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The team’s attention now turns to next season. The Ginetta G50 cup will now be part of the BTCC Touring car package which regularly attracts spectator numbers well above 20,000 and is likely to be shown live on TV, but Tom’s Management are also considering a move into the British GT Championship. Whatever the result, Tom Dunstan is now certainly a very hot property, with several teams looking to secure his services for the 2009 season.

Continued from News:

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Tom Dunstan Racing 2008

Dunstan checks in!

Hemingford racing driver Tom Dunstan rounded off a superb first season in the Ginetta G50 Cup with a lap record and third podium of the year at Donnington Park, to secure fifth place in the Championship.  

Tom had held a provisional pole position for most of Saturday morning practice in the dry, dropping down to third, at the end of the session by just a couple of thousandths of a second, so hopes were high for a good qualifying. 

Unfortunately, rain about half an hour before the qualifying, and uncertainty of what the track conditions would be, Tom played safe and opted for wets, but with little wet set-up data he was always going to struggle for pace. Tom ended with a disappointing 8th on the grid for race one and 6th for race two. 

Continuous rain overnight and little, if any, wind in the morning left the track treacherously damp, but drying slowly. Tyre choice was left “open” and Tom along with a couple of others went for slicks, hoping that they would come good towards the end of the half hour race. It was a choice to be regretted later. Tom along with Sharp slipped down the field after pole sitter Nigel Moore, also on slicks, spun at the first corner, partially blocking the progress of both drivers. Unknown to spectators, Tom had been clipped in the melee and it meant the car just didn’t want to take right hand bends! He seemed to struggle to pass even known slow cars, but as those on wets began to slow with tyre degradation, Dunstan and Sharp began to move back up the field. Sharp with the better handling car, passed Tom with five laps to go and it was all Tom could do to keep in touch. With one lap to go, Sharp was in 7th and Tom in 9th, but Tom put all his skills together, passing Chris Dittman and recording the fastest lap of the race, on the final lap!

The gap between the two Toms was now down to 3 points, and despite basking in the reflective glory of being the Lap Record Holder for Donnington, Tom knew that in race two he had to stay on the track, out of trouble and more importantly finish ahead of Sharp!  

Well, Tom shot out of the blocks in race two, and coming out of the first corner he was already up to third, and in the early exchanges on the second lap, he took the lead, only to be relieved by Nigel Moore. Tom held on as long as possible, but of course he was on used slicks where many of the others, who’d used wets for race one, were now on new, slick, rubber. Tom slipped down the order to fourth with a charging Sharp right behind him.  

The front five were well clear of the rest of the field, but Tom was finding it increasingly difficult to fend of the attention of Sharp. Lap after lap the battle continued, but then the commentator remarked, “Christian Dick” lying in second place, “Is slowing! He’s pulling off the track! He’s out!” With just two laps to go, Tom was now in third and it was just the spur he needed. There was a glimmer of light between him and Sharp and from somewhere Tom began to pull out a slight gap. The flag fell and Tom had secured not only his third podium of the season, but also fifth place in the Championship!

It could not have been closer, fourth place went to reigning World Radical Champion Toby Newton on 288 points, Tom D’ fifth on 287, and Tom Sharp sixth on 286. 

All at Team GCR, who run Tom, were absolutely delighted, and as they walked back from the podium they met up with Ginetta MD, and Le Mans Winner, Richard Dean, who told them, “It has been an absolute delight to see how Tom has developed over the season. He’s turned into a very, very accomplished and confident driver with huge potential for the future!”   

Devils’ Luck at the Devil’s Elbow 

Atrocious weather greeted Team GCR and Hemingford race driver, Tom Dunstan, on their arrival at Mallory Park last weekend for the Ginetta Festival. Heavy rain all day Friday, and Saturday during practice meant a miserable start to the weekend’s festivities. 

Tom struggled to find a good wet set-up and when the final practice session was abandoned because the track flooding, the team were still some way off the pace. They had to gamble for Sunday morning qualifying and with the track still wet, Tom tried desperately to get a good lap in, but it was not to be and he found himself 8th on the grid for both races later in the day. A close examination of the times revealed that the first ten drivers were separated by less than on second, so there was precious little to choose between them. 

