Dominant Drives And Side By Side Action - RTA Snetterton Review

 By Evan Dalton for RTA Virtual Motorsport

Oscar Mangan and Dan Mould both took victories in an action packed evening at Snetterton, that saw brilliant battling and controversial crashes across this round of Motorsport.ie RTA BTCC action. 

Oscar Mangan was the pace setter after practice and qualifying, which saw him take pole by just over one tenth of a second. With overtaking difficult and tyre saving paramount throughout all three races, Mangan was in prime position. 

Heat 1 

Not for the first time this season RTA saw a big incident seconds into the race. This one was not big in terms of car quantity, but the consequences of it. Three into one does not go and Mould found that out the hard way when he tried to go around the outside of Ronan Doherty and Wayne Douglas. Mould ran into the grass and lost 16 places. A recovery was needed. 

The battle for second continued and the holder of the position was Robbie Callaghan. Callaghan, who started the season well, had not taken a visit to the podium at Brands Hatch or Donington. He was determined to visit it in Norfolk. 

Callaghan kept Douglas and Doherty behind, despite valiant efforts from both. He took his first podium of the season. It was however a significant two seconds back from Mangan, who was flawless all race. 

Heat 2 

A big first lap incident was avoided in Heat 1, but all good things must come to an end. Heading into turn 2, Evan Walsh misjudged his braking and ended up hitting Rory O’Shea, who pinballed into Conor Melia. This pushed Keith Stewart off his racing line, who was then spun by Halley. Stewart hit the outside wall, bounced back in front of the circuit and became a blockage in the path of McCann, Kelly, Ghandour and a dozen others. 

Callaghan also suffered ill fortune on the opening lap, being in the wrong place and the wrong time as the fast flying Mould and Halley drove past. His promising start to the evening had transformed into a measly 18th. 

Mangan, with clear air, was once again unstoppable. He held a significant lead over Doherty in second. The big battle of the race however involved another championship contender and Team DDR driver. Mould vs Dylan McClements. 

McClements, the youngest ever RTA champion, has become known for not being easy to pass. Mould found this out the hard way. Any corner, inside or outside, no matter how late he broke, the TCR ace could not find a way past. It eventually led to Mould making a mistake of his own into turn 4 on the last lap and allowing Brandon McCaughan through. 

“I’m 44 years old and I’ve just been schooled by a 15 year old.” said Mould, who also told GantryTV that he plans on using McClements’ talent to inspire his own son’s sim racing career. A pleasant introduction for Mould into the phenom that is Dylan McClements. 

Heat 3

Despite not being able to get past McClements, Mould was still rewarded with a start on the first grid slot for Heat 3. And that was that. Mould would cruise home to win by 5 seconds. 

This is RTA however, the other 28 drivers did not have it this simple. 

Mangan and Doherty worked their way into third and fourth, with some exquisite overtakes on McCaughan and Sean McClements along the way. Shaun McGoldrick also decided to get in on the action, overtaking McCaughan on route to his fifth place finish. 

Doherty held off Mangan until the last lap, when it looked like an inevitable overtake was incoming. Doherty broke early into the left/right complex of ‘Brundle/Nelson,’ cautious of Dylan McClements in front of him, and caught out Mangan. Mangan hit the rear of Doherty, sending him across the chicane and into the wall. Magnan lost his podium to the other McClements brother, and Doherty lost his chance at points. Both drivers were deemed to have played a part, as the stewards deemed it a racing incident. A massive turn in the championship. 

Managan still holds the lead after his double win in Snetterton. It is a debut at another famous British Touring Car circuit next week when the paddock heads to Thruxton. Tune into all the carnage and chaos at 9pm on GantryTV.