Rivett makes it double joy with victory at Brands
MATT RIVETT BECAME THE ONLY driver in 2017 with two Champion of Brands Formula Ford 1600 wins when he triumphed in the season’s final round.
Last Saturday’s races produced tussles between Rivett and Sebastian Melrose, who dominated a seven-car entry.
Melrose’s trip from Scotland was rewarded in race one, despite wheelspin at the start, when a lunge at Clearways just ahead of yellow flags took him to the front. In race two, it was Rivett’s turn to chase before taking the lead. Melrose spun his Ray GR14 after contact between them at Druids, which left him third behind Keith Wood.
Formula Vee champion Ben Miloudi added the 10th Vee Festival to his winning record despite retiring before the first corner in race one with fuel feed problems in his Storm GKBM.
John Hughes strayed through the Clark Curve gravel while leading race two, but a superb efforts at Paddock Hill lifted him from third back to first in a single move. Miloudi grabbed third behind Ian Jordan, as the top four, completed by Peter Belsey, finished together.
The decider ended in anti-climax when Hughes was called into the pits after a place-swapping duel with Miloudi. Jordan couldn’t stay with the duo, but finished second, with spinner Belsey third. Hughes snatched fifth on the final lap after a brief stop for his Scarab – ultimately, there was disappointment for for him after being brought in for allegedly spraying fuel.
Dale Gent scored two race wins and a second place in a quartet of Allcomers’ outings. Success came the hard way on Saturday after duelling with Colin Watson’s Caterham. A passing bid at Druids near the end of race two went wrong when Gent didn’t spot the Caterham, although Watson still finished second despite the near miss.
Gent met his match on Sunday in the form of Graham Hill’s Radical PR6, but overcame Simon Smith’s Caterham for second. The Subaru was a no-show for the final race, allowing Hill the win.
The opening Single Seater Allcomers’ race lost Noel Roddy at the first corner. Kevan Mclurg retired after leading, and Mike Hatton survived a touch with Dave Wheal to win from Chris Kite. A dreadful race two start left Kite well down the order, but he overhauled Roddy and Hatton for victory.
Three Ssangyong Challenge races were dominated by Michael O’brien and James Gornall. Contact at Paddock Hill left O’brien with a flapping door but didn’t stop him winning race one. Gornall fended off O’brien throughout race two and Lewis Grant stayed with them to complete the podium. The race three grid put Gornall on row two, helping O’brien to build a lead he held to the end.
The Victor Meldrew Trophy also celebrated its 10th anniversary. A bumper entry contested two handicap races, won by Robert Taylor and Kieron Lehane. Nobody was more surprised than Jody Halse (BMW M3), eighth and seventh, when he was declared the recipient of the coveted trophy for the third time.