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The Grid.co.uk the national & club motor racing website - est1998 |
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The Grid.co.uk the national & club motor racing website - est1998 |
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The European Late Model Series is showing on Motors TV, for full listings visit the media page at www.latemodel.eu
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mail your news to editorthegrid@yahoo.co.uk European Late Model Series Hednesford Hills Raceway Final race goes to Vassuer after Vandermeersch wins final !
Gary Ellis, the point leader in the #95 Roots V8 Racing Chevrolet had his car badly damaged in practise and worked hard to get it back on the track. The first race was aborted after 5 or 6 cars spun on detergent left on the track after the previous Legends race. None of the damage was severe but it still left the drivers with some work to do. This meant that the first heat of the day was actually heat two. Kelvin Hassell in the #13 Ready2Race Pontiac, lost out to Dutchman Wim Moonen’s Chevrolet at the start but took the position back after a couple of laps and then proceeded to dispatch the lead group of cars, one by one finally passing Shane Bereton in the #48 Ifor Trucks car, for the lead. Hassell held it to the end to take the win from Bereton and Moonen. The final was a result for Xavier Vandermeersch in the #19 Dodge taking the win for Belgium . This will seriously help his title challenge. Vandermeersch took a brilliant charge through the field followed by eventual second place driver, Chris Roots who was standing in for father Tony in the #77 car. Jean Vasseur crept in to third after Gary Ellis received a black cross for a driving infringement. The last race of the day was, strangely, heat 1. Hassell again carved his way through the field but this time Vasseur had already opened up a half-lap lead on the rest of the field. In the last five laps Hassell cut the lead down to nothing but would have needed another lap or two to pass the Frenchman. Hassell had to settle for second with Shane Bereton third. Photos : Xavier Verquin at Teuf Teuf Team
Back to their Roots!
Heat one went to Daniel Boys in the #5 Roots V8 Racing Chevrolet. He managed to hold off Bruce Andrews in the #17 Chevrolet for the entire race and a late charge by Kelvin Hassell in the #13 Ready2Race Pontiac Grand Prix who took second off of Andrews in the last lap. Heat two looked like it would belong to Xavier Vandermeersch until Raptor Racing’s Jos Jansen muscled Xavier out of the way for the win. Gary Ellis came through for second while Vandermeersch was collecting the #19 Dodge. Hassell was next in line but was unable to capitalise before the finish line. The final was dominated by Christof Vanderckhove who took over the #4 Roots V8 Racing rental car and held off Gary Ellis in a gripping final that saw the two drivers battle side by side lap after lap. Dan Boys spun to bring out the yellows and close the field up. Vandermeersch was reward for his flamboyant driving style by gaining third place but was unable to move on the battling Roots Racing cars in front of him.
The Roots of Victory go to Ellis and Hassell Ipswich 22 Aug 2009
Gary Ellis in the #95 Roots V8 Racing Chevrolet took the first heat from the #34 car of rookie driver Winston Graham, who has had some bad luck in recent meetings but looks to be putting it behind him now. Championship leader Jean Vassuer claimed the final podium position. Race two went to Kelvin Hassell who got behind-the-wheel of the #77 Roots V8 Racing car, standing in for Tony Roots. Hassell managed to pass Raptor Racing’s Jos Jansen to take the victory. Shane Bererton finished third, an excellent result given that this meeting was the debut for the #48 Tor Trucks car. The final race was stopped after Vasseur got his Profil+ Ford sideways out of turn four and was collected by the ever unfortunate Graham in the biggest accident of the evening. By the time the cars were cleared it was getting late and it was decided to have a five-lap shootout. Bererton led them away with Ellis on his outside. Ellis passed Bererton to take his second win of the day with Bererton holding off Kurt Dujardyn in the #2 Raptor racing car.
Warneton 28 June 2009
pics www.teufteufteam.be
HURDLE TRIUMPHS IN FIRST EUROPEAN LATE MODEL SERIES WIN
Revolution Racing’s two cars once again lined-up at the front of the grid and would have been joined by Keith Whalley’s ASCAR Pontiac Grand Prix, but fuel regulator issues prevented him from taking the start. They led in the early stages before Lee Maddox in the #99 dropped back with a power steering failure. Behind, their main challenger was Bruce Andrews in the #17, followed by Frederic Bernier in the #4 Ford Taurus. At the rear of the field Gary Ellis, Xavier Vandermeersch and Jean Vasseur were making their way through the traffic and catching the lead pack. In the midfield David Brooks was tipped into a spin in Turn 2, but didn’t sustain any damage. Andrews took the win from Ellis and Vasseur, with Tony Hurdle best of the rest in fourth. In the second race, Maddox and Hurdle ran side–by-side during the opening laps before the #98 took the advantage. They were slowly being caught by Bernier and Bertrand Zore in the #71, and once again Vasseur, Vandermeersch and Ellis carved through the pack. Winston Graham was suffering a torrid weekend in the #11, which came to an end in a cloud of smoke whilst entering Turn 3. This didn’t bring out the caution, but a few laps later the #19 collided with Jos Jansen in Turn 2, sending them both into a spin and bringing out the yellow flags. With a one lap dash to the chequered flag, Zore took the advantage round the outside into Turn One, but Hurdle held his nerve and got on the power early enough to beat the #71 car to Turn Three, staying ahead through the final turns to take his, and an ASCAR’s first win in the series.
