Mardi Gras star Ed Pead featured strongly at Snetterton on Sunday to put himself back into the lead of the championship of the ELF CLIO RENAULTsport UK CUP.

At the beginning of qualifying it was Ed Pead, on old tyres, who topped the times in the early stages. Half way through the session Pead had dropped to sixth but when he went out on new tyres another car smashed their oil sump at the Russell chicane and left oil all the way down the pit straight and into the first corner. Pead said “I didn’t get a chance to put in a good time with new tyres because of the oil, but I’m in good shape for tomorrow’s races with virtually brand new tyres”

With his main rival, Jonathon Fildes, starting from pole for round 13, Ed would have to work extremely hard to stay in touch with the leaders. It was a good start for Ed taking a place into the first corner, he then followed eventual winner Eoin Murray past Oli Wilkinson at Sears corner and the both of them put their heads down to catch Fildes. On lap six it was Fildes who ran wide at Sears allowing Murray to take the lead and Pead within striking distance. All race long Pead was looking for a way past Fildes and made a last lap attempt round the outside into the Russell chicane. Pead said “I knew he would block into here but I wasn’t expecting him to brake as early as he did, at that moment I thought great I can fire it round the outside”. Both cars ran wide on the exit but it was Fildes who had the momentum and clinched second place across the line.

Starting round 14 in sixth Pead knew he had to beat Fildes to keep up the pressure at the top of the championship. Another good start saw Pead straight into fifth, then on the run down to The Esses for the first time it was Butler-Henderson who nudged out Murray and both ran wide allowing Pead in to third spot. On the third lap Pead had caught the leading pair and four laps later an unsuccessful attempt by Fildes to take the lead from Oli allowed Pead to slip past and into second. Pead was glued to the bumper of Oli and on lap nine he managed to get up the inside at Coram and had the edge leading into the Russell chicane where he took the lead. Pead pulled clear and held a two second gap to the end of the race.

A very happy Pead commented “It was a great race, I was faster through the quick corners so I just held station for a couple of laps. I was gifted second by Fildes and Oli ran a little wide into Coram allowing me to get a run on him and overtake him at the chicane. It was all through the quick corners where I gained so I was able to keep it neat and tidy through the Esses and the Chicane.”

Pead now leads the championship by a single point and the series moves to his home track, Brands Hatch on 24 / 26 August 2003.

 

 

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