Solid start for Optimum Motorsports GT5 quartet
Optimum Motorsport made an encouraging start to their Ginetta GT5 Championship efforts, taking 3rd place in the teams Championship after the season opener at Oulton Park during Easter weekend.
The Wakefield based team’s newest recruit David Barker made excellent progress throughout the weekend, getting quicker with every session as his confidence grew in his Ginetta G40 Challenge car.
The unmistakable yellow number 8 machine of Lee Mowle was on the pace from the word go, lapping consistently in the 1.55’s, establishing himself firmly as a front runner over the weekend, backed up with two 7th place finishes during the frantic opening rounds.
New to the G40’s this year is the 55 machine of seasoned Ginetta racer Gary Simms. Due to the last minute nature of the deal to race in GT5, Simms was unable to test the car before the weekend, but adapted quickly with 6th, 5th and 4th place finishes, getting quicker and quicker as the weekend progressed.
Rio de Janeiro based Thiago Calvet in the 48 car was quick throughout the Friday test session, and with a little more luck during the races, will inevitably return to the podium soon, as he did so successfully towards the end of the 2011 campaign.
Team Principal Shaun Goff was happy with the initial 3 races of the new season. “With the hectic nature of the schedule during Saturday’s racing we were very keen to come away with some good points on the board, and that’s exactly what we did. The team did a fantastic job of turning all 4 cars around so quickly, and more importantly well, given the limited time between sessions. We have a good testing schedule planned before Rockingham, so we will be looking again towards the Podium, and climbing up the teams' Championship."