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LESNIEWSKI PUTS IN A FINE 24Hr PERFORMANCE 

Dominic Lesniewski (Croydon) put in a strong performance in the Britcar 24 Hour race at Silverstone where he was part of a four man team racing a TopCats Racing Marcos Mantis. 

Dominic was confident from the outset, having raced with TopCats in the 24Hour event the year before.  And, that confidence was well placed with Dominic putting in a stunning lap that would place the team 10^th on the grid (4^th in class) of 59 cars which included a team made up of presenters from BBC’s Top Gear! 

The race started at 4.30pm with Dominic having his first stint at 9pm as the darkness hours closed in. Whilst a usual stint would last one and a half hours TopCats team director Warren Hughes elected for Dominic to do a double stint as his times were so consistent and impressive in the night conditions.  A well earned rest after such a strong stint was in order for Dominic before he was due for his next stint at 6am.  However the conditions became so dangerously foggy the race stewards suspended the race for around two hours in the early morning. 

Sadly the weather was the only thing causing problem and the TopCats car did suffer some niggling problems so trying in an endurance event.  Having spent the early part of the race at the front section of the race looking set for a podium, the time needed in the pits did push the team back into the middle order. As Dominic described it, the TopCats garage was a beehive of activity at all hours! 

When Dominic was back in the car at 9am everyone in the team was ready to go for broke and some excellent lap times followed with the team eventually crossing the finishing line in 28^th but with the great satisfaction of having made the end. 

“It is disappointing as we could taste a podium but it was still a hugely positive weekend, where to start?!” said Dominic afterwards. “Firstly my thanks go to Warren and the TopCats team whose organisation, dedication and energy was unfaltering all weekend.  The team were awesome.  It was also great to be racing again as this year I have been concentrating on my final university year and have missed the track.” 

Dominic is looking to return to more night racing later this year at Brands Hatch in November when a 2 hour race night race is planned. And having now passed his degree he looks forward to be able to dedicate more time to his racing.