SPEED CENTRAL

After a successful first season getting off the ground and running with the BRSCC, the awesome ZEO Prototype Cup headed into 2022 with more of the same in prospect, continuing to bring superb multi-class sports prototype racing to UK circuits and open to a wide variety of marques, chassis and engine combinations to compete in the series.

Let’s take a look with Scott Woodwiss.

Beginning the season on a sunny spring morning at Snetterton in Norfolk, a smaller than usual entry of eight cars lined up for the opening two races of the season with regular stalwart Mike Jenvey capturing a dominant pole position. Whilst out in front in the first race, Jenvey was able to lap around 1-2 seconds a lap quicker than the rest of his opposition and managed to take the first win of the season by over 20 seconds in his JenveyGunn, followed by Graham Charman’s Juno and Jason Rishover’s Radical. Jenvey showed even more blistering pace early on in the second encounter, but ended up easing his lap times towards the end and was still victorious by 16 seconds with Andy Chittenden and Rishover trailing him home.

Another smaller than usual entry headed to the next rounds at Brands Hatch, which allowed Graham Charman to flex his muscles in the Juno across both races, taking a commanding pole, surviving an early safety car and then pulling away from the CTR 01 of Richard Chamberlain to an eventual 10 second winning margin, with Jay Shepherd’s closed-top NP01in 3rd. Charman could have made it a double but retired after twothirds’ distance leaving Matthew Chamberlain to pilot the CTR to its first win, ahead of Lee Collar’s ADR and Dominic Langdon-Down’s Radical.

Above: A wide variety of sports prototypes joined the ZEO Prototype Cup during 2022

Onwards to the next rounds on the Silverstone GP circuit with a boosted entry thanks to the first of two shared grids with the Sports Prototype Cup, featuring a number of the striking Revolution prototypes amongst the line-up. Despite Jenvey taking pole again for race one, the Revolution of James Abbott led from the front row and when Mike ended up retiring after just four laps, it was a straightforward run to the flag for Abbott with Michael Clark’s Radical RXC trailing 20 seconds behind and Charman’s Juno completing the top three. Jenvey’s car issues forced him to miss the second race, allowing Abbott to double up on victories with another lights-to-flag effort, leaving Matt Manderson’s Radical behind by 16 seconds at the finish and Clark’s RXC in third.

Finally, the ZEO paddock visited the Donington Grand Prix circuit for its final rounds of the year, and featured another superb entry on another shared grid with the Sports Prototype Cup. Jenvey beat Abbott to the first corner as race one began and slowly edged away as it progressed, leading for the duration and winning by just over six seconds as Abbott commanded P2 and Clark collected P3. The start of race two generated an incredible getaway from Sir Chris Hoy, who leapt up from sixth to the lead exiting Redgate, but the glory only lasted a lap and a half before Clark and Jenvey both slipped by. Jenvey took the lead at half distance and carried on to take an even more dominant win this time, with the margin over 11 seconds from Clark and Charman respectively.

We very much look forward to see what the ZEO paddock has in store for us in 2023 with more high-speed prototype action!