THRILLS AND SPILLS IN SUPPORT RACES
Six races for two Mazda MX-5 championships gave a new look to this year’s Festival support programme. It produced a title for Samuel Smith in the Supercup series for Mk3 models, and a likely one for Oliver Allwood among the older Mk1 versions, although this could change at a judicial hearing.
Supercup points leader Luke Herbert’s title hopes took a terminal hit when he spun at Paddock Hill Bend in the first of three races.
His stranded car was clouted by Richard Amos and, although both drivers quickly exited their cars, Herbert needed precautionary medical attention. Both were out for the weekend.
Smith won a shortened re-run to take over the championship lead, and became uncatchable for the title by finishing fourth later in the day as Colin Bysouth won the race.
A chunk of the third race was run behind the safety car after John Langridge crashed on lap one but, after some predictably hectic action, the result was a comfortable win for Smith.
Conditions were at their worst for the first MX-5 Championship race for Mk1s, where Allwood and Mike Comber were in the title battle and Joe Wiggin was a possible contender, subject to an appeal against sanctions applied at a previous meeting. A caution period reduced the contest to a single-lap shootout under green flags, which ended with Allwood in front.
Matt Luff, Brian Trott and Wiggin led the way in race two, but the championship reached an unsatisfactory end when Luff tapped team-mate Allwood into a spin in race three, triggering a multiple incident at Druids. Allwood finished last after a stop to remove damaged bodywork as Luff was first and kept the win, despite initially being disqualified for his part in the collision. Comber was classified third, not enough to top the table.
Reigning Historic FF1600 champion Cameron Jackson won the weekend’s first race in his March 709, as second finisher Pierre Livingston (Merlyn MK20A) retained his points lead. Jackson won again on Sunday morning, but Livingston only needed a podium finish to clinch the title and that’s exactly what he achieved, behind Jackson and Linton Stutely.
Jackson’s unbeaten record in Classic
Formula Ford was ended on Saturday by Henry Chart, who brought home the Van Diemen RF81 that Tim Harvey steered to victory a year ago. Jackson’s slightly older Van Diemen RF80 repeatedly nosed ahead at Clearways, but had no answer to Chart’s better grip on an outside line. Despite this rare defeat, Jackson was confirmed as 2020 Classic FF1600 champion and, with the title secure, he beat Chart on Sunday, with outgoing champion Rick Morris third.
Older Formula Fords taking part in the
Festival had a Historic finale to themselves. BRSCC chairman Peter Daly (Van Diemen RF88) was the eventual winner after a three-way fight with Ryan Campbell (Reynard 89FF) and Tom Mcarthur’s Merlyn Mk20 – the oldest car in the field. The trio were covered by just 0.397 seconds at the flag.
First time out following an engine blow-up, Rod Birley’s Ford Escort WRC raced with a misfire in the first Classic and Modern Motorsport Club contest but, with the benefit of four-wheel-drive on a damp track, he had plenty in hand over the battling BMWS of Paul Watson and John Deveraux. Birley was untroubled in race two, beating Watson again and Mike Chittenden in the car he shares with fellow veteran Deveraux.