Looking to improve: Mazda Max5 Cup at Assen

Category: News & Events Created on Friday, 11 May 2012 09:09 Published Date

BILLERICAY motor racing driver Chris Woodger is looking to improve on his previous two fifth-place finishes when he competes in the latest rounds of the European-based Ribank Mazda Max5 Cup at Assen, in northern Holland, this week.

Last time out at the old Dutch Grand Prix track at Zandvoort, Woodger was sixth fastest out of 25 drivers in qualifying.

He explaied: "Before qualifying I changed the balance of the Gaz Gold Pro Shocks that we run on the car and this aided my lap time by 0.5 of a second through softening the suspension and providing a little more compliance, putting more heat into the tyres.

"My qualifying time put me sixth on the grid and I appreciate the help from Gaz people, who are a main championship sponsor, as well as being a local company, based in Burn Mills, Basildon.

"It's clear that the support they have given me over the past three years while racing in the UK Championship is now really paying off," added the 30-year-old, who works in the City during the week.

"In race one I made up and held first place mid-race but finished fifth in what was my debut race, some eight seconds clear of the sixth placed car of my team mate from Poland, Kuba Szczepanik .

"In the second race I again finished fifth, creating a 10 second gap back to the sixth-placed driver and holding on to the front group up until lap six out of ten, at which point a slight engine issue marginally affected my straight-line speed.

"I'm really please to have hit the ground running as far as my race pace is concerned and I hope to massively improve my finishing positions in northern Holland this week," he added.

"A huge thanks to my sponsors, www.ilmotorsport.de and also the team of mechanics, particularly Hans Schilders, who has built me a fantastic car race," he said.