TEAM VIKING & URSUS CAPITAL RACING EARLY END TO VIKING INVASION
15 May 2026
With Fun Cup super-sub Harry Mailer deputising for Colin Kingsnorth, there was an air of optimism in the Team Viking & Ursus Capital camp, as they arrived at Snetterton for round two of the Fun Cup UK Endurance Championship.
With Fun Cup super-sub Harry Mailer deputising for Colin Kingsnorth, there was an air of optimism in the Team Viking & Ursus Capital camp, as they arrived at Snetterton for round two of the Fun Cup UK Endurance Championship.
“We qualified on old tyres, it was a warm dry day and we had already set some good times in practice. So we just concentrated on our pit stops,” said team leader Mark Holme, after they were 12th quickest.
They drew 18th place on the grid for the four-hour race, making a rare appearance on the shorter 200 version of the Norfolk Circuit. Holme took the start and began to make early progress. By lap seven he was closing the gap on the 10th place battle, but was under pressure himself too.
10 laps in and the battle had intensified, chasing down Rare Vinyl’s Rob Croydon, as they both closed on Seed Data’s Mike Devlin. Four laps later Holme had taken them both, but then shared a couple of exchanges with GCI’s Ian Wood, which briefly gave him 10th.
At least six crews were in the battle, which continued as the first pitstop window approached. “It had been a great first stint, coming in 12th. But the coil went on my in lap. It started cutting out as we rounded Coram and I rolled into the pitlane,” he explained.
The longer stop cost the team four laps before Mailer rejoined. “Very disappointing and on the shorter circuit we couldn’t afford that, so it was game over,” Holme added.
They were soon back on the pace though and continued to become involved in various on circuit fights, but the deficit was too much, despite having climbed to 20th by half distance.
“We worked hard and could have been in the top few, “ said Holme after finishing the third hour 15th. “Then in the last stint Harry had a ball joint go on the rear driveshaft leaving us 20th at the flag,” he explained.
“Just one mechanical issue and it stopped us being at the front, disappointing but we now look forward to the Anglesey double header where Colin will be sharing again,” he concluded.