Higgins prevails after O’donovan penalty
British Rallycross: Lydden Hill
Organiser: BARC/ LHRC When: August 27 Where: Lydden Hill Starters: 68.
Albatec Racing driver Mark Higgins won the seventh round of the British Rallycross Championship at Lydden Hill after Ollie O’donovan was handed a two-second penalty for a lap-one overtake on the Manxman at the North Bend Hairpin.
The Irish driver initially won the final but was dropped to second following the penalty. Higgins’ second win of the campaign, following victory in round two at Lydden, elevated the threetime British Rally champion to the lead of the standings, three points ahead of O’donovan.
Using his Ford Fiesta for the first time this season following a complete overhaul, O’donovan started on the second row of the grid for the final after suffering a puncture in his Q2 race.
But, as the lights went green in the final, the Irish driver made the best getaway and squeezed between Higgins’ Peugeot 208 and Oliver Bennett on the run to Turn 1.
Bennett made side-by-side contact with Julian Godfrey, who had also made a fast start from row two after he had forgotten to take his compulsory joker in Q3. Godfrey was, in turn, forced left into Kevin Procter’s Ford Fiesta as Procter headed straight into the Turn 1 joker lap followed by Godfrey.
Godfrey passed Procter, who had picked up a right-rear puncture, at the Devils’ Elbow. At the front of the field, O’donovan dived up the inside of leader Higgins into the hairpin to take the lead. Higgins then immediately took his compulsory joker on lap two, returning to the main circuit ahead of Godfrey.
A lap later, just like he had at Pembrey earlier in the season, O’donovan responded by taking his own joker, covering off Higgins as Steve Hill moved into the lead.
O’donovan immediately closed onto the rear of Hill’s Mitsubishi before Hill took his joker on lap four, releasing O’donovan into the lead where he would remain to the finish, fending off pressure from Higgins behind.
Bennett had run third at the start of lap one and, once the joker laps had played their part, remained in the position to finish on the podium in only his second British RX start of the season. Hill passed Godfrey, who was slowed by a left-puncture for fourth.
Godfrey was fifth with Ford Fiesta driver Steve Mundy sixth ahead of Procter. Jake Harris returned to the series with his Citroen DS3 but retired from the final with gearbox issues.
Tristan Ovenden dominated the Supernational category final with his Renault Clio V6 at his home circuit to claim victory ahead of Paige Bellerby and Guy Corner, while Tom Constantine moved back into the lead of the Junior class points by overcoming younger brother Luke in the final. Tom started from pole position but Luke moved into the lead at the first corner and led until he took his joker lap, at which point Tom reclaimed the advantage. Their cousin, James Constantine, held off the attentions of Patrick O’donovan for the final podium spot.
Making his second ever rallycross start, former British Touring Car driver Tom Onslow-cole finished second in the RX150 buggy category behind dominant force Chrissy Palmer, while points leaders David Bell and Morgan Bailey claimed the spoils in the BMW Mini and Swift Sport finals. Steve Harris won the Retro Rallycross final in his Ford RS200 on its maiden competitive outing following a full restoration.