Crash hits Cresswell hopes

Gideon Cresswell shrugged off brake issues and a scary high speed incident to record sixth and eight-placed finishes at Oulton Park last weekend, writes DAN WRIGHT.

The Ashford-based MINI Challenge racer, making his first visit to the Cheshire circuit, qualified sixth in his class and carried that form into his opening race, a super start putting him fourth at the end of lap one.

He looked to attack, chasing a podium finish only to suffer brake problems, dropping him to sixth.

That proved enough for Cresswell to earn pole position for the reverse grid second encounter and he made another great start, leading again, only to suffer more technical woes.

He refused to give in, only to then under-steer onto the grass, spinning back across the track in front of the chasing pack, leaving him facing backwards across the circuit, just managing to avoid hitting the tyre wall.

Cresswell rejoined in eighth place but couldn’t improve on that before the end.

He said: “After the massive high of winning at Brands Hatch, it was disappointing.

“We changed loads on the car, brake pads, callipers, wheel bearing and drive shafts but it just didn’t work.”

“We have a few weeks to sort out the car before Castle Combe so I hope my good fortune returns there.

“There are still a lot of races left in the championship to close the gap.”

Picture: Joseph Wright SCARY MOMENT: Gideon Cresswell was involved in a highspeed incident at Oulton Park