Local resident Colin Whitehouse from Andover, won the 750 Motor club Birkett race at Silverstone Circuit last weekend.
A maximum number of 70 teams comprising 284 drivers competed for the coveted annual Handicap trophy. The race started in wet and slippery conditions on the 3.8 mile Grand Prix Circuit.
The 3 drivers in Colin’s 63 team, the ‘Routec Racing BMW Compacts’, completed 118 laps in the 6 hour endurance race coming first in the highly competitive handicap section. Colin led first with the slippery conditions gradually improving over his 2 hour stint before handing over to Martin Gadsby and Martin Roche as the conditions dried out later in the evening.
After 5 hours racing , the leading team suffered a penalty and “The Compacts” took over to win by 24 Seconds.
Good strategy, consistency in driving performance and avoiding penalties were the key to the strategy. Colin is now looking for some local sponsors to work with him into the 2023 season.
For good measure the team also won the BMW trophy for the top all BMW team.
Colin told us “2022 was my first full year driving in motorsport and winning the Birkett against such stiff competition was a real achievement. I look forward to competing in more races in 2023.
“Driving the first period was very challenging due to the wet conditions but after one of our key rivals, previous winners ‘The 3 Amigos’ skidded off and caused a safety car, the track dried out and I was able to lap faster more confidently.”
