MARTIN EXTENDS HIS FF1600 LEAD AS NATIONAL SERIES HEADS TO KIRKISTOWN
One win and a second place were enough to give Ross Martin an extended lead over title rival Spike Kohlbecker as the National Formula Ford 1600 brigade paid a visit to Kirkistown.
Scottish driver Martin and his Dolan Motorsport Van Diemen finished runners up to the returning Michael Eastwell (Spectrum) in the first of three races, before following that up with a win from Jonathan Browne in the second contest.
And while he could manage no better than seventh in the third encounter (won by local ace Ivor Mccullough) it was enough to put Martin some 40 points clear of young American Kohlbecker heading for the next rounds at Silverstone.
The inclusion of a handful of locals, running as guests in the main championship added more than a little spice to an already potent array of talent, and they certainly made their presence felt. Will Herron (RF00) just lost out to Browne’s Ray in the battle for race one pole, while Mccullough shared the second row with Rory Smith, but neither local ace made it to the finish. Herron was shuffled back behind Mccullough on a hectic opening lap before the pair came together at Colonial on lap two, putting Mccullough out and dropping Herron further back. Herron’s comeback drive ended at Fisherman’s on lap nine of 16 when contact with Jamie Sharp sidelined both drivers, leading to a full and frank trackside discussion followed by visits to the clerk of the course’s office.
Up at the front, Eastwell headed a train comprising Martin, Browne, Jamie Thorburn and Kohlbecker over the line to set up the grid for race two.
This was a much quieter affair, but still close, with Martin taking the flag from Browne by just 0.1 seconds and Thorburn a further half second back ahead of Eastwell, Mccullough and Kohlbecker.
Mccullough, who also managed to win both the Northern Ireland rounds from brother David and Alan Davidson, led Kohlbecker across the line by a massive – by FF1600 standards – 1.3s in race three, as Browne completed the podium party in third.
Elsewhere in a packed programme, David Cousins scored back-to-back wins ahead of Eorann O’neill among the Mazda MX-5S, while Brendan Fitzgerald also did the double in a brace of typically hectic Ford Fiesta races ahead of Mark Stewart.
Other double victories were scored by Matthew Nicholl among the Ginetta Juniors and, at the other end of the scale pacewise, by Paul O’connell, whose Dallara Nissan 3.5 dominated both the BOSS Ireland races.
Richard Kearney and Brian Hearty took a win apiece in Formula Sheane, which ran concurrently with the Northern Ireland FF1600S. Philip Sheane was the top man in the B&C class Formula Vee encounter while, in the A class affair, defending Irish champion Anthony Cross defeated past champion Dan Polley in an all-sheane battle, by the proverbial nosecone.
Barry English proved best of a small SEAT Leon field on two occasions while victories among the
NI Saloons went to the Renault Clio of Matt Lyness in race one, and Donal O’neill’s SEAT Cupra after Lyness spun himself down the order with only a lap to go. Gavin Kilkey and
Greer Wray topped the BMW class.
Ivor Greenwood and Jim Larkham scored a Roadsports victory apiece in their Radicals, while the one-litre ‘Sevens’ class was won by Trevor Allen and Mark Francis.