VW Racing Cup: Allum Beats Depper in Mixed Weather Race Two

As the drizzle started at Donington Park, the VW Racing Cup took to the track as Rob Allum narrowly beat Martin Depper after a race-long battle between the pair. It’s the Allumy Motorsport drivers first win of the year in the Volkswagen Golf.

Polesitter Russell Joyce got away cleanly, though quickly found his start aborted as a safety car was called. Jack Depper had started in third, but lost control at the old hairpin, sliding sideways into the side of Simon Walton. The crash took out both cars though both safely walked away from their vehicles.

At the restart Joyce was quickly swamped by the front-runners, holding them off for a lap before performing a similar slide to Depper at the Old Hairpin, dropping back after skillfully holding the slide. Martin Depper had just got through a few corners prior, but couldn’t break away for long as Rob Allum, who had weaved his way into contention.

The battle for the win continued as Allum pressured championship leader Depper. The experienced BTCC driver had the speed in the middle of the lap, but could not hold off Allum on the final lap, who finally made the move stick into the Esses. Depper and Ru Clarke completed the podium. It was Clarke’s first silverware, since his becoming vice-champion here at Donington last season.

Clarke had spent the race defending from a queue of cars behind, with race one winner Mark Wakefield eventually prevailing in front of the surviving Audi TT driven by Owen Walton. JW Bird Motorsport driver Tony Prendergast had been one of the quickest in the latter stages, eventually climbing up to sixth by the flag, beating Josh Coggan who had been as high as second in the opening laps.

The Hankook Trophy went to Matt Evans in eighth as the Scirocco driver survived the slippery conditions to narrowly beat Hankook rival Joyce, recovering to ninth after his previous excursion. Mark Steel picked up another top ten as Richard Gilbert rounded out the finishers.

Rob Allum was delighted with his first win of the season;

“That was a long hard 20 minutes, Martin did not make that easy. Fair play though, we kept it close and clean. Great race.”

“We tried something new. Got the run on him at Old Hairpin and he got to the inside of me. I stuck with him and retook the inside line to the Esses, then defended from him at Melbourne and Goddards and that was it. Fortunately I had seen there was one lap to go on my pit board, so I was hoping it was actually the last lap.” – Rob Allum

Depper was in a jovial mood despite losing out, knowing he extends his championship lead.

“We were racing for the win, but Rob had the legs on us. I was trying to ask for everything out of my little Scirocco, sadly it wasn’t enough. Rob deserved the win. I was quicker though down the Craner curves and Goddard. Clearly just bigger balls.” – Martin Depper

Matt Evans secured his third Hankook Trophy of the year:

“That was a hard, brutal race. Last race we had an altercation with Rob, but this time it was good fun.” – Matt Evans