Top Weston-super-Mare racer Will Burns continues to hog the headlines after his magnificent run of form continued in the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup at Rockingham last weekend.
The HHC Motorsport racer has been boosted in the second half of the season, which resulted in a hat-trick of podium finishes at the previous rounds at Knockhill in Scotland.
Burns maintained his fine momentum into last weekend’s double header at the Rockingham International Speedway in Northamptonshire. And once again he impressed on a tough, competitive grid of drivers.
Despite just missing out on qualifying on the front row of the grid for the opening race, something that has now almost become customary, Burns began from third place for Sunday’s opening encounter.
With both drivers on the front row of the grid making good getaways and taking the battle to each other, it was down to Burns to ensure that he banked another large haul of championship points.
Will ensured that third place was guaranteed, whilst also conserving his tyres for the second and final race of the weekend.
Race two, broadcast live on ITV4 to millions of petrolheads throughout the UK, was a tighter affair and one in which Burns used smart-thinking tactics.
As the championship leader ran ahead of him in second position throughout the opening stages, Burns pressured his rival whose tyres began to fade following his earlier eagerness.
It enabled the Eurocams, Absolute Plastering Services and Cases Ltd-backed racer to take advantage and skilfully grab second place in the closing stages. It ensured that the team scored an excellent 1-2 finish.
Burns’ recent run of fantastic podiums has helped him to re-claim fourth place in the standings with two weekends of action-packed racing to come including the ‘home’ of British motorsport at Silverstone.
“I’m really enjoying this second half of the season, and it’s definitely showing in both my performances and results,” Burns says.
“The short qualifying session on Saturday was all about looking after tyres which is why the team told me to run only three ‘flying’ laps before parking the car to save the rubber for Sunday’s two races. My qualifying time equalled my best throughout the weekend so I was happy to line up third on the grid.
“When the gap to the front pair grew in the opening race, despite making a good start, I knew I wasn’t going to catch them and so looked after my tyres as much as possible. I wanted to put on a great display for race two in front of the live ITV4 audience!
“That’s exactly what I did later on Sunday. I knew that I was in a good position to mount an assault for second place. So after a 12-lap battle, I managed to squeeze past in the final laps. It was great to grab a 1-2 finish for HHC Motorsport too.
“Overall, I’m ever so pleased with my results over the past couple of weekends with five consecutive podiums after a tricky mid-season. I’m looking to continue that form into the next round at Silverstone where I want to be on the top step of the podium.
“I’d like to say a big thank you to Absolute Plastering Services and Eurocams for their fantastic and continued support.”