However, the weather was to play its trump card and no sooner had qualifying finished than the skys over Leicestershire began to clear and the track began to dry. So race one was to be dry after all the trials and tribulations to find the ultimate wet set-up all a waste of time! 

Tom made his usual lightening start and by the end of the first lap he’d made up three places and was pushing for fourth. A charging Frank Wrathall was on Tom’s tail and he managed to squeeze past at the hairpin at the end of lap 3. The pair were now being held up by Tom Sharp, but it took them until lap 10 to find a way through and begin to open a gap. 

Lap after lap the pair chased each other, rarely more than half a second apart. Tom tried inside, outside and every trick in the book to get past, but to no avail and as the pair crossed the line after 31 laps there was still just 3 tenths of second between them. 

Race two started in a similar vein with Tom immediately moving up to fifth again but this time part of a chasing pack of five cars, behind the three leaders. The action was fast and frenetic, but it was Tom that was to become the victim. Newcomer, Mike Simpson, tried to make a move up the inside into the hairpin. There was no space and he buried the nose of his car into the door of Tom, damaging the steering in the process. What was already difficult, had now become near impossible. Tom could only hold off the inevitable for so long and by lap seven he’d dropped into the clutches of Clive Richards and dropped to sixth place.  

The car was visibly difficult to control, so it was a testament to Tom that despite the poor handling he somehow managed to start clawing his way back up the field! By lap 12 he was back ahead of Mike Simpson and just two laps later he crossed the line ahead of Tom Sharp and into fourth, but the damaged steering was taking its toll on the tyres and as they deteriorated Tom began to drop back down the field still managing to improve on his starting position, but finishing in a disappointing (for Tom) 6th place. 

The result moves Tom up one place in the Championship to fifth overall, with the final two rounds taking place at Donnington in October. Tom’s Manager, Robin Sherwood added, “Not the best of weekends, but its quite a tribute to Tom that we now feel a fifth and sixth are “poor” results. We have to remember this is only his second season in motor racing, and he’s already beaten a Le Mans winner twice and a British Touring car driver twice! Not too bad, eh?” 

And once again a quote:- Mark Stokes on a very wet Saturday “Tom, do you want a sail or outboard motor?”

pic Pete Austin

The highs and lows of motorsport 

Hemingford racing driver Tom Dunstan experienced all the highs and lows of motorsport at Silverstone at the weekend.  In a great display of consistent driving, Tom qualified for the front row of the grid for both races including his first Pole for race two.

Race day, Sunday, was preceded by heavy rain over night leaving the track damp, but drying, for race one. It was not going to slow Tom though who took just three quarters of the lap to take up the lead from pole man Chris Didmann. However, as he tip-toed his 300bhp Ginetta G50, feeling for grip, the remaining pack closed in on eighteen year old Tom. By lap eight there were four drivers battling for the lead and as Sharp challenged Tom into Abbey the pair touched and Tom was sent into a spin, but managed to recover to finish a lonely fourth. 

Race two saw Tom lead the field over the famous GP start line from pole position, holding first place ahead of the roaring masses  for the first few laps. Sadly it wasn’t  t long before experienced driver and owner of the Speedworks Team, Christian Dick was on Tom’s tail and challenging for the lead. Dick managed to get through but the two continued to battle lap after lap, but their squabbling allowed Frank Wrathall and Championship Leader Nigel Moore to close on the pair. So now there was a train of four cars speeding around the track nose to tail. As the commentator put it, “This could all end in tears!” 

With just six minutes left in the race Moore made his move and came up the inside into Priory. He hit Tom hard sending him spinning into the gravel and completely out of the race. Again the commentator was heard to exclaim, “We I think that is politely called ‘an optimistic’ overtaking attempt!” But it was all too late for Tom. 

Manager, Robin Sherwood, was quick to point out, “Tom has passed a number of major milestones this weekend. He has qualified at the front of the grid, he’s led both races, and proved that he can mix it with the best. It’s been disappointing for points, but Tom has impressed a lot of people here.”

An finally.. When Tom was asked who is behind him on the grid he replied “All of them!” 

