On-form Guinchard sets down pole marker
The front row of next month’s BriSCA Formula 2 World Final grid will comprise veteran campaigner Gordon Moodie on the outside of young pretender Charlie Guinchard after each won their Semi Finals at Buxton.
Three-time World champion Moodie was jumped by Dave
Polley before reclaiming the advantage on lap three. Defending World champion Chris Burgoyne then demoted Polley to third in the closing stages.
The second Semi also followed the form book as British champion Guinchard won from pole position. The race was enlivened by charges from towards the back of the grid by two-time World number one Micky Brennan and Matt Stoneman. Each made devastating progress on their way to top-five finishes behind Guinchard, Jordon Thackra and Andrew Palmer.
Third in the meeting final, behind Steve Smith and Jack
Witts, clinched Guinchard pole position for the World Final.
Devon-based Stoneman won the Monday-night session at Taunton last week. Charlie Lobb had looked set for a second success in two days only for late yellow flags to bring Stoneman and Jamie Avery onto his tail. When Lobb twitched on fluid, his pursuers were through, and the Cornishman only managed to regain third when he successfully shifted Steven Gilbert on the final bend.
Results
Organiser: Autospeed When: August 8 Where: Smeatharpe Stadium, Taunton Starters: 31. 1 Matt Stoneman; 2 Jamie Avery; 3 Charlie Lobb; 4 Josh Weare; 5 Steven Gilbert; 6 Aaron Vaight; 7 Charlie Fisher; 8 Tommy Farrell; 9 Adam Pearce; 10 Sam Weston.
Organiser: Buxton Raceway When: August 14 Where: Buxton Raceway Starters: 68.
SF1: 1 Gordon Moodie; 2 Chris Burgoyne; 3 Dave Polley; 4 Harley Burns; 5 Luke Wrench; 6 Liam Rennie; 7 Adam Rubery; 8 Steven Gilbert; 9 Adie Whitehead; 10 Dan Roots.
SF2: 1 Charlie Guinchard; 2 Jordon Thackra; 3 Andrew Palmer; 4 Matt Stoneman; 5 Micky Brennan; 6 Ben Lockwood; 7 Aaron Vaight; 8 Charley Tomblin; 9 Jamie Jones;
10 Steven Burgoyne.