Successful start to GT Cup Season

GT Cup – Donington – April 23/24 2016. 

Jazzy Lifetime Ginetta G55 

Race 1 - IA - 1st
Race 2 - AB - 2nd
Race 3 - IA+AB - 2nd

Race 1; 25 min – I Anderson 

Qualifying in the Jazzy Ginetta went better than could have been anticipated, finding another second over test pace to put the G55 onto P12 overall (out of 24) and second in the GTA class out of 9 entrants. 

The first race was close with the lead GTA car never more than 4 or 5 seconds ahead, the gap changing as faster traffic from the GTO & GTC classes came through. With 8 mins to go to the chequered flag the gap to the BMW M3 of Webb was closed as traffic caused a “log jam” going through the Esses onto the start straight.  Anderson got a cleaner line with a good exit and managed to draw alongside the Webb BMW. The BMW was quicker in a straight line and pulled around 2 car lengths ahead, but Andersons Ginetta with the advantage of the inside line heading to Redgate Corner outbraked the Webb car and held the racing line and took the GTA lead. The next 7 mins consisted of driving qualifying lines where possible to build a gap and taking the defensive line wherever the BMW’s speed and power could threaten. Despite repeated attempts to pass, Anderson brought the Jazzy Ginetta to the line ahead of Webb’s M3 to record the Maiden GTA class win in the 2016 GT Cup for the Lifetime Racing run Jazzy sponsored Ginetta G55. 

Race 2; 25 min – A Black 

Qualifying for race 2 was decided based on fastest lap times made in Race 1. The Jazzy Ginetta G55 run by lifetime racing qualified 2nd in class. The second race saw Amanda Black take the wheel. The rolling start saw Black keep second place keeping 2 other Ginetta G55 behind her and was starting to pull out a small gap between the other Ginetta’s. A few laps into the race saw a safety car come out after an incident between a Porsche and an Audi R8 at the final chicane. This closed the gap. Throughout the rest of the race Black defended well to keep O’Brien in another G55 behind. 

‘It was an amazing battle with O’Brien for 2nd place. I’m very pleased to be on the pace, be competitive and have enjoyed the experience of close GT racing’. 

Race 3; 50 min – with 45 second Pitstop & Driver change. A Black / I Anderson 

Sunday morning Qualifying put the Jazzy Ginetta on its customary P12 position on the grid, missing out by 16/1000ths of a second to the Ginetta of O’Brien in GTA P2 and the Webb BMW M3 on GTA Pole. 

Amanda Black started the race and managed to hold off a strong challenge from the following GTA pack of G55’s and Porsche Caymans to maintain 3rd. In the run to the pits stop window the Webb BMW held P1 and the O Brien G55 was in second about 8 seconds ahead. The pits stop was scheduled for the 26th minute and went like clockwork. In, driver change and out on track in under 49 seconds. The mandatory minimum pit stop time being 45 seconds for both single driver and two driver teams. No other 2 driver team performed a faster stop than the Jazzy Lifetime G55. Anderson was now out on track and tried to close the gap to O’Brien who was now some 12 seconds ahead after the pitstops had been completed. The Jazzy tyres were showing degradation having been run for the duration of the weekend and it was impossible to close or match the late race pace of the other G55’s. Running in 3rd it looked like the challenge would be to retain P3 from the following pack around 6 seconds behind. Then with 7 minutes to go the O’Brien G55 was given a drive through penalty for their pitstop being too short by around 4 seconds. This put the Jazzy G55 into P2 with the other G55’s all now behind but chasing down Anderson by a second or more a lap. It was back to the race 1 scenario to drive as hard as possible where there was no threat and defend everywhere else. With 3 minutes to go the pack were right on the Jazzy cars’ tail and it was defend at all points on the circuit, and despite several attempts and a series of challenges into Redgate and the Esses Anderson managed to bring the G55 home for P2 in GTA behind Webb’s BMW. 

"A truly phenomenal start to the 2016 season for the Jazzy Lifetime team. The car is still in a development phase and there is more to come, both drivers believe there is more pace and track time and revised tyre strategy will help bring this to the for. The closeness and cleanness of the racing in GT Cup is fantastic and the experience gained in racing Caterhams and fighting and defending for entire races has certainly been of immense benefit this weekend.  It was an amazing experience to be back on the Podium after a years break from racing and the season looks like its going to be a close fought battle for honours amongst the GTA class G55s, Caymans and Vantages – can’t wait until the next round at Brands Hatch GP circuit in May". 
  

Press Release - March 2016

Amanda Black and Ian Anderson will contest a Ginetta G55 GT4 with backing from Jazzy Potatoes in the GTA class of the 2016 GT Cup Championship, Lifetime Racing will prepare the car and provide track side support. Lifetime Racing have worked with Ian and Amanda previously competing in selected GT races over the last two seasons and now with the backing from Jazzy Potatoes everyone involved is excited to begin racing in the GT Cup.

