With just six races left of a pulsating Michelin Ginetta G50 Cup season, it’s Frank Wrathall who leads the way as the series looks forward to its penultimate round at Donington Park this weekend. After a season long battle with chief rival Carl Breeze, a perfect weekend at Knockhill last time out has seen Wrathall take a potentially decisive lead in the fight for the 2010 crown.
The championship leaderboard shows Dynojet star Wrathall sitting 13 points ahead of Total Control Racing's Breeze as they head to Donington, but with dropped scores taken into account, the lead is increased to 36 points, with Wrathall having to drop nothing after recording two retirements this season.
Both will be desperate to perform well at Donington and add to their already impressive win tallies. Breeze has taken seven outright wins, with Wrathall recording five, though the latter has taken five extra maximum scores when finishing highest of the championship runners behind guest drivers.
While the front pair top the wins chart, there have been plenty of others drivers who have had their chance to taste the victory champagne in 2010, proving the competitiveness of the G50 Cup. Two of these winners have done so in the Ginetta 'VIP' guest car, with WTCC star Rob Huff winning three out of three at the series opener at Thruxton, while former BTCC star Jonathan Adam picked up a win on home soil last time out at Knockhill. Inaugural G50 Cup champion Nigel Moore picked up the other two wins at Knockhill after returning to the series halfway through the year, but is also registered as a non-scoring guest driver.
Putting these guest stars aside, there are three other championship drivers that have picked up wins. The first is Tom Sharp, who has been a regular in the series since its inception in 2008. He recorded his maiden wins in the series at Croft back in June and will be hoping for a good weekend at Donington in his IDL backed car after a series of frustrating weekends. Another driver to pick up his maiden series win at Croft was Dynojet driver Adam Morgan. He has looked consistently quick throughout the season and will be hoping to end his debut year on a high.
Joining them on the top step of the podium is Benji Hetherington, who picked up a win at Silverstone to cap off a promising season so far. A British GT race winner as well this year, Benji has real talent and will be hoping to showcase it again this weekend at Donington. Helping Hetherington along the way has been his Century Motorsport team boss, reigning series champion Nathan Freke.
Another driver to benefit from Freke's knowledge and expertise's at Century Motorsport is Benji's brother Freddie Hetherington, who has been steadily improving in his second season of car racing and will be hoping to pick up another podium at Donington to add the one he picked at Snetterton earlier in the year. He leads a list of drivers who have been knocking on the door of podium places this season. Former Caterham champion Dan Denis has recovered from his massive accident at Thruxton to become a frontrunner, while reigning G20 Champion Mark Davies has made the step up to the G50's well and regularly run in the top five. If any driver deserves a podium or two at Donington it is Chris Dittman. The CDR driver has consistently impressed with his pace, but has suffered from huge misfortune, the worst case being a pole position at Silverstone ruined by a broken driveshaft on the installation lap. Add to them regular top 10 finishers Joachim Ritter, Aaron Williamson and Julien Draper and the series is sure to once again produce three action packed races at Donington.
As well as the main title honours, there is also a Chairman's Cup category for the series more gentleman drivers. Multiple National Hot Rod Title winner Colin White has led the category all season and looks set to win it, but arch-rival Tony Hughes has been slowly increasing his speed over the course of the year, and there battle should be one to look out for. They will also be joined this weekend by former Caterham racer Ron Johnson, who has signed up to complete the season.
