Newman on a high as Lower misses out on glory
With 151 cars split across just four of its club grids, the British Racing &
Sports Car Club’s Super-finale Weekend around Silverstone’s International Circuit was destined to be an entertaining, if sometimes frantic, affair. Yet, despite the prominence of cars from France, Germany and Japan, it was two timeless classics, whose lines were penned over 60 years ago, that stole the show.
A brace of wins from Charlie Lower was not enough to prise Caterham’s Roadsport crown away from championship leader
Geoff Newman. Arriving for the tripleheader, Newman held a narrow advantage on dropped scores but, with Lower having used a previous DNF, the maths suggested that Newman’s margin might be more secure.
Lower got away well in race one, the tricky conditions allowing the lead group to quickly get ahead. For a while, Newman appeared happy to let his rival manage the pace but, when Freddie Chiddicks and James Cook mounted pressure, he responded with a stunning penultimate (fastest) lap, which put him right on
Lower’s tail. But a squirm under braking at the crest of Stowe caused a loss of momentum and the chance of the win.
With the points gap narrowed, Lower still had plenty to do in race two. Starting from pole, he was soon under threat as Newman swept into the narrowest of leads on the drag along the Hangar Straight, the first four cars crossing the line at the end of the opening tour as one. With Lower, Chiddicks and Marc Jones in pursuit, these four were barely ever tenths apart, lineabreast through Stowe, and conjoined through Vale. Only Club could separate them briefly before battle resumed.
Newman was as tenacious as he was quick, for which Lower had no response. By the final lap, the four had become six, Lower’s momentum promoting him to the front through Abbey but, with pressure mounting, he took the tightest line into Stowe, which allowed Chiddicks and Newman to draw alongside in a three-way sprint down to Club. Newman now held the inside, Chiddicks alongside him. Newman locked up briefly while Lower, seeking a way through, hit the kerb hard and sent Jones into the gravel. The win crowned Newman champion with a race to spare, Lower later winning the finale.
Both Mini 7 Racing Club grids also had championships to settle. Despite absences due to work commitments, Andrew Jordan remained this year’s most winning Miglia driver and was keen to add to his tally. But Jordan soon found himself trailing Kane Astin, who had hoped to lead a breakaway until thwarted by a wayward move from Jeff Smith. This left Jordan, title contenders Aaron Smith and Rupert Deeth, and a fast-charging Dan Lewis to fight for the spoils. The lead changed on every lap, almost at every corner, but Jordan timed his final run perfectly to win.
Aaron Smith and Deeth were firmly at the heart of the race-two action. Jordan and Astin were in there too, but it was the battle between the contenders that mattered most. Astin took advantage of others’ caution to push to get ahead while Deeth found speed where Smith could not. When Astin made a last-lap bid for the lead, Deeth followed to bring his car home in second to regain his crown.
The other Jordan (Mike) was both the pacesetter and a contender in the Mini Se7ens. But a broken driveshaft in race
one, followed by a failed rocker arm in race two, gave Connor O’brien the green light to earn not only a well-deserved double win but also the title.
While the ‘Green’ Caterham Academy grid had already crowned its champion at Knockhill, the ‘White’ group was still to be settled. Tom Mcewing led the way on paper but had to work hard to get past rival Ben Timmons, then stay ahead, the margin at the line being less than a tenth.
A final, honourable mention goes to the 40 cars of the Citycar Cup. They might not be fast, nor really that furious, but they’re fun and affordable for anyone wanting to try their hand at racing. Elliot Lettis scored a hat-trick of wins in his Peugeot 107 while the Student Motorsport Challenge entry of Richard Jepp was never more than a second behind in the runner-up spot.