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Class Podium ‘Disappointing’ for Lund at Oulton Park
For immediate release: Monday 28th May 2007
Ref 2007-13
Glastonbury racing driver Paul Lund was ‘gutted’ after a disappointing outing in the Dunlop Sport MAXX Cup at Oulton Park on Bank Holiday Monday. Paul, from Butleigh Wootton, near Glastonbury, was looking to add to his two victories in the opening round at Snetterton last
month racing his Alfa Romeo 147 with support from Allams Alfa Romeo, Autografix and Viscom Design.
Paul was hoping for good things this weekend as he had planned to switch from standard suspension to race specification components. “The parts were due to arrive on Thursday,” said Paul, “But the supplier let me down and I still haven’t got them. It might sound like this is out of
the drivers’ book of excuses but here we are in what is effectively a feeder to the British Touring Car Championship and I’m again competing in a car that is effectively showroom spec. That’s not a problem in itself but the other guys are busy developing their cars and we’ve been left behind this weekend.”
Paul was 1.4 seconds and three places away from class pole position but made a good start getting ahead of arch rival Darelle Wilson (Mini Cooper) to take second as the cars headed towards the first corner. Wilson managed to regain and hold the position due to his car’s superior handling. “Darelle’s car was handling much better than mine,” added Paul. “I had the measure of him on the straights but cornering the Alfa in road-spec was not ideal – the car sits far too high on the standard suspension and the roll in the corners was absolutely destroying the tyres.”
Despite the problems Paul still bagged a podium finish with third place in class with Wilson still in sight at the end of the race. “I can’t say I enjoyed it today but that’s racing. If it had been wet here then things might have been different – it’s raining everywhere else in the UK today but bright sunshine here in Cheshire! Anyway, I’m looking forward to the next round at Donington Park in August. A bit of a break but we’ll have time to source the right parts for the suspension and maybe get out and do some testing.”
Paul Lund Ready for Round Two of the Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup
For immediate release: 27 May 2007
Ref 2007-08
Glastonbury racing driver Paul Lund is preparing for the next two races in the inaugural Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup this coming weekend at Oulton Park in Cheshire. Paul, from Butleigh Wootton, near Glastonbury, will again be racing his Alfa Romeo 147 with support from Allams Alfa Romeo, Autografix and Viscom in the competition which is already being hailed as a feeder to the British Touring Car Championship.
Having won the first two races in the series at Snetterton Paul has made himself something of a target for the other drivers this weekend. “Results wise I had a perfect weekend at Snetterton – pole position and two wins. I suppose the only way from there is down,” he joked. “Seriously though, I will be giving it my best to stay at the top of the standings although Oulton Park is completely different to Snetterton. It’s more demanding on both the driver and the car as there are more corners and gradient changes. That also makes it more difficult to overtake. “
Paul is expecting his main competition to come from teenage racer Darelle Wilson (Mini Cooper) and Simon Holloway (VW Lupo). “They’re both developing their cars so the race is not just on track – it all starts in the workshop with the preparation. I’m hoping to stay at the front
but anyone who saw the opening races of the championship on television will know how close things were in the first round and also how diverse the entries are. I think we’ve already got the biggest selection of manufacturers represented in circuit competition anywhere in the UK and this series is only one meeting old.”
Two Out of Two for Lund at Donington
For immediate release: Monday 6th August 2007
Ref 2007-17
Glastonbury racing driver Paul Lund was back on top form after a faultless but hard fought weekend’s racing in the Dunlop Sport MAXX Cup at Donington Park. Paul, from Butleigh Wootton, near Glastonbury, added to his two victories in the opening round at Snetterton earlier in the year racing his Alfa Romeo 147 with support from Allams Alfa Romeo, Autografix and Viscom Design.
Since round two in June Paul has been developing the car but he feels that it has still not reached it’s full potential. “I’m now running racing springs and tyres on the car but we’ve still not got the full race suspension so we were a little apprehensive about how the weekend would go on the new parts,” he said.
Paul need not have worried as he turned a 1.4 second class pole deficit from the last round into pole position.by 1.2 seconds at Donington getting back ahead of arch rival Darelle Wilson (Mini Cooper). Wilson had held provisional pole in the early stages of the session but Lund was
getting quicker throughout and snatched position one on the ninth of his ten laps.
