Denning closing out year on top in Misano

Asian motorsports team SJM Theodore Racing produced another dominant performance to secure a comfortable victory in the 11th and penultimate race in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia series in Misano.

The win was founded on a wonderful first lap by Ireland's Alex Denning followed by a typically controlled run to the flag in the second half of the race by Macau's Charles Leong.

Starting from third on the grid Denning made the perfect lap and despite being pushed onto the grass on the run to turn one the Irish driver held his nerve to bring all four wheels back on track in time to the inside line for turn one.

The second-placed driver briefly held the lead by running off track through the first right hander but Denning was securely in the lead by turn two and he and the SJM Theodore Lamborghini Huracán Evo 2 were soon opening up a clear advantage to the cars behind. After 15 minutes of the 50-minute race Denning had established a lead of eight seconds and he then settled in to manage his advantage all the way to the compulsory pit stop.

Taking over with a comfortable lead, Charles Leong soon found himself 12-seconds clear of the second-placed car and with a secure race-winning advantage. The Macau star is a master of tyre management and he applied a no risk strategy to passing lapped cars as he maintained his lead at around nine seconds all the way to the final lap.

It's a seventh win from 11 races this year and maintains the team's record of winning at every event this year. The squad can look forward with confidence to Friday's second race, the final round of the Asian series where Charles Leong will start from fourth place on the grid.

Alex Denning:
"I just had my good friend Max Hart remind me that Lamborghini were once famous for making tractors so I was just testing out that functionality to see if it still had it when I got two wheels up on the grass, then it got pushed on and I was holding.
"I just kept two wheels on the white line and managed to get it stopped for turn one. The grass was a lot wetter than I thought! But yeah, I'm sure everyone was on their toes in the garage and, honestly, we couldn't be happier. We acquired great data for the week ahead at the world finals. 

Charles Leong:
"For me, since we had that gap, I was trying to understand the balance and try to see if different driving styles would help a bit the lap time and also compromising a car. So it was an opportunity for a bit of studying for us and because we have won the championship already and we are looking forward to the world finals races at the weekend."

David Kennedy, Managing Director – SJM Theodore Racing:-
“That was a terrific display from the whole team after a wonderful start from Alex. It was a hectic first lap and a brilliant first stint followed by a typically calm second half from Charles.
"This has set us nicely for the final race in the Asian series and for the World Finals at the weekend. We need to maintain the pressure and stay focused on the process for the final three days of the season.”

In a hectic final week of Lamborghini racing, the team will face four separate races during the event with the final two races in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Series (LSTA) followed by next weekend's two World Finals races against opposition from around the globe.
   
Having scooped the teams' title one round early at Sepang, Malaysia last month, team drivers Charles Leong and Alex Denning are level on points at the top of the Lamborghini Asia driver's championship and aiming to share the series spoils in Thusday and Friday's final races in the Asia series.

No other drivers are in contention for the title and, given that they will share the SJM Theodore Lamborghini Huarcán again throughout the week, the plan is for both to share the spoils in the driver's championship as well come Friday afternoon. 

Then they will turn their attention to the two races which make up the World Finals with both drivers relishing an opportunity to test themselves against the cream of Lamborghini Super Trofeo teams from the three different continental championships.