MOODIE TAKES A ONE-HANDED WORLD FINAL VICTORY
Organiser: Buxton Raceway When: September 7 Where: Buxton Raceway Starters: 82.
Gordon Moodie overcame a broken hand to secure a second consecutive BRISCA Formula 2 world title in the Derbyshire hills on Saturday night.
From pole position, Moodie made a good start and survived a first-bend attack from second-row man Andrew Palmer to lead from fastest overseas qualifier Kay Lenssen and British champion Steven Gilbert. After an early caution period – for a pile-up which included Palmer – Moodie was immediately able to build a gap as his chasers traded blows.
That battling blunted the challenges of Lenssen and Gilbert, and it was Lenssen’s fellow Dutchman Wim Peeters who emerged from the early squabbling in second. But the twotime world champion was unable to make any impression on Moodie’s lead as they carved through traffic and had to settle for the runner-up position ahead of 2015 winner Kelvyn Marshall and Northern Ireland’s Craig Mcconnell.
Moodie, who had been carrying his injury since winning the World Cup at Venray in Holland three weeks earlier, was able to banish the memories of the event’s previous staging at Buxton 10 years ago. On that occasion he was slammed into the wall and out of the race on the opening bend by arch-rival Rob Speak.
“I just had a wee talk to the fence – I said, ‘You did not get me this time!’” Moodie laughed after claiming his third world championship. “A lot of people did not know that I’ve had a broken hand since Venray – I kept it quiet. It was all right with one hand!”
Peeters was left to rue a disappointing showing in the pre-meeting time trials for overseas qualifiers which left him 12th and unable to mount an early challenge, while Marshall was satisfied with third from 13th.
The race had required a complete restart after a big crash on the first attempt. Moodie’s fellow front-row man Ben Borthwick ran wide into the fence and was collected by the pack as he bounced back onto the racing line. Fancied runner Luke Wrench was launched into a barrel roll and neither he nor Borthwick were able to take the restart.
Result
1 Gordon Moodie; 2 Wim Peeters; 3 Kelvyn Marshall; 4 Craig Mcconnell; 5 Rob Mitchell; 6 Steven Burgoyne; 7 Steven Gilbert; 8 Chris Burgoyne; 9 Robbie Dawson; 10 Dave Polley.