Motorsport: The inside track on Chester sportscar ace Andy Meyrick’s Blancpain Endurance Series

MARK DOWLING goes behind the scenes at Silverstone to follow Andy Meyrick’s fortunes in the Blancpain Endurance Series

CHESTER racer Andy Meyrick is competing in the hidden gem of motorsport.

While Silverstone recently played host to Formula One cars which could barely last 10 laps without tyres exploding, the famous racetrack was also the scene for the Blancpain Endurance Series (BES) – where the focus was not on tyres but simply good racing.

Delamere ace Meyrick competes in this sportscar series, which at Silverstone saw a huge field of nearly 60 GT3 cars. These include Ferraris, Aston Martins, Porsches and the racer Meyrick competes in, the McLaren MP4-12C, sharing driving duties with Gulf Racing team co-owner and amateur racer Mike Wainwright.

Being granted behind-the-scenes access to the Gulf Racing squad, it is clear there is a friendly atmosphere throughout the paddock among team personnel and drivers. This extends on to the track, where top professionals such as Meyrick compete on the same track as gentlemen drivers lapping several seconds off their pace.

Although championship rules dictate Meyrick’s stint, as the professional driver in the two-man team, is time-limited, he makes the most of his stint, surging through the field.

After climbing out of the car to mark the end of his stint, Meyrick’s adrenalin is still pumping.

“I must’ve gone up about 20 places there,” he exclaims, before nipping away to freshen up with a shower. In truth, he has climbed 19 spots, and the burst of pace means the team finish a creditable 35th overall and 15th in their class.

At the finish, Meyrick is quick to congratulate overall winner and good friend Darren Turner in parc ferme, emphasising the good- natured rivalry in the paddock.

BES races are streamed online at www.blancpain-endurance-series.com With the Spa 24 Hours race coming up, featuring 72 cars on the entry list, BES is well worth a look.

Andy Meyrick collected his second American Le Mans Series podium of the season on Saturday at Lime Rock Park, Connecticut.

Driving the radical DeltaWing, Meyrick surged up the field in his 80-minute stint and, while team- mate Katherine Legge was forced to stop the car with an overheating engine, the duo were classified third in their P1 class.