Xentek Motorsport scored a sensational class victory and overall top three finish as they kicked off their British Endurance Championship campaign with a brilliant performance at Donington Park on Friday (29 March).
The South Yorkshire team got their 2024 race season off to a dream start as Bal Sidhu and Josh Steed put in standout performances behind the wheel of their Porsche Cayman GT4, with Sidhu’s efforts being recognised with the championship’s ‘Driver of the Day’ award.
Sidhu and Steed, both former Ginetta GT5 Challenge class champions with Xentek, enjoyed a couple of productive test days in the lead up to the event and were a competitive force from the off in ‘Class D’ – a sub-class dedicated to GT4 machinery.
After qualifying the Cayman third fastest in class, Sidhu started the two-hour race in the hotseat. A nerve-wracking start saw rain start to fall within the first five minutes, however an impressive drive on slick tyres saw him move up to second as conditions improved.
Steed took over the car prior to the half-hour mark and put in a scintillating display over the next hour, quickly grabbing the class lead and putting in a run of fast, consistent lap times to build up an advantage of more than 20 seconds at the front of the field.
Sidhu jumped back in the car for the final run to the chequered flag and once again had to tackle the changeable British weather as heavy rain fell in the closing stages. A composed performance saw him adapt to the changing conditions and bring the car home for a memorable class win - with the drivers' combined efforts also seeing them rise from ninth overall on the grid to a brilliant third.
Christopher Richards – Team Principal: “What a fantastic way to start our 2024 season! Bal did a brilliant job in challenging conditions and it was great to see his efforts rewarded with the Driver of the Day award, while Josh showed everyone just how much of a talented young driver he is. They make a great team and we’re excited to see what else we can achieve in the BEC this year.”
The 2024 British Endurance Championship season continues at Snetterton in two weeks’ time (13 April).
Image from Steve Jackman / BEC.