In the race itself Paul made a perfect start steering the Alfa ahead of Wilson and even getting ahead of some of the faster class C cars in the process. Wilson was also quick, as he had been in qualifying, but ultimately the Alfa went on to take the win by an impressive seven seconds. The win was all the more remarkable as disaster was almost around the corner. “The exhaust nearly burned a hole in the fuel tank,” said Paul after his third chequered flag of the season. “It was the hottest day of the year as well which did not help. We had to effect a very quick repair to make sure there would be no problem in the second race but thankfully we just about had enough time.”
Lund stormed off from class pole in the second race as well to take his fourth win of the season along with fastest lap once again. “I’m really thrilled that we’re going in the right direction again,” he said after the race. “Donington is one of the most challenging circuits in the country
and really tests both driver and car. The improvements to the 147 clearly did the job but I can’t rest on my laurels because this is a new formula and the other drivers are developing their machines as well. The racing is in the workshop as well as on circuit at the moment but two poles, two wins and two fastest laps is just what I needed.”
Lund Does The Double at Pembrey
For immediate release: Sunday 23rd September 2007
Ref 2007-26
Glastonbury racing driver Paul Lund made it six class wins from seven starts in the Dunlop Sport MAXX Cup at Pembrey circuit in south Wales today. Paul, from Butleigh Wootton, near Glastonbury, has only been beaten to the chequered flag once so far this year racing his Alfa
Romeo 147 with support from Allams Alfa Romeo, Roadnet, Autografix and Viscom Design.
“Pembrey is still not my favourite race circuit,” commented Paul after his two wins, “But coming home with silverware always makes the weekend a bit more bearable.”
Wet weather greeted the racers on Saturday’s practice session and this was clearly to the advantage of Paul’s arch rival Darrelle Wilson in his Mini Cooper. “They told me the Mini was
going to fly in the wet and they were right,” said Paul after qualifying in second place in class almost 1.76 seconds adrift. Clearly we’ve got to find something for the race.”
That ‘something was certainly not engine power as the organising club had arranged for some rolling road equipment to be brought along to the meeting to measure power output of the leading runners. Paul’s Alfa was expected to be putting out around 155 brake horse power but came off the dyno with just 133bhp.
Second qualifying was three seconds slower as conditions worsened but a lack of power is not a problem in the wet and Paul was starting to get to grips with the circuit, not only reversing the qualifying positions from the first race and taking class pole but also getting in amongst the MGs
racing in the more powerful class C.
Paul had a decent start getting into class lead and starting to pull away. As the race wore on however an old problem returned to the Alfa with the car stuttering as if it was running out of petrol. Wilson was closing in fast with four laps to go but in his haste to close the gap clipped a
kerb at the hairpin and broke a driveshaft. The fluid leaked onto the exhaust and ignited causing a small fire which ended in the Mini’s retirement. The fuel problem did not get any worse and Paul held on to take his fifth win of the year along with the fastest lap of the race.
Starting from pole in the second race meant that at least there was not major panic to scramble into the first corner but as the race wore on it was clear that even through the fuel problem had gone away there was a rear end problem in the car which was looking very tail happy on the twisty sections of the circuit. Luckily Paul’s pace on the fast sweeps and straights cancelled this out and he was able to take his sixth class win of the season, some 25 seconds clear of Wilson.
Once again he also recorded the fastest lap of the race and leaves Pembrey as lap record holder.
“I could have had a better day but I’m not going to complain,” said Paul after the race. “After the fuel problem in race one it was the brakes in the second race. The brake valve failed and that meant that every time I put on the anchors the back end was locking up. It wasn’t the easiest race I’ve ever driven but at least I made it home in one piece with two more wins.
Commenting on the testing of the engines at the meeting Paul said: “It’s a good idea and shows how keen BARC (the organising club) are on keeping things sensible out there. I’m not overly surprised about my car being down on power though. It’s not a race engine – it’s the one that came in the original car – 80,000 miles on the clock and all we’ve done to it is change the plugs! It is essentially a production car but as a feeder to the Touring Cars it can’t be so standard that it’s boring. I think we’ve proved this season that the race certainly isn’t boring!”
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