HUDDERSFIELD racer Daniel Lloyd had his hopes of a maiden 2010 BF Goodrich/Skip Barber National Championship podium finish scuppered at the Virginia International Raceway.
An over-heating engine put paid to his front-running challenge and the 18-year-old’s battle had started long before the race weekend with chaos surrounding his travel arrangements due to the flight restrictions imposed throughout Europe.
He managed to fly out of the UK on an alternative flight from Heathrow, rather than his planned route from Manchester, and Lloyd arrived in the United States in time for the opening practice sessions prior to the weekend to get his first taste of the 3.27-mile road course.
Qualifying for the first race in round five in 10th position, the TNT Post supported driver wasn’t able to make the headway he wanted and two unfortunate excursions led to an eventual 11th place finish.
For round six, Daniel’s hopes were far brighter as he qualified a much improved sixth fastest during the second session and at the start of the race he made good inroads.
Quickly gaining a couple of places, the single-seater rookie applied early pressure to the top three. Just as soon as a podium challenge looked on the cards though, his car began to lose pace on the straights due to an over-heating engine.
Fighting as hard as possible in the circumstances to take as good a finish as possible, Daniel slipped to 10th in the end which was a result in itself considering the temperature gauge hit 230 degrees!
Obviously disappointed with the outcome of the weekend, he said: “It’s never great when a race meeting becomes such a struggle but I again showed I’ve got the pace to run at the front.
“Everything was going well in race two until the engine started to over-heat but as soon as it did, I just went backwards and there was nothing I could do.
“It’s frustrating but we have to put it behind us.”
There is now a five-week break in the Skip Barber Championship calendar with rounds seven and eight taking place at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, USA, over Memorial Day weekend, May 29-31.
