Och Aye The R32!

The first visit north of the border for the Volkswagen Racing Cup provided not only great entertainment for the enthusiastic Knockhill crowd but also a thrilling race victory for newcomer Joe Fulbrook and an increased championship lead for Shaun Hollamby in the REVO Technik/Big Boys Toys Golf R32.

Racing novice Fulbrook, from Maidenhead, put in a virtuoso performance at the wheel of his Komori-backed Bora Turbo to win the first of the weekend's races, while Chelsfield-based Hollamby and his four-wheel-drive Golf R32 splashed their way to success on Sunday.

Championship leader Hollamby was sixth in Race 1: he had qualified on pole position by 0.1sec but had had to start from the very back in his Golf R32 after being penalised for passing under yellow cautionary flags in qualifying. The top six positions are reversed for the Race 2 start so Hollamby claimed pole position for Sundays race!

Streaming wet weather on Sunday played straight into Hollamby's hands. The Kent driver's Revo Technik and Big Boys Toys-backed car rocketed away from pole position into an unassailable lead thanks to the superior traction afforded by its four-wheel-drive system.

Hollamby's escape was aided by a spin from Lark at Scotsman Corner on the opening lap; although the rest of the field managed to avoid his gyrating Corrado, the fracas split the pack. Neither did Hollamby have his closest championship rival, Inskip, to worry about - Craig's Golf broke a driveshaft on the way to the grid.

Thus it was House who provided Hollamby's main opposition. But in the conditions Phil's two-wheel-drive Beetle was no match and Shaun - despite a big slide on the second lap - was never seriously threatened. He took his fourth victory of the year by 5.7 seconds. 'It was a hard race to win,' said Shaun, 'because I had to maintain my concentration and the conditions were pretty bad. It's a great end to a fantastic weekend.'

With the championship now at the half-way stage, Hollamby's points lead is now stretched out to 48.

Provisional championship positions, after round 6 (of 12)
1, Shaun Hollamby, Chelsfield, Golf R32, 152 points
2, Philip House, Ripley, Beetle RSi, 104
3, Craig Inskip, Northiam, Golf 1.8T, 88
=4, Martyn Culley, Basingstoke, Vento VR6, 70
=4, Mark Smith, Hednesford, Bora 1.8T, 70
6, Joe Fulbrook, Maidenhead, Bora 1.8T, 64 etc

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