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Mike Cantelo-Time Attack RWD Club Champion 2012

mike-ina

Having spent the last four years running his supercharged VX220 on numerous track days; Mike Cantelo who is the Show Manager of Autosport International decided it was about time to et back behind the wheel in competition and chose the UK Time Attack Championship as the best place to

Time Attack is a unique form of racing where instead of first across the line, the winners are decided by who posts the fastest single flying lap or to put it simpler, it is like a track day with timing or a circuit sprint with all the cars on track at the same time with points being scored for position in both qualifying and the final. The series which originated from Japan attracts some of the maddest and fastest modified cars you can imagine and a 900BHP Nissan Skyline or a 700BHP Mitsubishi Evo is pretty much the norm. Being home built and somewhat shy of the power levels of the front running cars, Mike entered his car into the Club Class for rear wheel drive cars with forced induction.

Cadwell Park saw the first round and Mike took first place in qualifying which was a dream start to the season and bode well but come the final he was pipped at the post by a mere 10th of a second by a Sierra Cosworth, thus staring a rivalry that was to rage on all season. He went into the second round tied for the points lead in class however Knockhill was a round of second places whilst the Cosworth enjoyed a clean sweep. The third round at Brands Hatch proved just as frustrating when yet again the Ford won both the qualifying session and the final, this time by a mere thousandth of a second.

Four rounds remained; a double header at Anglesey with the two final rounds, a double header at Snetterton.

Anglesey is a circuit that suited the underpowered but well handling Lucas Oils backed VX220 and qualifying went well, winning top points by over two seconds but a disastrous mechanical gremlin put Mike out of the final before he could complete a single flying lap and with the Sierra taking an easy win it looked like the championship was already decided. Not to be downhearted Mike bounced back the following day with a dominant win in both qualifying and final which meant he went into the final weekend just 30 points adrift. With 50 points for pole in qualifying, 40 for second, 30 for third and 100 points for top spot in the finals, 90 for second and so on, it was still game on but Snetterton is a track that suits the bigger powered cars with its two long straights and the VX is the lowest powered car in class.

Saturday was a dream with a first in qualifying and a first in the final and the Cossie suffering mechanical gremlins saw Mike turn a 30 point deficit into a 10 point lead going into Sunday's showdown. Qualifying was the wettest of the wet which was not made any easier when one competitor sprayed oil all over the track but despite a scary off on the main straight at over 95 MPH and a red flagged session, first place was secured by quite a margin and with just the final to go the gap was 20 points. All to win or lose in the final but a level head and 3 thousandths of a second saw Mike take the win and crowned Time Attack Champion Club RWD 2012.

Massive thanks to Les at Lucas Oils whose support really did kick start the possibility of competing in 2012, the team could not have done it without you.