WOOLFITT BROTHERS SHARE WINS IN NORTHERN SALOONS OPENER

Jon and Paul Woolfitt took a win apiece during an incident-filled day for the Northern Saloons as the Classic and Modern Motorsport Club season got underway at Cadwell Park.

Andy Robinson qualified on pole for both races in the Ford Falcon V8 Supercar but was beaten off the line by the Woolfitt brothers each time. Jon Woolfitt led all the way to claim victory in the opening encounter in his Spire GTR ahead of Paul Woolfitt’s Lotus Exige. The race had been restarted following a huge five car pile-up at the original start when the Honda Civic of Chris Sparks was turned into the outside barrier at Coppice by Kirk Armitage’s BMW, with several cars behind unable to avoid the melee. Despite some heavily damaged cars, all drivers emerged unscathed.

In race two, Jon Woolfitt led again from brother Paul but, on the fourth lap, Jon retired from the lead after his car slowed with a problem. A trip across the grass dropped Paul Woolfitt from first to third in the closing stages, but his blushes were spared when seconds later red flags curtailed the race after Robinson collided with a backmarker and, with results put back by one lap, Paul Woofitt was reinstated in first place.

Defending champion Simon Armer took a dominant race one win in HSCC Historic Formula 3, but a last-lap collision with Paul Waine at Mansfield bend while contesting the lead enabled Ian Bankhurst to slip through to take victory in the second encounter later in the day.