FUN CUP ENDURANCE 2025 – ROUNDS FIVE & SIX– CROFT – PREVIEW
OLYMPIAN/GRD LOOK TO EXTEND WINNING STREAK
Four rounds into the season and Team Olympian’s Chris Dovell, Simon Rudd and Riley Phillips are yet to be beaten, as we head to Croft for another double-header.
With nine wins from the last 11 rounds, the defending Champions currently hold a 26 point lead over AxiaMetrics, who have Tom Greensall joining Chris Weatherill and Greg Evans this weekend.
AxiaMetrics have had third places at Brands Hatch in the opening round and in the last round at Anglesey, and are third in the Masters standings too.
Although former Champions UVio/Hofmann’s were regular podium finishers last season, they are still seeking their first win since Anglesey in 2023. Second at Brands Hatch is their best result this season, but Farquini Deott and Fabulous Randaccio are as hungry as ever to return to the top step of the podium.
Vapeclub EDF are currently fourth in the Championship. Ted Bradbury and Vlad Vassiliev made the podium in the first of the Anglesey races, but Vassiliev still seeks his elusive first win, despite the injection of Bradbury’s pace this season.
Currently heading the Masters standings and fifth overall are Red River Motorsport. Jonny Mowlem shares with Gareth Williams this weekend, with Bonamy Grimes absent. They have had top six finishes at Brands Hatch and Anglesey.
Greenheath are another team whose results often fail to reflect their pace. Gary Bate and Paul Turner form a strong partnership and have led races, but fourth in the last round at Anglesey is their best so far this term.
Ben Pitch rejoins Neil Plimmer at PLR Racing this weekend, having missed Anglesey. Seventh overall and fourth in the Masters, but they will be looking to improve on a fifth at Anglesey.
Sherardize UK came back to the Championship after a number of years out. Peter Belshaw has super sub Teddy Wilson sharing for the season, his first full campaign. Their pace was immediate from the start, but after Belshaw crashed out at Brands Hatch, the pair were second at Oulton and in the first race at Anglesey and probably pose the closest threat to Olympian/GRD.
Team FFS debuted in Fun Cup late last season, with Caterham Champion Lewis Thompson, his Father Barry and Nick Highton. The trio have committed to a full season in 2025 and started with a strong fourth place at Brands Hatch. They were set for a strong finish in the Anglesey night race too, until the rear suspension broke.
Former multiple Champions Racelogic changed cars at Anglesey. Julian Thomas/David Denyer came home fifth in the first race, but were excluded for being underweight. They managed to match that result night race, so could be ones to watch at Croft.
Jonathan Railton’s B.E.R.T.team were new to Fun Cup this season, after he spent last year at AxiaMetrics. Teamed with Angus Gough, they had their best result last time out, finishing ninth, after a difficult start to the season but are now starting to show good pace.
Rob Croydon is another driver with his own team this year. He has had two top 10 finishers so far with his Rare Vinyl/TLR car and this weekend gives a Fun Cup debut to Joe Wiggin, former BMW Compact, Mazda MX5 and Mini Challenge racer, and winner of the inaugural C1 24hr race.
Bad luck seems to follow the Seed Data duo of Mike Devlin and Matt Hogg. They were set for a strong finish last time out until they had an engine failure and are yet to make the top 10 this season. However, this is Mikes local circuit and so we can see them changing their fortunes here.
Signature RV have a change of personnel at Croft, with Marcus Clutton away on British GT duties at Snetterton. Sixth at Oulton is their best so far, with Steve Ruston and John Whitehouse having stated the season with a new car.
Signature RV have asked someone called Kristian Rose to step into the breach for Clutton, has anyone ever heard of him?
Both Demon Tweeks cars are in action again. Apart from Jason Minshaw, son Jack and brother Guy were new to Fun Cup this season, but had their best finish at Anglesey as they begin to show their progession.
Mark Burton and Graham Pattle usually have Will Abaham with them in the second car. So far he nor a replacement have been nominated, so it could be just seasoned Fun Cup campaigners Burton and Pattle.
Since winning the title GCI Racing’s Craig Butterworth and Ian Wood have been just occasional returnees. They proved they have lost none of their pace by taking fourth at Oulton in round two and expect them to be in the mix for a podium this weekend too, they always seem to go well at Croft!
Miguel Faisca and Ian Morris are back to run under the FF Corse banner and 22GT Racing are also returning with a four- driver line-up. Mika and Chris Brown have Nathan Harrison and Martin Davies with them. The 22GT racing team seemed to click at Oulton park, lets see how they do here at Croft.
Last time out they went for the £10,000 prize at Brands Hatch. Despite not winning the prize, they loved the racing and its great to see Tom Fawcett, son of Fun Cup legend Geoff Fawcett back out racing with fellow drivers, Jamie Day and Paul Hardy.
The Father and son team of Andre and Pierre Renom and Team Summers’ Gary Summers and Darren Brown will be in action too with all of them visiting Croft for the very first time.
Finally, Team Disruptive have a whole new line-up after a sixth and seventh placed finish at Anglesey with Steven Lake and Kristian Rose. Lake is away on British GT duties.
Instead, the vastly experienced and versatile Darren Burke now shares with Matt Topham, both having raced in the British GT Championship too earlier this season. As first timers they are eligible for the £10,000 debut winner prize.
The 45 minute qualifying session is at 10.40 on Saturday morning, with race one at 1pm for one hour, followed by the three-hour enduro at 3pm.
Published by Peter Scherer for Fun Cup Endurance, July 9th 2025
To find out more about the Fun Cup Endurance Championship visit www.funcup.co.uk for more information and how to get involved.
To view the championship calendar, visit https://funcup.co.uk/events/ for more information.
