GOLF GTI STAGES DAVID v GOLIATH BATTLE AT OULTON PARK

The GulfAir racing team was yesterday (Sun) celebrating a stunning seventh overall placing for its Volkswagen Golf GTI at Oulton Park, Cheshire, in the latest round of the British GT Championship.

Driven by Stuart Scott and Steve Wood, the front-wheel-drive turbocharged 1.8-litre Golf proved that nimble handling and reliability can be useful weapons against much more powerful and exotic machinery. Among the nine cars it beat to the chequered flag were a brace of Ferraris, a Porsche GT3 and a TVR T400R.

"We're absolutely delighted," said Scott. "It was very hot and a lot of the bigger cars were really struggling in the conditions. We hoped to get a good finish and we took things gently. Our tactics really paid off."

Scott drove the opening stint of the one-hour marathon, surviving unscathed an early brush with a Lotus Elise to hand the ART-prepared and Cambridge Business Travel-backed Golf over to Wood in good shape for the dash to the line.

Said Steve: "Stuart drove really well and we were in a perfect position to capitalise in the closing laps. We had a minor problem with a slipping clutch towards the end but otherwise the Golf ran faultlessly."

Wood crossed the line three laps behind the victorious TVR of Shane Lynch and Piers Johnson, seventh overall and fourth in the GTC class.

"The crowd were really behind us," added Wood. "I think the British racegoer likes to see the underdog doing well."

The next venue for Team GulfAir's assault on the British GT Championship is at the Rockingham circuit, near Corby, Northants, on 3 August. July 8th 2003

14 july 2003