Dunstan takes second in Ginetta G50s 

Its not only busses that tend to come along two at time, as Hemingford based racing driver, Tom Dunstan, found out at Brands Hatch over the weekend.

A couple of weeks earlier Tom had taken his first ever podium position with a third place at Thruxton, and as if to prove this wasn’t just luck he backed it up at Brands Hatch with a second place in the first Ginetta G50 race. 

“Thruxton was fantastic, especially as it was my birthday, but to go one better here is just a dream!” said an excited Tom immediately after the presentation.  

He’d started third on the grid, his highest qualifying position to date, and he quickly got on the heals of Hunter Abbott, a previous winner in British GTs. By the end of the first lap Tom was passed and up into second. Hunter, not to be outdone, immediately began to close down on Tom, looking to regain the place, but a mistimed lunge up the inside into Druids bend, left Abbott with broken suspension and imminent retirement.  

Tom was not about to rest on his laurels however and he started to close on Championship leader, Nigel Moore. Moore has been virtually unbeatable all season, but Tom had no hesitation in sweeping up the inside at the entry to Surtees.

Moore isn’t the Champion elect for nothing and as soon as Tom made a slight mistake at Westfield he was back in front. “It was great to be in front for once, even though it wasn’t for long,” added Tom. The two were in a class of their own and the battle continued for the remainder of the race with the pair separated by just 1second at the finish.  

Behind the leading pair was World Radical Champion Toby Newton in third. 

Tom was not so fortunate in race two, as failing tyres left him battling with Toby Newton for fourth and fifth place respectfully, race two finally going the Hunter Abbott, with Frank Wrathall second and Christian Dick in third. 

Tom moves up from seventh to fourth in the Championship with a top three finish looking a distinct possibility with six rounds to go. The Championship takes the drivers to Silverstone for rounds 15 & 16 over the weekend of 16/17 August, where Tom’s team, GCR, have the use of a hospitality suite. Any companies interested in arranging a corporate day at Silverstone over the weekend should contact Keith Dunstan on 07778 361460 in the first instance.

What a way to celebrate your 18th Birthday!! 

Hemingford Racing driver, Tom Dunstan celebrated his 18th Birthday in style by taking his first ever podium place, finishing third in round 12 of the Ginetta G50 Championships at Thruxton Circuit at the weekend. 

Tom had looked good all weekend, in both practice and qualifying he was one of the fastest through the speed trap, clocking over 130mph through the Church corner and recording average lap times well over 100mph and his early pace in qualifying secured 4th place on the grid for both races. 

Race one saw a familiar charge by Tom on the first lap putting him up to 2nd place, but on a track renown for slipstreaming he was unlikely to hold the position. Indeed just a couple of laps later and he was down to fifth. A safety car imposition bunched the cars up again and, when released back into the fray, Tom made two excellent moves to move back into a firm fourth, but he was being closely followed by Frank Wrathall and as the pair approached the chicane for the final time they touched and Tom came off worse loosing his bonnet and two places in the bargain. “I was disappointed” said Tom, “But there was a second race and I knew I had the pace”. 

The second race was always going to be a different proposition. Frank Wrathall and Tom Sharp make excellent starts and were ahead of a chasing pair of LeMans 24hr winner and Ginetta Boss, Richard Dean and Tom Dunstan. Meanwhile up front Nigel Moore and Rob Austin were able to pull out an unassailable lead.  Tom had to get past Richard and in an amazing move into Church corner he was through. Richard later described the manoeuvre as “Unbelievable!” and “In a class of its own!”  

Tom gave chase, closing lap by lap on Frank and the other Tom, but their own battle was to be short lived when the two clashed entering the chicane leaving Sharp at the side of the track and Wrathall limping off with damaged suspension. Tom was now up into third, but the melee of the accident had allowed Richard to close up. Tom said later, “Richard is a top professional driver and a winner of LeMans. He was not going to miss out on a podium, regardless if it was my birthday or not! He kept trying to get past but I knew I had the upper hand and I just had to keep calm, not that easy when you are on target for your first ever car racing podium! I’ve been ‘that close’ so many times now, I was not going to let it go. When I saw the chequered flag I just screamed! All that hard work was worth it!” 

