2018/19 Essex Winter Series Rd1 – Report
The opening round of the 2018/19 Essex Winter Series took place this weekend. With the series attracting a record number of entries this season, the championship kicked off with a capacity entry. In the Modified class, a number of potential winners had changed teams prior to the start of the series and everyone wanted to get their winter off to the best start possible. Alexander Hagberg added some international flavour to the field, and demonstrated why he is one of the best on-road racers in the world as he opened proceedings with the fastest time in round 1, ahead of his new Xray team-mate Elliott Harper, and defending series champion Olly Jefferies. Alex clearly had his Xray sorted on the new EWS-spec Sweep carpet tyres, and continued his form to top all four rounds of qualifying. The fight for 2nd was between Elliott and Olly, with the advantage eventually falling to the latter as the newly-signed Schumacher driver took the tiebreak after both drivers scored equal points. Behind, the Associated pairing of Alan Bickerstaff (once again supporting the series and traveling from Northern Ireland for each event) and Matthew White locked out 4th and 5th, in front of the now-privateer Stefan Chodzynski. Adding even more international interest to the event, Belgian youngster Florian Joos made the trip over, and was rewarded for his travels with a strong seventh overall after qualifying.
Continue reading the report here