From Team F4V Media –
| • Se-Van driver Nathan Anthony ends Legends campaign third in Masters • P11 overall and P2 in Masters in Rd13 Final the highlight of tough event • Double DNF in Heats stops Team F4V racer’s top 10 championship push |
| Second place in the Masters Cup class in the final race of the 2024 Legends Cars Championship at Oulton Park on Saturday, 28th September, was the highlight result of an otherwise frustrating outing for Team F4V’s Nathan Anthony. Going into the last three encounters of the season at the Cheshire venue’s International Circuit determined to chalk-up a significant haul of points and to end the campaign on a high, enforced retirements for the No.29 Se-Van in Heats One and Two proved a major setback. Nonetheless, Horley racer Nathan fought hard in the round 13 Final and he took the chequered flag in 11th position overall and second in the Masters. In terms of the championship standings, he ends the 30th Anniversary Legends Cars season 12th in the overall points and third in the Masters Cup. Rain arrived at Oulton Park ahead of Heat One, and although not overly heavy it was persistent so the track surface was properly wet for the opening race. Starting ninth on the grid, Nathan had a strong first lap and was well placed midway through but after being nudged back a few positions he concluded the opening tour in 15th position. Things unfortunately deteriorated from there for the Team F4V racer, elbowed back a few more places before his race came to an untimely end on lap four at the outside of Island Bend when the Se-Van twitched on a wet patch. Contact with the tyre barrier was unavoidable, as was retirement. Fortunes didn’t improve for Nathan in Heat Two, which took place on a much drier track than the opening encounter. Starting 14th on the grid, a good start came to nothing when red flags were waved after several cars were caught-up in a tangle at the exit of Old Hall. At the re-start he made another good launch and a solid first lap ended with a gain of three positions. Knocking on the door of the top 10, all seemed very nicely set for Nathan to continue his rise through the order but at the end of lap two he was forced to pit after his throttle stuck open – the result of a stone lodged beneath the pedal. Having missed out on any points from the earlier contests, the First 4 Vans, Towergate Insurance, Blue Lizard, Blue Chip Warranty, Creative Funding Solutions, Moove and Mowermate supported driver was resolute he would finish the finale with a strong showing from a pole position start. Nathan held the lead through the first corner before being edged back to second place later in the lap – prior to the Safety Car being deployed as a result of a multi car collision further behind. When racing resumed on lap four, the Surrey driver – minus the bonnet on his Se-Van – continued in second but he was shuffled back to seventh before the end of the lap. Bundled further back on the fifth tour, holding 12th overall into lap six, the Team F4V driver did respond and he ultimately finished in 11th place, only 0.1 seconds shy of the top 10 and second in the Masters class. Nathan Anthony: “Oulton’s been tough, a hard weekend and not at all what we’d planned. There wasn’t much we could do about the Heats, at least in the Final we took a finish but it has been a disheartening way to end the season. Race two was pretty frightening, it’s never great when you’re flat-out and the throttle is stuck wide open! I had no option but to shut it off and get into the pits. “I did go through the gravel in the first race, with the off on the water, so it’s most likely the stone came from that and we just missed it being there when we went out for race two. I’m obviously gutted with how the season has ended, we’ve got a long winter now to lick our wounds and hopefully come back stronger next year.” Final Legends Cars Championship ‘Masters Cup’ Standings 3rd Nathan Anthony, 2500pts Final Legends Cars Championship Overall Standings 12th Nathan Anthony, 2500pts |
Photo credit: George McNeill