After the presentation, an emotional Tom, praised all his crew and family for all the hard work they’d put in to get him to this point, and then in traditional manner soaked them all in Champagne!   

Tom’s Manager, Robin Sherwood added, “Its been the most fantastic day, and for once I don’t mind seeing some Champagne being wasted! What a day! What a birthday! Tom wont forget his 18th in a hurry!” 

Historic Saloons are the Tom Cat’s whiskers

Hemingford racing driver, Tom Dunstan, took time out from his busy Ginetta G50 Championship to contest a Rover Tomcat Turbo in the Post Historic Touring Car Championships at the weekend. Tom had never raced at Mallory Park, nor driven the Tomcat, so it was always going to be interesting.  

A long hold by the starter before the qualifying session got under way resulted in Tom’s car already beginning to get very hot, but when the electric fan failed to start it was heading for boiling point. Tom was only able to complete five laps, but that was enough to put a delighted Tom on pole position by just nine thousandths of a second! 

It was Tom’s first pole position, but his undoubted joy was short lived as it was evident that the fan could not be repaired despite the best efforts of everyone in the pits area. “Its not the sort of spare you tend to carry around with you, but I guess that’s typical for this type of motorsport.” Said Tom.

It was not long before Tom’s team had to make the difficult decision. They could not take the chance of Tom over heating on the grid, so a pit lane start at the back of the field was the only option. It would now be virtually impossible to get anywhere in such a short, fifteen lap, race. “Virtually”, but this is Tom and instead of being despondent, his eyes lit up as he relished the thought of fighting his way through the field. 

And so the scene was set. Last race of the day and the Rovers, BMWs Hondas, even a Camaro lined up on the grid, but the commentator was somewhat surprised to see Tom in the pit lane. He had to wait for all the cars to clear the grid before being released, now in fifteenth place, for the chase. He was some thirty seconds behind the leader, but was not to be outdone. By the end of lap one he was up two places, and as the excited commentator followed the action through every corner, Tom picked off place by place.  

With five laps to go, he was up to 7^th and lapping around two seconds a lap faster than the 5^th place driver, but there was a gap to make up. “Tom Dunstan is a man on a mission!” said an over excited commentator, “Or should I say Lad on a mission, I keep forgetting he’s only 17!” With two to go, he was on the tail of sixth place and with a majestic “outside then inside”, the driving equivalent of the boxer’s ‘one, two’ Tom was through and into fourth, passing two drivers in the one superb move at the hairpin.  

There was a small gap of maybe two seconds to Tom’s first ever podium in cars. Could he make it? Third place was held by Anthony Gorman, driving an BMW M3. It was the classic battle rear wheel drive straight line grunt versus the front wheel drive cornering agility of the Tomcat. Time and again Tom tried to get past, but the experience of Gorman enabled him to effectively shut the door on any passing manoeuvre.  Tom was later to say, “Another lap I think I would have got him, but I was more than happy to get fourth, and it was only 2 tenths of a second off the podium.” 

One spectator was quick to congratulate Tom on his epic drive. “I came here many years ago and witnessed Formula One driver Roger Williamson start with a ten second penalty. After thirty laps he came through to win! I never thought I’d see another drive that was even close to that, but considering everything, never driven the car before, never raced at Mallory before, probably 30 seconds after the leader and half the race distance, this drive by Tom at least matches that of Williamson”. 

Even the commentator made a point of finding Tom in the paddock afterwards, and praised him for such a fantastic drive!

Tom is back behind the wheel of his Ginetta G50 at Snetterton on 7^th/8^th June, but this may be his last race in the series as lack of sponsorship may force him to withdraw. Tomcat owner, Fraser Cowell appealed, “Someone, somewhere, must be able to support this young man. He has an amazing talent, he has nerves of steel and a sixth sense behind the wheel of a car that is simply astonishing. Forget ‘X Factor’ or ‘Britain’s got Talent’, this is the lad we should all be supporting! Sometimes I wish my name was Simon, not Fraser Cowell, because I know where I’d be putting some of my money!”