WATTS THE STORY: FATHER AND DAUGHTER CITROEN C1 TEAM ARE IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL
Former British Touring Car Championship star Patrick Watts and daughter Aimee recorded a memorable success on Saturday as they teamed up with Orlando Lindsay and won the three-hour C1 Challenge endurance event in their Ladybird-Daddy entry.
An impressive opening stint from Lindsay helped the team lay the foundations for victory from the outset. With Aimee Watts also showing strong pace in the middle part of the race, Watts Sr was able to reel off the remaining time with relative ease and secure one of the proudest wins of his lengthy career.
Second place was taken by Alistair May and Chris Parkes for Quattro Formaggio, despite a late challenge from the JW Bird Motorsport entry of Tony Prendergast/Robin Welsh.
Josh Rowledge narrowly beat Liam McNeilly to the Ginetta Junior Winter Series title. Two wins on Saturday helped Rowledge establish an advantage, but lowly grid positions for races three and four on Sunday threatened to undo his good work. Despite a spin in race three and McNeilly inheriting the race four spoils, a fifth-place finish proved enough for Rowledge to seal the crown. Race three was won by Aqil Alibhai after race-long leader Tom Edgar was forced to retire on the final tour.
Two wins in the Super Saloons /Tin Tops doubleheader on Sunday meant Rod Birley reached the landmark of 700 career (outright and class) race victories. Birley took a lights-to-flag success in race one in his Ford Escort WRC, despite the close attentions of Steve Dann’s VW Scirocco. Victory in the second contest came Birley’s way after Nick Sutton (Mitsubishi Lancer E10) misjudged a pass during a caution period and received a post-race time penalty.
Rupert Deeth won the opening Mini Winter Challenge contest in his Miglia after closest challenger Endaf Owens retired to the pits with oil pressure problems. Scott Kendall snatched second from Colin Peacock late in the race when the latter was slowed by backmarkers at Clearways. Owens recovered to dominate races two and three.
Further back, former BTCC team-mates Andrew Jordan and Jeff Smith indulged in an entertaining battle for Se7en honours. Jordan, driving the car father Mike had raced in the main championship this year, emerged victorious each time.
Steve Rothery claimed a popular victory in the second Britcar ‘Into the Night’ event in his Peugeot 308 after early leaders Carl Cavers and Ian Humphris (Porsche 718 GT4 Clubsport) were hit with a pitlane infringement penalty. Humphris had already won race one in partnership with Benji Hetherington.