PAINT-SWAPPING PICKUPS
‘Rubbing is racing’ remains a popular phrase in American motorsport, and it sprang to the lips of both winner Scott Bourne and Lea Wood after a thrilling Pickup Truck battle at Donington Park.
Touted as an ‘unofficial’ new record for its closest road-course finish by series organisers, just 0.025 seconds separated reigning champion Bourne and Wood as they exchanged paint in a race-one photo finish. Early leader David O’regan slipped behind both with tyre difficulties, and Bourne pounced on Wood as he slid exiting the final chicane. “That kind of finish is what it’s all about,” said Bourne. “I’m enjoying my racing so much.”
The narrow miss did not deter Wood, who ended Bourne’s four-race winning streak with a commanding race-two victory from Bourne and Michael Smith.
A dramatic second Legends Championship final also went to a photo finish. Paul Simmons triumphed, having risen from 20th, as 0.081s covered the top three. Second-placed John Mickel fought from even further back after Redgate contact pitched him into the gravel, while Jack Parker recovered from gearbox and throttle problems for third. “The red mist descended,” said Mickel, who had suffered two retirements during the heats.
The opening final fell to Sean Smith, who fended off Mickel and Simmons before red flags ended the race early. Ben Power clinched two heat wins, sharing spoils with Miles Rudman and Mickel.
Both Britcar Sprint races were won by the Taranis of Jonny Macgregor from pole position. A dominant lights-to-flag display in the opening 50-minute race was aided by nearest rival Ross Wylie dropping out before mid-distance when his Ferrari 458 suffered a broken front splitter.
Wylie’s response was a spirited nine-lap charge from 28th to first in race two. Macgregor kept Wylie in his sights before a safety-car interruption, and doubled his victory tally when Wylie’s co-driver David Mason fell back to fourth.
A flying Simon Rudd and Sam Randon grabbed second overall in their Team Hard Ginetta G55, continuing without trouble to clinch a two-hour endurance race of attrition by a healthy two-lap margin.
Ryan Smith’s winning streak in British Truck Racing’s Division 1 was ended by Jamie Anderson and David Jenkins. Smith started with a hat-trick of wins, taking the second – a feisty four-truck tussle – when Anderson was penalised 10s for an out-of-position start. Anderson won race four, before Jenkins overpowered Luke Taylor early in the final race and kept a chasing Smith at bay.
Despite finishing behind Craig Reid on the road in the second race, Luke Garrett was promoted to victory – meaning he won all five races – when Reid picked up a track-limits penalty. Oil strewn around the circuit created chaos; Simon Cole’s Mercedes was the culprit, and he was denied a potential victory by the officials because the truck was giving off smoke.
Pete Sparrow won the first of two tight Citroen 2CV contests. He broke the slipstream of a chasing Matthew Hollis in race one, before Simon Clarke narrowly pipped Gadget Racing team-mate Tom Perry in a tactical race-two battle.