£100,000 Holiday Inn SEAT Super Prix Prize Money
Published: 21st September 2003
The newly crowned Holiday Inn SEAT Cupra Champion, Robert Huff, has already secured the ultimate motor sport prize and so is not eligible for the Super Prix awards although he will still race at Brands Hatch to "put on a good show for the spectators". For the other 15 SEAT Leon Cupra R drivers, there is much more than pride at stake. The winner of the Super Prix will take away a cool £30,000, 2nd place £25,000 and 3rd will collect £20,000 – funds which can be put towards their personal budget for the 2004 SEAT Cupra Championship.
The Holiday Inn SEAT Super Prix is unique, as the starting grid for the first race will be determined by a public web vote, running until 26 September at www.seatcuprachampionship.com. The first race will be held over 12 laps of the Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit, and the result of that race will determine the starting grid for the big money second race – the £100,000 Holiday Inn SEAT Super Prix run over 25 laps of the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit.
Statistically, Stefan Hodgetts in his black loaded-backed Leon is the favourite to win the Super Prix having won five of the 10 Cupra Championship rounds and finished 2nd overall in the Championship. But he will be under serious pressure from Scottish race ace, Gordon Shedden (Scottish Sun Leon) and Gavin Smith (Smith Hire Centre Leon) who are both Championship round winners too. James Pickford, who has made a return to racing after a two year layoff, is also aiming to score his first race win in his Abt Sportsline / Haribo Leon, having led previous races twice this year.
Former Formula 3 driver Stephen Colbert also believes he can win the Holiday Inn SEAT Super Prix if he starts anywhere within the first three rows of the grid. Julian Westwood finished 3rd and 7th in his best race weekend performance at Thruxton, and is looking for continued success on his return to Brands Hatch. Spencer Marsh has been "fast but fragile" this season, as a number of mid-field tangles have ruined potential podium finishes. In the first race at Croft in May he finished 2nd, and with experience of both the Brands Hatch Grand Prix and Indy Circuits, Spencer will be keen to end the year where he began.
