BRANDS HATCH: MSVR BY MARK LIBBETER
History was made when Oliver White became the first driver to secure four successive Champion of Brands race wins, despite the best efforts of Luke Williams, on pole, and American Chase Owen.
A fabulous five-car battle for the lead developed in the early laps, as Williams attempted to keep White, Owen, Richard Tarling and Andy Charsley at bay. Slight contact between White’s Van Diemen and the RFR of Williams helped Owen to briefly take the lead at threequarter distance, but White was able to power ahead of the leading Ray on the approach to Druids a lap later. White never looked back, leaving Owen to claim second ahead of Williams, who was struggling to select third gear in the closing stages.
There were no such problems for William Plant and Oliver Bryant in the well-supported Future Classics contest. Despite needing to serve a 30-second success penalty carried over from Plant’s win at Silverstone, the Morgan Plus 8 pair claimed a dominant victory. Perry Waddams (TVR Tuscan) just held off the Porsche 928 of Mark Chilton to claim second on the sprint to the flag.
Jeremy Timms was an equally convincing winner in the pair of Monoposto 1800, 1600 & Moto 1400 & 1000 races, twice leading home cousin Jason in lights-to-flag successes. The star of both races though was Richard Gittings in his Jedi Mk6. Starting 17th in race one and last for race two, he charged through the pack to snatch third from Dan Levy’s similar car as they charged across the line in the opener, before fighting his way through to fourth in race two behind Craig Hurran.
Robbie Watts was victorious in a shortened opening Monoposto F3, 2000 and Classic 2000 race, having powered around the outside of poleman Tony Bishop at Paddock. Late-race smoke from his Dallara F302’s engine wasn’t enough to halt him as Bishop held second from Lee Cunningham.
The engine issue ruled Watts out of the second encounter with the story of the race confined to the final lap when leaders Bishop and Ben Cater were involved in a frightening collision exiting Clearways. Bishop’s Dallara was launched into the air before rolling. Cunningham was handed victory ahead of Chris Hodgen.
Kenan Dole was a delighted winner of the opening VAG Trophy contest in his Golf GTI, withstanding pressure from the similar Mk5 model of Jason Tingle in the initial laps, and latterly by Tom Witts in his Mk7. Behind the top three, Darelle Wilson powered through from the seventh row to claim fourth ahead of former BTCC racer Andy Wilmot.
The second race was disrupted by two red flags, meaning a result was taken after just two laps. Dole was declared the winner with Tingle inheriting second after Wilmot’s Golf was disqualified for failing post-race scrutineering checks.
Stoppages in the Porsche Club Championship opener meant the second race had to be cancelled. Mike Johnson recorded his first win of the year in race one after he pulled off a superb move around the outside of Kevin Harrison at Paddock. Title leader Mark Mcaleer fought his way through to third, while son Jake scored a maiden triumph in class 2.