After the disappointment of
Donington Park, Martyn Bell was able to enjoy a solid weekend of racing as the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship made its annual trip to
Snetterton.
The Team AllAboutProperty.com driver struggled with an electrical problem throughout race day at Donington Park and headed to Snetterton looking to get his campaign back on track at a circuit where he has gone well in the past.
However practice and qualifying didn't go to plan for Bell as a gearing problem on the
BMW 320i meant he was hitting the rev limiter around the back of the circuit and as a result could only qualify in 21st place on the grid.
"We were running out of puff on the Revett Straight and were on the limit for 150 metres or so," he explained, and although we tried to reach a compromise with the gearing, we didn't quite manage it. It unsettled the car going into The Esses which spoiled my laps, so overnight we changed the gear ratio and stiffened the front of the car and it gave us more than a second on race day."
The opening race of the weekend saw Bell make a stunning to start to climb to 13th before becoming embroiled in a number of battles throughout the race. Having been forced wide following contact from a rival, he eventually took the flag in 15th place.
After another good start in race two, Bell found himself fighting for position once again with Turkish champion Erkut. The duo were dicing over 14th when contact on lap 14 saw the Arkas Racing driver spin off into the field on the run from Riches to Sear. Bell meanwhile was able to continue and would eventually finish in twelfth.
The final race saw the rest of the grid get wise to the fast starting BMW as Bell was baulked at the start, and a problem with the gearbox then troubled him for much of the race and he brought the BMW home in 16th.
