United Autosports head to Snetterton for this weekend’s sixth meeting of the British Touring Car Championship having recently undertaken a ‘successful test’ at Anglesey, which Managing Director Richard Dean hopes will see the outfit improve its qualifying performances in the second half of the season.
Both of the Leeds-based teams drivers James Cole and Glynn Heddie have struggled in qualifying so far this season, with only Cole breaking into the top fifteen on the grid at Thruxton.
Dean admits that the team have made it a top priority to break into the top fifteen in qualifying in the second half of the season.
“We head to Snetterton with the two Toyotas after the five-week break ready to put an end to our run of bad luck in qualifying,” admits Dean. “A top-15 qualifying position is crucial to whether we can then achieve success in the three races as we’ve learnt in the first half of the year.
“We enjoyed a successful test at Anglesey recently and we are feeling positive going into the Snetterton weekend. James, Glynn and the whole team know what we have to do to get a good result so hopefully this weekend should see us moving forward.”
Liverpool-based Cole missed out on the chance to race on the new Snetterton 300 circuit in 2013 after parting way with his then team in the mid-season break. Therefore this weekend will be the first time Cole has raced on the new, longer layout.
“Snetterton has changed a lot since I last raced on it back in 2010 when I was racing in Formula Three,” explained Cole. “The ‘short’ lap has now changed into a massive technical challenge but I’m looking forward to racing on the new layout that looks to have a lot more overtaking opportunities.”
Cole believes that the team are close to breaking into the top ten, let alone the top fifteen, following the North Wales testing outing.
“Recent testing went well,” added Cole. “The NGTC BTCC cars have a very small window for set-up changes. I feel we are becoming ever closer to achieving the sweet spot for top-ten pace.
“I proved again at Croft that our race pace is good and feel the work that has been done during the summer break will help our cause still further. Qualifying is key to this championship now so a lot more focus has been spent on this area.”
Geddie is hopeful that strong performances at the Norfolk venue in the past can lead to positive results on his first appearance at the circuit in a BTCC car.
“I like Snetterton and have enjoyed good races and results there previously and so I’m hopeful that will continue over the BTCC weekend,” said the Scot. “We have had so much bad luck in races but on the positive side have also shown good pace.
“I’m really looking forward to racing the Toyota again after the break and fingers crossed James and I can finally score some good race results.”