Team Viking Ursus Capital Racing - Top 10 Finish at SPA!!
8 May 2024
With growing momentum over the opening rounds of the French Fun Cup, it was Spa Francorchamps for round four and Viking Ursus drivers Mark Holme and Colin Kingsnorth.
There were over 100 cars due to start the race, which saw the French Championship combined with the Belgian equivalent.
Jonny Hoad set the qualifying time in the Viking Ursus car, giving them a top 20 grid slot for the eight-hour race, which saw Kingsnorth take the start.
From 19th at the end of the first hour, their progress suddenly gained pace as they climbed the leaderboard.
“We soon got the strategy right and our first driver change stop was during a full course yellow.
The stop worked perfectly and we really befitted from that,” said Holme.
After the second hour they were up to eighth and were running at a comfortable and achievable pace.
By half distance they had consolidated their place in the top 10 holding ninth too, but the gaps to continue their progress had grown.
They had climbed to sixth at the six- hour point, but with Holme taking over from Kingsnorth to bring it to the finish, eighth place in such a competitive field was a magnificent result.
“The strategy was key in this race particularly, using the mandatory five minutes fuel stop and pitting in the window for the driver changes.
So I think it was 10/10 for us drivers and the team with immaculate stops,” said Holme.
Despite a number of dramatic incidents and full course yellows, the Viking Ursus duo avoided any penalties too.
“Colin had a spin when he hit a bump and was almost heading for the gravel with a possible off. He opted to spin it on the tarmac and stay in control, and that was our only incident really,” said Holme.
Holme set his fastest time in the final stint too, “but the cars in front and behind were stillabout 30 seconds away,” he concluded.
It’s now off to the former French Grand Prix Circuit at Magny Cours on May 25th. As it’s a 12 hour race Hoad will be joining Holme and Kingsnorth in the race line-up too.
