OPTIMISTIC that he might claim a first victory of the season, Mark Wakefield delivered on a premonition it was possible despite unlikely circumstances at Silverstone.

The Northwich driver surged forward from ninth position on the grid to occupy second spot on track during the opening Volkswagen Racing Cup race on Sunday.

He took the lead on the second circuit, prompting a battle to the finish with Owen Walton’s Audi TT.

“I had a feeling it was possible,” he told the Guardian.

“And I said so to my girlfriend before the race.

“It was a gut instinct, because from that far down the order and on a track that suits the strengths of other guys it could have been seen as wishful thinking.

“But I’ve come through traffic before and won, maybe that’s what convinced me I could do it again.”

Wakefield, in a VW Golf prepared by Kingsley-based HSG Sport, did break clear of those in pursuit more than once only for them to close the gap.

He kept them at bay though, crossing the line less than half a second before a fast-finishing Walton.

 

Northwich Guardian: Mark Wakefield crosses the line ahead of Owen Walton behind the wheel of his HGS Sport-prepared Golf during the opening race of the Volkswagen Racing Cup's third round at Silverstone. Picture: Jakob Ebrey PhotographyMark Wakefield crosses the line ahead of Owen Walton behind the wheel of his HGS Sport-prepared Golf during the opening race of the Volkswagen Racing Cup's third round at Silverstone. Picture: Jakob Ebrey Photography

 

Wakefield said: “I had a great start, and just picked off cars one by one.

“After that it was a case of defending hard and trying to make the most of my car’s better handling through corners.

“The main thing on my mind was not to make a mistake and to stop in the right places to make it difficult for anybody to get past.”

He started the days’ second sprint from sixth – in the VW Racing Cup the top six finishers are reversed – and with maximum success ballast slowing down his machine.

The 21-year-old held station for the most part, collecting points that leaves him fourth in the standings after three rounds.

A visit to Donington Park follows next later this month.

Wakefield added: “I’m happy.

“If you’d have offered to me those results on Saturday morning, when we were struggling for the right set-up in wet conditions and only really got one decent lap in during qualifying, then I’d definitely have accepted.

“To be where we are at this stage, after a couple of rounds at circuits where the Golf is slower on long, fast straights, is a bonus.

“Now it’s important to score as many points as possible at venues that do suit us more.”