Double Top 10 for Declan Jones at Brands Hatch

LIVERPOOL based teenager battles engine woes and rivals en-route to 2 Top 10 finishes in the latest rounds of the Ginetta Junior Championship

Declan Jones took 2 Top 10 finishes during rounds seventeen and eighteen of the 2011 Ginetta Junior Championship at Brands Hatch last weekend, despite severe engine problems that left him down on power.

Declan, who has graduated to the Ginetta Junior Championship for 14 to 17 year olds this season and who went to the Kent-based circuit still buzzing following a strong showing last time out at Rockingham, began well on the Friday and was right in the mix in practice for Westbourne Motorsport.

However on Saturday morning the engine began to play up and while changes were made prior to qualifying, the issue persisted with the Chicago Soft-backed youngster having to settle for the 13th best time.

Although a new engine was purchased in a bid to solve the issue, there was no time to fit it for the first race later that day.

However the Liverpudlian got on with and was eventually rewarded with yet another Top 10.

“It was frustrating knowing we were basically running on three cylinders. The day before we had been something like P6 or P7 in the first practice session and we were really happy. Then on Saturday we had the problems with the engine and we just didn’t have time to change it for the race. I just had to drive the best I could in the end and tenth wasn’t bad in the circumstances.” said Declan.

The next day with a fresh engine fitted, Declan was hopeful he would be able to bounce back, but much to his disappointment his Ginetta G40J remained down on power.

Never one to give up though, the 16 year old persevered, and in another action-packed Ginetta Junior race screened live on UK television on ITV4, he made his way through to claim his second top-ten of the weekend, eventually classified in ninth.

“Obviously I had high hopes on Sunday. I thought with the new engine I’d have a lot more power and so to go out and have less power was really frustrating. But my dad kept saying to me: ‘Bring it home, bring it home and collect points’. And that is what I did again. Overall it has been difficult weekend and at times quite tough. But considering all our problems the results were still really good. I’ve come away with a lot of points and so there is a lot to be positive about.” Declan continued.

Indeed in the end, Declan scored 23 points, his second best haul of the season and that increases his total to 157, bumping him up to joint 12th place in the championship.

He will now conclude his debut season in the Ginettas over 15 October to 16 October 2011, when the MSA British Touring Car Championship support series heads to Silverstone for rounds 19 and 20, and he is looking forward to getting back out on the National circuit.

Declan added that:- “When we tested there at the start of the year in the wet I was really quick. Hopefully it will rain again when we go back. I like Silverstone and I really want try and get on the podium there.”

Declan’s dad, manager and chief mechanic, Kelvin Jones meanwhile is also looking forward to the finale.

Furthermore with Ginetta due to examine the car this week in a bid to diagnose why it was so down on power at Brands, he is also hopeful Silverstone will prove rewarding.

“It wasn’t an easy weekend for Declan or the team. Between qualifying and the first race I went and bought a new engine. We fitted it overnight for the second race but it was actually worse. It has got to go back to Ginetta on Wednesday now and they are going to have it for the day on the dyno to try and find out what the problem is. Despite all that though, for Dec to still bring it home tenth and ninth in the two races, was very good. We think he has done extremely well given he was fighting with one hand tied behind his back. We are now looking forward to Silverstone. It will be the last round and it is going to be one to watch. Declan is praying for rain. We were quickest there in pre-season testing in the wet and that was with them all on track. If we give him the right equipment, I know he is capable of doing really well. We will be out to end the year on a high before then starting to think about our plans for next year.” Kelvin reflected.

A very challenging race for Mark Davies
Photograph by Leanne Wilson - Octane Photographic Ltd.

FOR the Ginetta Challenge at Donington Park on 26 September 2011, the going was hard as the track was rain soaked. Taking part in the race was Sean Huyton from Ormskirk in his black Ginetta. Sadly the conditions lead to him lossing his championship lead to Mark Davies in a collision with Dominic Pettit. The drivers told the press that "conditions similar to driving on ice" after many drives opted in the second race to go for slick tyres. Well we now wish him the best of luck at the season's final at Silverstone over 8 October and 9 October 2011.

For more information about the Ginetta Challenge why not visit the championship's website? Also if you did not go to the race and want to see it, the race will be broadcast on Motors TV (Sky channel 413) go to motorstv.com for more information.

HESWALL OFFICERS TAKE PART IN THE LONDON TO PARIS CHARITY BIKE CHALLENGE

MERSEYSIDE Police Officers from Heswall are cycling from London to Paris in 4 days to raise money for The Montse Benitez Foundation.   Sergeant Graham Parker, PC Mark Joynson, PC Derek Murphy, PC Neil Kennedy and PC Mark Broderick will be taking part in the challenge accompanied by their support driver Special Sergeant Steve Johnston.

The officers set off from Heswall on Monday, 3 October 2011, and will cycle more than 465km and are due to arrive at the Eiffel Tower on Thursday, 6 October 2011, to raise cash and awareness for The Montse Benitez Foundation.

The foundation was formed by the wife of former LFC manager Rafa Benitez to support charities in Merseyside for the young to the elderly including The Lily Centre, Barnston Riding for the Disabled, Snowdrop Appeal, Olly Appeal, Holidays for Children and Hoylake Cottage Hospital.

Sgt Parker, who has organised the charity bike ride, said:- "Heswall Police Station celebrates its centenary anniversary this year and to commemmorate the occasion we wanted to take part in a charity event to raise money for the communities that we serve. The Montse Benitez Foundation, which launched this week, aims to support and help communities in the Wirral and Merseyside and the bike ride is an ideal opportunity for us to help raise money for an excellent cause."

Inspector Steve Hall added:- "As a Force we work within our communities to address local issues and priorities to make Merseyside a safer place for people to live, work and enjoy sport, hobbies and past times. In August 2011, we were faced with violent disorder across Merseyside and it was tremendous for us to receive so many positive comments and the support of our local communities for the work that we do. This is therefore a great opportunity for us to give something back to the community by supporting local charities throughout Merseyside."

To support the officers and help raise money for The Montse Benitez Foundation visit Rafa Benitez's website for details.

Volespotters Called To Get Online

CALLING all Wildlife spotters, you are being urged to get online and report sightings of the UK’S fastest declining mammal, the water vole. The country has lost 9 out of 10 water voles in recent decades, due to habitat loss and predation by the introduced American mink.   The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside has teamed up with Merseyside BioBank and started a new initiative to enable members of the public to log water vole records online in order to help with important conservation work.

Water Vole Project Officer Katie Milburn said:- “The whole point is that to be able to conserve the species we need accurate data on their current distribution. We have got maps of distribution but we have got lots of gaps. At the moment people are spotting them when they go on walks or are lucky enough to see them at the bottom of their garden, but they are keeping the information to themselves and we would like them to share it with us.”

Evidence to look out for includes actual sightings of water voles as well as three key field signs: latrines, burrows and feeding remains. Water voles and their field signs can be seen within and along the banksides of waterbodies such as ponds, ditches, lakes, streams, rivers, canals and wetlands.  Voles can be mistaken for brown rats, but you can identify a vole by its chubby face with blunt nose, small ears almost hidden in fur, rich, chestnut brown colour, tail covered with fine hairs or the 'plop' sound as they enter the water. You can also see more of their bodies above the surface when they swim.   The water vole breeding season is from March to September and so only burrows and occasional sightings will be evident outside this period. 

To report sightings, including photos if you have them, please go to the LWT's website.