AR Morgan Challenge Update

It came down to the last race of the season for Tony Hirst and the Racing Wolves’ Morgan team, but by the end of an intoxicating Saturday of highs and lows, they emerged victorious, not only in Class S, but also holding the AR Motorsport Trophy and the Morgan Challenge Trophy.

It seems as though all roads currently lead to Snetterton for both UWR teams, with the Morgan and the F3 teams finishing their season at the Norfolk circuit.

As all race weekends do, this visit to Snetterton began with a practice session on the Friday. Autumn had well and truly set in, with drizzle falling through the morning, leaving a wet circuit for the drivers to contend with. While Hirst knew he had a strong chance at the title by having accrued more class points than any other driver so far, he would need to have a good weekend to ensure fellow UWR driver Craig Hamilton-Smith didn’t disrupt his championship hopes.

As the fleet of Morgans began to pick their way around the damp and slippery circuit, Hamilton-Smith lost control and span his Plus 4 Club Sport into the crash barrier. While Craig was unhurt in the incident, the same can’t be said for the car, which took significant damage to the front right wheel, suspension and chassis. Hamilton-Smith’s weekend was over before it could properly begin and Hirst had one hand on the trophy.

With no way to fix car 21 in time for Saturday’s races, the team of Motorsport and Automotive Engineering students combined forces to bring every ounce of hard work and diligence to Tony’s car 69, pushing for the team and driver to win the championship overall for the first time.

Knowing that Tony would just have to finish Saturday’s race to win the title, he drove a circumspect qualifying round, securing 10th place on the grid and 1st in class.

If Hirst’s qualifying drive was quiet, his racing was the very definition of slow and steady, keeping out of trouble at every possible turn. By the second lap, he had slipped from 10th down to 15th and was concentrating hard on the slippery surface. Overall track position didn’t matter to UWR, only finishing the race, and finish it he did, securing the Class S P1, the Class S fastest lap and the Morgan Challenge Trophy.

Congratulations to Tony Hirst and the UWR Morgan team on their superb season and stellar victory.