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Ginetta Junior driver Cassey Watson

Cassey is disappointed with sixth!

Tockwith Motorsport's Cassey Watson made her Donington outing difficult last weekend when an uncharacteristic 1st lap trip into the gravel trap left her with a damaged front anti-roll bar on her Ginetta Junior making for extreme understeer for her qualifying attempts. 

Despite setting competitive sector times during qualifying Cassey was unable to string together a quick lap from the ill handling car and had to settle for 13th on the grid. 

With the car repaired for Sunday's two races Cassey knew she had to get on with the job quickly with only 9 laps of racing to be had, infront of the live TV cameras. By lap 3 Cassey was 6th and just one lap later 4th and in a side by side battle with championship leader Dino Zamparelli for a podium position. Unfortunately while Zamparelli went on to catch and pass the leaders for victory Cassey was hit from behind entering McLeans and put into a spin dropping her back down to 14th. However Cassey again set about a comeback, lapping quicker than everyone except the winner she caught up and passed 4 cars and by the end had caught up with the battle for 6th but had to settle for 10th. 

Race 2 took on a very similar feel but this time Cassey was an astonishing 5th by the end of lap 1 on the tail of a break away front pack. However a 3 car accident on the exit of Redgate saw Ashley Craig on his roof and the safety car deployed, bunching the field back up. On the restart Cassey found herself in a tough 4 car battle for 5th finally ending the race 6th. 

Cassey said, "It seems daft to be disappointed at the end of such a promising day, but the results could have been so much better I am certain I could have had two podiums there if things had fallen slightly differently. However I have to apologise to the team for my mistake yesterday, they have worked so hard to get this car right after a difficult start to the season and now we definately have the car to challenge." 

The RDA student now moves on to Thruxton lieing 6th in the championship

Cadwell Park 6 April 2008

Ginetta Junior driver Cassey Watson would not usually be thrilled with qualifying 9th on the grid, but at Cadwell Park on Sunday that was the case after breaking an anti roll bar link early in the session leaving her with an extremely difficult car to drive.

Cassey said, "I set my fastest lap on my very last lap mainly due to the fact it took me awhile to work out how I was going to set a lap time in a car that didn't want to turn left. I have to be pleased, this is a tricky circuit and I certainly didn't make my job any easier for myself."

With the car repaired the RDA student made an excellent start to race 1, eventually joining in a 4 car race for 3rd, as the quickest car of the group Cassey managed to move up to 4th with the chequered flag coming too soon for her to make a move on, son of Damon, Josh Hill for the podium.

Unfortunately race 2 saw a repeat of the earlier problems in qualifying leaving Cassey in a battle to hold onto her start position, "I think I've been a little over zealous with the kerbs today", a disappointed Cassey said, "this is the first time I've raced at Cadwell and that is a lesson I've learnt for next time."

Cassey won't have to wait long to try and make amends as the Ginetta Juniors return to the BTCC package next weekend at the fabulous Rockingham Speedway in Corby.  

Cassey Watson happy with her Ginetta debut
 

R.D.A driver Cassey Watson returned from Brands Hatch content with her first weekends racing in front of the BTCC's bumper crowds and live TV cameras in her Ginetta Junior   

After a wet practice session a decision to play it safe left her on a wet set up when the weather changed and the track dried for qualifying and race 2, despite battling a badly handling car Cassey managed to grid in the midfield of the 22 car grid. By the time the races took place conditions were extremely tricky in very changeable conditions. However Cassey never put a foot wrong with two solid performances that moved her up the order in both races for a 7th and 6th place finish. 

Cassey now moves on to the tricky Lincolnshire circuit at Cadwell Park this weekend lieing 6th in the Championship. Cassey said, 'I'm pretty happy to be honest, obviously we want to be on the podium every race as we have proven in preseason we have the pace to win races but it's a long season and this is a solid start, we have points in the bag and I am confident the wins will come.' 
On the experience of being on the BTCC package she said, 'I have to be honest the nerves were jangling a bit this weekend it was a new experience to drive the warm up lap and see the huge crowds at every turn, however when the lights went out it was business as usual and I only had one thing on my mind.'