At the restart, Hassell launched into the lead with Vasseur close behind, but the crowds were mesmerised watching Vandermeersch make his way through from the back of the field. By the time the caution flags waved for David Brooks hitting the wall in Turn 2, he was up to third. With just under half the race to go, new leader Jean Vasseur made his escape at the restart, as Hassell and Vandermeersch battled for second position. The Belgian eventually got past the Englishman, only to lose time with a half-spin in Turn Two and drop back to third once more. The yellow flags would fly once again for an incident involving Lee Maddox and Jos Jansen, the two of them colliding in Turn Four. Vasseur held his nerve to take his third win of the season, with the #19 following behind him. Wim Moonen narrowly beat Hassell to the final podium spot in a photo finish, whilst behind them Bruce Andrews did well to bring his car home in fifth.
Vasseur victorious
Kelvin Hassell carved through the field and into the lead in race one. However, this was cut short by a late caution caused by Wim Moonen’s Chevrolet spinning on oil left on the inside of turn four. At the restart Xavier Vandermeersch sneaked up the outside of Hassell for a photo finish across the line. Vandermeersch was announced the winner after conformation from race control. Championship leader Gary Ellis finished third. Race Two was won by Frenchman Jean Vasseur, who fended-off some very aggressive driving by Kurt Dyjardin in the first of the Raptor Racing cars. Dyjardin earned himself a black cross for his behaviour which meant he would start the final at the back of the grid. Vandermeersch again put in a sterling drive to take third place. The final demonstrated a brilliant battle through the field by Vasseur, Dyjardin and Vandermeersch although they were helped by the misfortunes of some others. Ellis was collected in an accident in turn three that eliminated the Roots V8 Chevrolet, and Paul Poulter of Pick-up Truck fame suffered a puncture in the #77 Roots V8 Pontiac. Vasseur won from Vandermeersch with Dyjardin taking the third spot.
National Hot Rod star David Brooks made a surprise debut in the European Late Model Series driving the #5 Roots V8 Racing Chevrolet. David went quick in Saturday practice and scored an excellent 7th place finish in the feature final on Sunday despite going a lap down at one point in the race and taking an unscheduled pit stop. Paul Poulter was on speed to win the Feature Final on Sunday but a puncture scuppered his charge and dropped him back to 8th place. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck racer quickly adapted to the Late Model car and set a blistering pace throughout the weekend. Speaking after the race, Poulter signalled that more outings in the European Late Model Series would be a possibility. Kelvin Hassell’s run of bad luck continued on Sunday. After a second place finish in heat 1, the #88 Ready2Race Pontiac took a big hit in the passenger side in heat 2. The car was unable to make the final. For the next round Hassell will be changing his race number to 13 while a new addition to the series, former Legend racer Keith Wally will take over the #88. Lee “Tractor Boy” Maddox drove the Revolution Racing #99 Chevrolet on Sunday. Maddox is a mechanic on the Revolution Racing cars and although he has tested them at Warneton, Sunday was his first ever race. Maddox’s sterling efforts earned him 10th in the Feature Final. Tony Hurdle had to retire the #98 Revolution Racing Chevrolet after a fuel pump problem that had been dogging the teams performance all weekend. A late deal saw Rik Netten from the Netherlands take over the #4 Roots V8 Racing car. The young Dutch driver placed as high as 12th in the heats but was involved in a racing incident that took him out of the Feature Final. Raptor Racing’s Jos Jansen suffered from over heating problems in race one that sidelined the #222 car for the rest of the day. It is believed that a head gasket failure is the cause of the problem.
