Situated deep inside the Norfolk flatlands lays Snetterton circuit, the venue for the 2012 finale of the GAZ Shocks BMW Compact Cup sponsored by MAHA UK Ltd.

With the weather predicted as "fine" and temperatures set to be tepid we had high hopes for our final outing of the season. A thrilling final was assured with many looking to romp home ahead of their rivals and find bragging rights for the last time in 2012. To ensure no one was disappointed Mark Hales had been enlisted to liven up the running using the same car Tom Onslow-Cole used last time out in Donington. So the scene was set and those who arrived on Saturday settled in for the night and prepared themselves for the day to come.

Sunday morning greeted us with an unwelcome and unexpected guest; fog! So thick was the lingering mist that it could only be described as soup, visibility was reduced down to only a handful of meters and it soon became pretty obvious that no one would be heading out for Qualifying on time. A decision was made early on to abandon timed runs for qualifying and the course safety car lead out the competitors for three untimed sighting laps at a controlled pace. Of course without timed laps to reference a grid order would need to be determined, for championships this is a simple task, line the cars up in order of championship position. A different method would need to be found for our competitors, as championship status will not be awarded to us until 2013. Series Director Paul McErlean had a plan though and a cunning one at that. Firing up a spreadsheet he has used to keep tabs on the drivers for 2012 he was able to bash together some fancy mathematics and determine a grid line up using the drivers own statistics. This allowed a grid to be formed and agreed based on the positions different drivers would usually qualify and made sure that they started in a grid slot they were comfortable with, the only unknown for this system was Mark Hales who was gifted sixth position due to his known race craft. Following this system for allocating grid positions Andrew Tsang would lead the pack with Stephen Roberts for company. Ryan Bensley and Stuart Voyce would start directly behind leaving Mark Hales with Kevin Denwood for company in fifth.

The more astute among you will remember we have already been to Donington once this season, back in June and it did not disappoint, serving up two equally exciting races would be a tough act to follow. Since then we have been to Anglesey which thrilled us with a tight circuit, glorious weather and yet more exciting racing.  This time however our return to Donington is a bit more serious, a successful sequel we all know must be better than its predecessor. Would Donington continue the GAZ Shocks Compact Cup sponsored by MAHA run of form and treat us again to a taste of fine motoring cuisine? In short, yes, but to find out why you will just have to read on.

Early on Saturday morning twenty eight finely prepared BMW 318 Compacts head out onto a dreary Donington circuit, clouds hanging grey in the sky, qualifying is underway. Taking his debut in the GAZ Shocks Compact Cup sponsored by MAHA Tom Onslow-Cole normally the pilot behind the wheels of the WSR Ebay British Touring Cars machine was to get his first taste of just what all the fuss of this Tin Top series was all about. His first time in the car our full time racing driver and all round good guy would be pitching his racecraft against some of the UK’s best club racing drivers as well as upcoming star of TVRs Danny Winstanley and the ever quick Rob Boston usually found competing in the Lotus Elise Trophy. The clock ticking down to the end of the session lap after lap would see improvements from all, the times tumbling away as drivers found there groove and reminded themselves of the flow of the East Anglian circuit. Business as usual it would seem, Andrew Tsang taking another pole position and Ryan Bensley lining up alongside to lock out the front row. Rob Boston competing in the red and silver liveried Rude Racing car would line up behind them with Stephen Roberts for company. For Tom OC though success was a little further from his reach, even though each time he crossed the start and finish line he was that bit quicker than previous lap, eighth position was the best he could achieve showing him just what he was up against. He would have a fine view of Alex Dew in fifth place and Martin Gambling in sixth place ahead of him on the grid and Danny Winstanley alongside for seventh.

Rain, wind, cloudy conditions these were weather predictions for the weekend. Heading to the circuit on the coast of north Wales all were treated to four seasons in one day. One moment you were bathed in glorious sunshine, the next you were reaching for the wiper switch and struggling to make out the car in front. Things looked changeable on the road but once at the circuit the weather was clear, bright, warm and all other terms associated with a British summer and so it would remain for the whole weekend!

Bright and early Sunday morning sixteen cars who had braved the long journey and  the weather took to the mile and a half Coastal Circuit at Anglesey North Wales to see who would be taking pole and who would have their work cut out come race one. Stephen Roberts in car 56 would take the honours this time out and posted the fastest time of the session of 1:23.27, the ever fast Andrew Tsang would sit alongside him with a recording a time a mere tenth of a second behind. Simon Roche in car 65 posted his best qualifying position of the season starting third on the grid and the unlucky but very quick Martin Gambling would line up car 99 alongside to round out the top four.

For rounds 5 and 6 of the GAZ Shocks BMW Compact sponsored by MAHA UK headed to Donington Park Circuit. Located below the flight path of East Midlands Airport the aircraft overhead struggling to cause distraction to what would ultimately be an exciting weekend of racing.

Mixed conditions were the order of the day on Sunday with high winds, sunshine and rain all forecast in equalling amounts, strategy, car setup and adaptability would be the key to success at this fast paced circuit. Having rained overnight extensively the damp weather was doing its best to hang around and the formulas on track early on contended with drizzle at times and a wet circuit. However by the time the Compact Cup cars took to the circuit for qualifying a drying line was becoming visible and although conditions were far from ideal they were more favourable than earlier in the day. In good conditions a laptime in the 1:26s range was possible and would see a good grid position as the reward but conditions were far from ideal and Andrew Tsang was the only one to break the 1:27s marker with a time of 1:27.86 securing him his 3rd pole position of the season. Ryan Bensley in the MAHA car 61 would once again line up side by side with Tsang but this time qualifying behind the driver of the white 53 car by 0.30 of a second. Cars 99 of Martin Gambling and car 55 Kevin Denwood rounding off the top four. Commenting on the conditions Tsang mentioned that although still damp the drying line was improving, providing no further rain reached the circuit before the first race, conditions at Donington would allow for an exciting race in both sessions.

Onslow-Cole drives for the eBay Motors BTCC team and currently sits 7th in the championship and is credited with 27 podiums and 608 career points to date. Come September 1st he will be given the opportunity to drive a Compact and go for glory in a track he should be very familiar with, Donnington Park Circuit.

Speaking to series director Paul McErlean was exceptionally pleased with the appearance of a driver with the mass appeal and experience for the day; “Toms a great guy and a fantastic driver and I am excited to him take to grid with our crop of great drivers. It speaks volumes for the series and our sponsors that a driver of his calibre is willing to come and chase for a win in a “Grass Roots” tin top. I’m sure more than a few guys on the grid would love to have a go at chasing him down for the day. We look forward to welcoming Tom to the grid.”