Latest news

Our sponsored driver, Alex Cursley, has been back in action in the Hyundai Coupe Cup 2020 and below he takes us through the events of the final round.

“The final round was held at Oulton Park in Cheshire and it would decide who would be the 2020 series champion. The stakes were high and I had a slight advantage with two wins and two second places this year in my Lancaster Insurance Coupe and Mark Dicken with two wins, one second and one fourth place. The series had decided to mix things up and hold one 30-minute race instead of the usual two 15-minute races. Unfortunately, Oulton Park is one circuit that has eluded my racing career, it is one of those beautiful natural tracks but narrow and slightly unforgiving, I had to learn fast.

Qualifying

Qualifying is always important as it decides your starting grid position but more so here as the odds were stacked against me. It rained hard as we went out to set a time, I was stuck in traffic for the first few laps and the session was then red flagged due to an incident. As the clock kept running as we waited in the pit lane, I was informed my rival was on pole by a long way and I had not yet set a time. When we were released from the pit lane we only had about five minutes left of the session, which equates to an out lap and a flying lap. I struggled to find the grip needed and didn’t come close to the pole time and qualified 10^th - my worst starting position in my five seasons of Coupe Cup racing.

The tables had turned on my initial advantage and my chances of becoming a double series champion were fading. However a lot can happen in a 30 minute race with a “never give up” attitude.

The race

Since qualifying the heavens had opened and almost as quickly dried out again. Sitting on the fifth row the pole position, and my rival Mark Dicken, was out of sight. I was sitting on a drying line which I immediately capitalized on as soon as the lights went out and managed to hustle my way up to fourth place by the first corner. The leaders despite having some close calls on the first few corners had pulled away from the pack. I then shifted my focus on settling into the drying track and carry on learning. Over the course of the next fifteen minutes I was able to close in and pass third and second places, chuffed with myself for getting up this far in one piece I still needed that win. My focus shifted again from settled to hot lapping, I could see Mark in the distance but was unable to make enough ground to go for it. Finishing second in the race and the series.

Big congratulations to Mark Dicken and Misty Racing for your 2020 win. I really hope to come back next to take you on for that double series win.

As always, a massive thank you to Lancaster Insurance for your loyal support again this year, Cursley Motorsport, family, friends and the Hyundai Coupe Cup.”