SUCCESSFUL START FOR EUROPEAN LATE MODEL SERIES The inaugural KAMS European Late Model Series took place over Easter weekend, on 12-13 April 2009, at Warneton International Speedway, Belgium. A strong grid of 18 cars competed on the 3/8 mile banked oval, thrilling the crowds with bumper-to-bumper racing and roaring V8 engines. On Sunday 12
April, John Steward As the race was restarted, Ellis took advantage of the bunched field and passed Steward, clinging onto the lead until the chequered flag. Belgian Xavier Vandermeersch followed Ellis through for second place, with the #77 Roots V8 Racing car, driven by Christof Vanderkerckhove, claiming third place. Brit Tony Hurdle took pole for the second race of the weekend. Boys started alongside with Steward behind, followed by guest drivers Franck Liotard and Serge Blanquart. Hurdle held onto the lead for much of the race, whilst Ellis and Vandermeersch made their way through from the back of the field. At the half-way point, Steward spun in Turns 3 and 4, allowing Vandermeersch to take advantage of the restart and secure the lead. Once again, the #95 of Ellis was not far behind, with Vanderkerckhove third, Hurdle fourth and Dutchman Wim Moonen in fifth. Sunday’s final saw
Boys on pole, maintaining a good lead from Hurdle, Steward and Andrews
until Ellis spun in Turns 3 and 4. The race went green for two laps
before another caution was called for Vasseur who spun on the entry to
Turn 3. At the restart, Vasseur, Blanquart and Ellis As the weather continued to warm for Monday’s racing action, Steward took to the front of the grid once again for the first of the day’s European Late Model Series rounds. Andrews had a strong start in his Chevrolet Impala, passing three cars in two laps to put him in fourth place. A caution, which saw the #88 of Brit Kelvin Hassell receive heavy bodywork damage, allowed Andrews to pass Boys and Hurdle for second place. The American then managed to get around Steward, taking the lead and crossing the finishing line in first place. This season’s Round 4 saw Boys on pole, with Steward quickly claiming the lead and increasing the gap. Hurdle was not far behind, with Moonen in third and Vandermeersch in fourth. Moonen was on the pace, passing the #75 of Hurdle and taking the lead. Vandermeersch followed him through and managed to close down the gap, passing Moonen to secure the top step of the podium. At the final race of the weekend, Hurdle took the lead, followed by Steward and Boys. A caution was called for the #71 of Bertrand Zore, who spun in Turn 1, allowing Raptor Racing’s Jos Jansen in the #222 to pass around the outside for the lead. Jansen pulled out a gap, but the hard-charging #77 of Vanderkerckhove soon began to close in. Vanderkerckhove just clinched the lead as the yellows were brought out for an incident involving Steward and Anton Gonnissen: Steward was forced into early retirement. At the restart, Ellis charged through the field to pass the #77, pulling away from Vanderkerckhove. Vandermeersch also increased the pace to pass Jansen for third place. Ellis secured his third win of the season so far, taking him to the top of the drivers’ leader board. Sunday 12 April 2009 Heat One (top eight)
Heat Two (top eight)
Final (top eight)
Monday 13 April 2009 Heat one (top eight)
Heat two (top eight)
Final (top eight)
The next European Late Model Series meeting will be held on 03 May 2009 at Warneton International Speedway, Belgium. For more information please visit www.latemodel.eu;
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One
week after the European Late Model Series debut at Ipswich , the
thundering V8s returned to Warneton. In the baking heat of the Belgium
summer the Late Models put on an awesome show. 
Team
principle Tony Roots was unable to attend the Saturday night European
Late Model Series race at Ipswich on the 15th, yet his team still
managed to take victory in both heats and the final. 
The
teams of the European Late Model Series made their way to England for
the latest round of the championship. The Kent track of Lydden Hill
would play host to the thundering V8’s. Paul Bowman and Colin White made
their European Late Model debut at Lydden and everyone anticipated good
results from the former Hot Rod champion.
As
soon as the racing had finished Saturday, the European Late Model Series
were back on the road and heading for Warneton, Belgium for racing on
Sunday. Gary Ellis arrived first having missed the final on Saturday
with heavy damage to the front of the Roots V8 Racing Chevrolet. He had
the car repaired and ready for the Sunday races and would be gunning for
championship points.
Sunday 24th May saw the thundering stock cars of the European Late Model
Series return to Warneton International Speedway for the 10th, 11th and
12th rounds of the season. Blistering heat meant a hard day’s racing at
the Belgian track, with three different winners from the three races,
including the first win for a former-ASCAR machine. 
At
60 laps, the final would be a test of endurance as the heat showed no
signs of cooling down. Bruce Andrews was lucky to make the start after a
brush with the wall on his way to the grid, and Race Three also saw
Keith Whalley’s #88 finally make it to the green flag after fixing its
earlier problems. Now sporting the #13 and hoping for a change of luck,
Kelvin Hassell pulled-out a good lead at the start of the race, with
Whalley’s #88 showing excellent pace on his first outing. Maddox was
mixing with the increasingly quick midfield runners, but elsewhere
Ellis’ #95 Chevrolet was pouring smoke from his engine and came to rest
near the pit lane exit as the yellow came out. At the same time, Xavier
Vandermeersch’s Dodge Intrepid was on fire at the rear end and he came
into the pit lane to extinguish it. 
The
European Late Model Series continued at Warneton International Speedway
on the 3 May for Rounds 7-9 of the championship. A rainy and overcast
morning made way for sunshine and an excellent afternoon’s racing, with
Jean Vasseur securing two wins during the three-race meeting. 
(below) took pole, with fellow ex-ASCAR drivers Daniel Boys
and Tony Hurdle completing the first set of cars on the grid. Steward
made a strong start in the #75, leading from former CAMSO V8 driver Gary
Ellis, who has rapidly moved through the field from the back of the
grid. However, a caution was soon called for the spinning #07 of
Frenchman Jean Vasseur in Turn 4. 
(pictured
right) put the cars
three-wide into Turn 1; as Boys took the wide line, Vasseur,
Vanderkerckhove, Ellis and Moonen passed down the inside. Vasseur
charged into the lead, but could not fend off Ellis, who passed to take
his second win of the day.