CLOUD 9 OWNER ON TOP AT OULTON PARK

Marketing Stockport founding member Graham Saul, managing director of Cloud 9 Hosts and Tectanet, has won the Dave Simpson Memorial Trophy, racing his Ford Fiesta XR2 at Oulton Park.

A keen motorsport enthusiast, Saul, racing in the BARC NW Sports/Saloon Championship, took a Class win on Oulton Park’s Island circuit, giving him the Dave Simpson Memorial Trophy in the process and presented on an annual basis to the driver who wins his/her Class by the greatest margin. There are six classes of cars, and hence six drivers who, if they win their class, could win the trophy. The one with the greatest gap between them and whoever was second in Class wins. The Trophy was first presented back in 1992.

The Championship’s popularity shone through on the day as nearly fifty cars entered, meaning organisers were forced to split the Classes across two races. Saul came out on top, winning the trophy by lapping almost everyone else in his Class.

Explained a delighted Saul:

“I knew I could stand a chance of winning the trophy, the car was well prepared and I felt on good form.

“I qualified first in Class, got a decent start and just drove as fast as I could to build up as big a gap as possible. Of course you don’t know how everyone else is doing so you have to keep pushing all of the race. I lapped quite a few cars in my class and won it quite comfortably. It was then a case of waiting to find out the results.

“Half an hour later the announcement was made and I was overjoyed to have won”.

Graham had already made the decision to sell on his beloved Fiesta.

“This was my last race in this car as it is moving on to a new owner”, he added. “It’s a very fitting end to a number of years racing the car.”

The BARC NW Sports/Saloon Championship is next in action at Anglesey Circuit on the 26/27th September.