Amanda Black, who is currently an associate deputy headteacher at Skegness Grammar School said “I am very excited about joining the GT Cup grid with Lifetime Racing for 2016 in a Ginetta G55. The support from ‘Jazzy’ has made a motor racing ambition possible for 2016. Having had experience racing in the Caterham Graduates series and achieving the championship in 2013, I am looking forward to gaining GT experience at significant venues across the UK and competing in the next step of the motor racing ladder. As a teacher, it is an opportunity to be a role model to my students and demonstrate the importance of setting goals and having high aspirations (as well as having fun along the way!). As a female, its an opportunity to demonstrate that women can be competitive in such a male dominated sport. Having been the British Womens Drivers Champion in 2012 and 2013 there is of course pressure to perform. But as I say to my pupils ‘strive to be the best that you can be’”.

Ian Anderson said; “This is going to be an exciting season for everyone involved with the Jazzy Ginetta G55. GT Cup offers us the chance to run the car in a professional, competitive and popular series and experience some of the best circuits in the UK. I am very excited at the prospect of shorter 25min races exclusively for the Amateur driver, I hope my experience of close quarter Caterham racing will be useful here. It will of course be quite different to slipstreaming in Caterham's but being used to running in very close proximity to the competition will help in a shorter sprint environment. The shared drive with teammate and partner Amanda Black will allow us to use the experience gained in Endurance racing in both our G50 and G55 Ginetta's in the past. 

                                                  

Following our early test program I am confident that we have a competitive package and with Dan Eagling from Lifetime Racing running the team we should be able to get the best out of the car this season. I think that once we get acclimatised to the series we should be able to secure some strong performances. Maybe visit the podium this season?

Sponsorship from Jazzy Potatoes has allowed us the opportunity to run the car with professional support and I hope that we will do our sponsor justice in their quest to get their ‘Extreme Potato’ to the top! The car is looking fantastic in the new Jazzy livery and I am sure that it will get noticed by spectators and TV alike, hopefully for all the right reasons!”

Dan Eagling, Lifetime Racing Team Manager, said “I am very pleased to be working with Ian and Amanda again in 2016. We have a very good relationship which has led to success in the past and I am looking forward to hopefully achieving more in GT Cup this year. As a team, we have experience of running Ginetta’s and have competed in a number of GT Championships. Ian and Amanda have both won Championships in Caterham’s and won races since moving into GT racing so we know they have the pace, and with the support from Jazzy Potatoes this year, I believe we will be front runners in our maiden season in the Championship. GT Cup offers an interesting mix of sprint and endurance races that are both exciting for drivers and spectators with the added challenge for the teams of setting the car up for mixed distance races. All of us at Lifetime Racing are excited for the year ahead.”

The first round of the GT Cup Championship is at Donington Park on 23^rd and 24^th April and both the team and drivers are busy preparing themselves for the challenge ahead. 

More details on the team can be found here: www.lifetime-racing.com

More about GT Cup here: www.gtcupmedia.co.uk

And more about our partner, Jazzy Potatoes here: www.jazzypotato.co.uk

Ice and Flu doesn't stop first Ginetta run in 2016

Tuesday 16th February

Having suffered from Flu on Monday which spread into the early hours of Tuesday. I did not wake up with a bundle of joy with the through of jumping into a race car. I actually wanted to go back to bed. Having not eaten anything for 24 hours that was probably the sensible option after looking out of the window to ice and fog. But in the true motorsport spirit, when do you go for the sensible option!!

Luckily Ian had packed my race bag the night before, so I gingerly got myself into the car with a blanket and lemsip and started the journey to Snetterton. It was typical, the morning that we actually wanted to do something and it was icy with clearing fog! When we got to the circuit it was frozen, so we had to wait for the marshals to work their magic and get the circuit ready for action. (To be honest this suited me down to the ground and gave me extra time to recover!) It was of course Ian's and my first outting with the new 2016 'Jazzy' livery. Which looked truly amazing.

The track was wet all day so there was only wet tyre running. However it enabled the car to have a proper pre-season shakedown to ensure everything was running well and ready for the season. Amazing to think that we hadn't run the car since last June, so to blow of the cobwebs was just great.

During lunchtime and the afternoon we managed to get some great photo's of the car in its new livery. (To be unveiled soon!) but to give you a hint it looks a bit like this ....

64 days and counting until the first round on 23rd April at Donington Park. Can't wait.

2016 Race Season

2016 Calendar

23rd & 24th April              Donington Park (National)

7th & 8th May                   Brands Hatch (GP)

28th & 29th May               Silverstone (National)

18th & 19th June                Rockingham (ISSC)

23rd July                             Oulton Park (International)

13th & 14th August            Donington Park (GP)

10th & 11th September       Silverstone (GP)

8th & 9th October              Snetterton (300)