Have to be honest, I was going into the Snetterton weekend with a bit of dread, having struggled with the circuit massively in 2016, confidence of repeating the podium finish at Anglesey was fairly low, especially as Anglesey was one of my favoured circuits.
The weekend started with a very calming track walk on Thursday evening (apart from being attacked by moths) which turned out to be one of the key points of the weekend. With the help of the McAttack boys, I managed to learn so much about the circuit and how to tackle the tricky final corner, as well as noticing the huge amount of rubber laid down by the GT cars from the weekend before.
Dialling the car in Friday morning appeared to be a little tricky for me, never really getting settled in the car until the last session, and with some having tested on the Thursday due to the vast amount of Caterhams, knowing where we would stand in the pecking order seemed tough.
Saturday came and qualifying was always going to be about working together, with slipstreaming being vital into the head wind down the back straight, anyone that could pick up a good tow would be able to set a quick lap, and together working with Joe in the McAttack car and Marcus in the Midland Tyre Shaving car, we managed to pull some decent laps together, with Joe taking his 1st pole position in Mx5's after I played wingman down the back straight, I qualified and equal best of 3rd, allowing me to start 5th for Race 1 and Marcus was just behind in 4th, starting 7th for Race 1.
After a good start in Race 1, I managed to hold position behind Blackwell-Chambers and Allwood, and being able to maintain the pace of the front group for the 1st half of the race, the car was feeling fantastic right from the get go! But as everyone is aware, in the blazing heat, it was always going to be about keeping the Avon tyres in one piece for the full race.
With 2 laps to go, I was still in 5th with pace on the two in front. With a bit of assistance from Blackwell-Chambers locking up in the infield section, I managed to gain 2 places in one lap and get up to 3rd, instantly pulling a gap as the two behind battled for 4th, leading to a 1st double podium for Tucker Motorsport, as Joe took the win and fastest lap! The celebrations on the cool down lap and back with the Tucker Motorsport family were what racing is all about, but the job was only half done...
Sunday arrived and thankfully was significantly cooler than the 30deg heat from Saturday! I was starting to feel light headed on the grid being so high up! (Dad jokes are my speciality)
The start to the race was always going to be key, and with a little help from Langridge fluffing a gear change, I managed to follow Joe into the 1st corner, and looked like we could work to get away, however, the pace at the start of the race that I had on Saturday didn't materialise, and by the end of the 2nd lap, I was a sitting duck with no tow and a rapid John Langridge behind.
What followed was perhaps the best race I have ever had in my lifetime. After John pulled a great move down the inside into turn 2, the main job was to hang on for a few laps, as the car kept improving, the gap started to diminish.
Learning from the move John pulled on me, I returned serve into turn 2, before trading places another 2 times with him before eventually grabbing hold of 2nd and holding it for my best finish in the championship.
Another fastest lap and win for Joe sealed a Tucker Motorsport 1-2, no one seemed to have the pace to keep with the McAttack driver.
Looking out onto a clear start/finish straight was a very weird feeling. Having spent all my racing life having someone in front off the line, to have a clear circuit facing me was an extremely exciting prospect.
For the 1st time ever, I led a Mazda Mx5 race!!! (For a whole 10 seconds... thanks Joe) Unfortunately I didn't get far enough ahead to seal off turn 1 around the outside, and left me a sitting duck into turn 2, having to drop back into 2nd.
From there on the race pace was extremely quick from the get go! but it ultimately turned into another race for 2nd as Joe pulled away when John started to force some defensive driving with the help of the slipstream.
After the most intense race, with a bit of contact and looking like I could drop down to 5th, I managed to haul the car back to finish in 2nd again! With a huge sense of relief after the toughest race of my life.
We could finally celebrate as a team fully! After all the guidance from James Tucker and the Tucker Motorsport team, it was great to be able to finally pay them back for all the extremely hard work we put them through! I know everyone thinks they're in the best team, but having been through some low points as well, I know there is no better team to rely on.
And finally a massive well done to Joe Wiggins in the McAttack car, Pole Position, 3 wins and 3 fastest laps, no one could live with the pace all weekend.
Massive thank you to my sponsors for their continued support, Ice Driver, High Row Marketing and EPTA Projects!
And thank you to Jonathan Elsey for the excellent photos throughout the weekend!!!
Onto the next round at Oulton Park on the 1st weekend of August! See you there ;)
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