Mondello Park - BOSS - 17/18th September
Mark Reade returned to the series in which he made his single seater debut almost 10 years ago, when he joined the BOSS series for the Leinster Trophy event at Mondello Park last weekend. For the first time in the series history, BOSS would battle for the prestigious Leinster Trophy on Sunday. In addition, they would have a standard championship round on the Saturday, allowing Reade to bring himself up to speed in the Leastone 1000.
Despite his limited experience in the 1000, Mark fared well in Saturday’s qualifying, logging a lap good enough for 11th out of a field of 23. This was all the more impressive considering the calibre of machinery on the entry list.
He made good use of his starting slot, vaulting himself into the top 10 when the red lights went out. From there, he had to defend from the more powerful machinery that he jumped off the line. Reade put in a stout defence, making the little Leastone extremely wide in places. His effort was in vain however, as an electrical fault put an end to a great battle on lap 4.
A frustratingly simple fix meant the car was ready for Leinster Trophy qualifying which took place on a rain soaked track on early Sunday morning. Being the first time he was experiencing the Leastone 1000 in the wet, Reade took a conservative approach, gaining speed over the course of the session. Even so, he would line up 9th for the main event.
The rain continued to batter the Kildare circuit, making the start all the more tricky. Mark had a solid start, making sure not to get caught out in the opening laps. He settled into the top ten and began pushing the limits of the track with each passing lap. He overstepped the mark approaching the midpoint of the race, earning himself a time consuming trip across the gravel trap. This demoted him to 12th, which he would hold onto until the chequered flag.
Having performed well over the course of the weekend, Reade will continue to focus on the Leastone 1000, with the current plan for him to contest the season closing Monoposto event at Brands Hatch on October 30th. He will travel with the team to Kirkistown for the final event of the Irish championship season on October 1st, offering advice to newcomer Jordan Daly who has taken over his Formula Vee seat for the remainder of the season.
