FINNIKIN KEEPS UP HIS HOT STREAK
Craig Finnikin chalked up his third final win out of the last four shale meetings at Bradford on Saturday night, which was his fifth final win of the year.
Heavy rain showers throughout the night gave the track crew some headaches, but they worked hard to give the drivers a decent racing surface and that provided the fans with some thrilling racing.
Veteran driver Mike Hayward led the early going before Richard Bryan took over. Further back, Joe Booth was making a move towards the front with Finnikin in close pursuit. Booth moved into second place but just before the halfway point and Finnikin barged his way past Booth too, sending the Yorkshire man into the wall. A small fire from underneath the bonnet of the Booth machine brought out a yellow flag.
On the restart Finnikin, moved into the lead with Danny Ford on his tail but Ford slammed the wall on the next lap and piled into the stationary car of Jack France, which brought out another yellow flag.
On the final restart, Mat Newson moved into second but was unable to close on Finnikin despite the race leader tangling with back marker Liam Gilbank on the penultimate lap.
Winner Finnikin was delighted with his victory after a slip-up in the heats. He said: “I made a mistake in my heat race when my hand slipped off the steering wheel and I spun out, I was determined not to let that happen in the final despite the rain. I could see Gilbank had a flat tyre, but he slipped down the track and I clipped his car, I just hoped it didn’t do any damage, but I got away with it.”
Second-placed Newson explained: “When I saw Finnikin in trouble lapping Gilbank I thought I might have a chance,
but I did the same things [as he did by clipping the car] so that was the end of my chance of winning.” Results
Organiser: YorStox, BriSCA F1 Where: Odsal Stadium, Bradford When: October15 Starters: 44. 1 Craig Finnikin; 2 Mat Newson; 3 Mal Brown;
4 Karl Hawkins; 5 Rob Plant; 6 Frankie Wainman Jr; 7 Richard Bryan; 8 Liam Gilbank; 9 Charlie Sworder; 10 Lee Fairhurst.