the track was slippery. Hammersley and Nicosia came straight back in, the rest of the drivers pounded around to set their times. Simon Jackson
suffered most having spent the early part of qualifying bedding in new brake pads, by the time the rain came, his Vauxhall Nova was 8 seconds slower than it had been during dry testing on Friday.
Race 1
 By mid afternoon, any suggestion of rain had long gone, the sun was out and the track was dry. Front men Hammersley and Nicosia launched off side by side at the
start, arriving at the first (180 degree) corner with Nicosia no more than a bonnet length in front, and having to concede the inside line. Hammersley pulled slowly away to register his first LMA Euro Saloons
victory with Nicosia coming second for his best result so far.
Photo courtesy of P.Hayward (click here for more photos)
Behind the front pair, Matt Speakman had slowly moved through the pack from the back of the grid to reach 3rd place, but could make little impression on the front pair.
Stuart Jefcoate (Porsche 911) just shaded Jim Mepham in his first outing with his Renault Megane to win Class C, with Jim beating Jason Holmes to 5th place on the track by a car length. With the demise of Dave
Roberts' Rover Tomcat, Jason Holmes was left an easy run in his similar car to record his first Class B win of 2006. Simon Jackson ran well back at Friday's pace to bring home the Vauxhall Nova as Class E winner.
Race 2
Sunday morning, the competitors were greeted with heavy rain, deliberation over tyre choice was
reminiscent of Snetterton. This time, all bar Jason Holmes went with wets, Holmes trying slicks on the front and wets on the rear.
Once again, front men Hammersley and Nicosia launched off side by side, again arriving at the first (180 degree) corner with Nicosia no more than a bonnet length in front, and having to concede the inside line.
This time Matt Speakman was in close attendance and managed to exit the first corner between them. Stuart Jefcoate had a minor spin in the Porsche which held everyone else up.
At the front Hammersley eased slowly away under pressure from Speakman and Nicosia, with Nicosia finally passing Speakman (with ailing brakes) on lap 8. A late lunge at Bridge gave Jim Mepham 3rd place
and his first Class C win from Jefcoate who just shaded Speakman for 4th at the end. On a drying track, Jason Holmes set fastest lap as he collected his second Class B win of the weekend, as did Simon
Jackson in Class E.
Race 1
Results:
Winner: John Hammersley (Vauxhall Cavalier), 2nd Trevor Nicosia (Lancia kappa), 3rd Matt Speakman (Renault Clio), 4th Stuart Jefcoate (Porsche 911), 5th Jim Mepham (Renault Megane), 6th Jason Holmes (Rover Tomcat)
Class Winners: Class A Hammersley, Class B Holmes, Class C Jefcoate, Class E Simon Jackson (Vauxhall Nova)
Fastest lap: Hammersley 1:02.559 (67.90mph)
Race 2
Results:
Winner: John Hammersley (Vauxhall Cavalier), 2nd Trevor Nicosia (Lancia kappa), 3rd Jim Mepham (Renault Megane), 4th Stuart Jefcoate (Porsche 911), 5th Matt Speakman (Renault Clio), 6th Jason Holmes
(Rover Tomcat)
Class Winners: Class A Hammersley, Class B Holmes, Class C Mepham, Class E Simon Jackson (Vauxhall Nova)
Fastest lap: Holmes 1:06.412 (63.96mph)
Next race: Silverstone 14th May
With support from Mark Fish Motorsport and Alpha Composites
Report by Trevor Nicosia, Car 10 ( www.nyssaracing.com )
Click here for more picture from the Croix paddock
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