Sunoco Whelen Challenge Title Up For Grabs This Weekend

It’s crunch time in the 2019 Sunoco Whelen and 240 Challenges, both of which could be decided in the next 10 days when the remaining contenders compete in BRDC British F3, British GT, Mini Cooper Challenge and Radical UK Challenge events around the UK.

Lundqvist Poised To Seal Daytona Drive At Donington

   

 

Up first it’s the senior competition and a chance for long-time leader Linus Lundqvist to claim the Rolex 24 At Daytona prize drive with a British F3 round to spare. The Swede has been rock solid all season and currently enjoys a 17.89-point lead over former winner Phil Keen who, like Lundqvist, is competing at Donington Park this weekend.

Their respective British GT and F3 title rivals, Jonny Adam and Nicolai Kjaergaard, also retain a chance of winning the Sunoco Whelen Challenge, although both are more than 20 points shy of top spot.

In truth it’s Lundqvist’s competition to lose given both he and Kjaergaard have four races in which to increase (but also decrease) their totals, whereas Keen and Adam – who square off for the British GT3 title this weekend – have only one event with which to improve their scores. All of that will be a foregone conclusion should Lundqvist accumulate the perfect 140 points in both of Donington’s Sunoco Challenge-eligible races before British F3 heads to Silverstone for its season finale on October 13/14.

Whether the coronation waits another three weeks also depends on his rivals’ performances this weekend. Keen and Adam both essentially require perfect scores for pole position, fastest race lap and victory if they’re to apply any pressure on the current leader, while Kjaergaard – who is also aiming to halt Lundqvist’s British F3 title march – must outscore his championship adversary by 71 Sunoco points per race over the remaining four outings. It’s a tall order by anyone’s standards!