Jamie Chadwick headed to the Northamptonshire circuit of Rockingham on BTCC weekend hoping to continue the success she’d had in the previous Ginetta Junior championship rounds at Knockhill.
The practice sessions on the Friday went well with her finishing in 8th and 7th for the two sessions with the 8th fastest time of the day overall.
That pace was carried through to qualifying when she took 9th and 7th for the two races. The first was held last thing on Saturday and Jamie got an excellent start running up as high as fifth. The whole race proved a very tight battle and by the flag she had dropped to a still impressive seventh.
Race two was on Sunday afternoon and despite a forecast of heavy rain, it was actually sunny when the race got underway. Jamie again battled with some of the front runners, getting up as high as fifth once again. The racing was really intense with Jamie ending up on the grass on one occasion but she kept control. During the race, the weather once again blew in some rain but as the Ginetta juniors run on treaded tyres, there was no need for pitstops.
By the flag Jamie was back in seventh once again but her results don’t show the effort she put in and seventh could easily have been fifth had the race ended on a different lap. It was clear that the step forward Jamie had made at Knockhill had continued and she could be pleased with her performance in what is her first year of car racing.
“I’ve felt a lot more confident recently, and Knockhill and Rockingham have seen me competing on equal terms with some of the more experienced front runners. I relish the wet conditions and, while there are still areas to work on and improve, I’m satisfied with recent progress” commented a pleased Jamie after the race on Sunday. Her aim will now be for an overall podium before the end of the season.
Jamie’s brother Ollie took a third and a fifth from the weekend so it had been a positive weekend for the entire Chadwick family.
Their next meeting will be at Silverstone on the 28th and 29th September. By Marc Waller
