On 13th and 14th July, the 2024 Spanish Autocross Championship held in Carballo the first of the two Galician rounds included in its calendar for another year. The best result for the Speed Car drivers was the second place of Juan Manuel García Pandiella with the Speed Car Wonder in the Car Cross Series, a category that continues to be led by his brand mate, Quim González, fourth this time.
Thirty-seven drivers took part in the Car Cross category, eight of them at the wheel of the Wonder Speed Car model. Three managed to get through the demanding qualifying heats and reach the final of the top fifteen in which Josep Aranda finished fourth, just over a second and a half away from a podium place. The Escudería Mollerusa driver had been eleventh in the timed session but was already in the leading positions in the heats, with a first and two seconds that gave him fourth place on the starting grid, a position in which he also crossed the finish line.
The next Speed Car driver in the final standings was Pol Durán, who qualified for the A final after finishing third in the B final. Starting from the last row of the grid, Pol finished the eight laps of the race in twelfth position. The local Sergio Suárez, who had reached the final after a remarkable performance in the heats, with three third places, was less lucky, being victim of a contact in the always frenetic first corners of the decisive race, which forced him to retire, being classified in fourteenth place.
The ‘Car Cross Series’ category continues to produce good results for the Speed Car Wonder drivers. After two races completely dominated by Quim González, this time the best classified was Juan García Pandiella. The Asturian driver had a great weekend, repeating the performance of the first race of the season with a second place in the final and two victories in the qualifying rounds.
Quim González was one step away from the podium on this occasion. He set the third fastest time in the timed practice sessions, reached fourth place on the starting grid with two seconds and a third in the heats and finished the final in fourth position, just over a second behind the third classified driver. With the points scored in Carballo, the Speed Car Wonder driver retains the overall lead in the championship, which will resume in August with its second Galician round in Arteixo.
Joan Aranda returned to the CEAX in Carballo and was the only Speed Car representative in the Junior category. The Catalan driver drove very consistently throughout the weekend to finish eighth in the final after having been in the same position in timed practice and starting from ninth on the grid after having finished the qualifying heats in seventh, tenth and eleventh positions.
Pictures: CEAX RFEdA press service
