Gornall: Exclusion and lost title “a lesson to all club racers”

Excluded Compact Cup champion James Gornall has said he hopes the decision to strip him of last year’s title following post-season scrutineering will act as a warning to other club racers.

The 2008 British GT champion was thrown out of the championship after scrutineers found his crankshaft was noncompliant and an appeal at the National Court earlier this month was unsuccessful.

In a statement, Gornall said: “We hope our experience will be a lesson to all club racers to check and double-check your equipment. After so much hard work, to lose a championship in this way is galling.

“Had we not genuinely believed we were not at fault in using a crankshaft which has been previously approved, we would not have used that component nor have gone to the trouble and considerable expense of appealing the decision.

“It is right the championship is policed in the correct and proper way. We, through no fault of our own, simply a misguided belief that all was OK, have fallen foul of the process in place to protect us.”

Steven Dailly has now been confirmed as last season’s champion following Gornall’s exclusion.

“It’s big news, we were not expecting it,” said Dailly, who dominated the Scottish Compact Cup in 2015 by winning every race. “I’ve got a bit mixed feelings about it all. I’ve waited three months after the championship to find out I’m champion. It’s a lot to take in.”