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Qualifying
With a large number of drivers testing either Friday or Saturday morning qualifying was always going to be close and with less than 2 seconds covering the top eight this proved to be the case. Heard claim pole position despite completing just 5 laps, before he felt he had done enough and parked up in the gravel trap at the end of turn one. He was closely followed by Penrose for a very familiar looking front road. Strong qualifying performances saw row two filled by Mowbray and Pattinson respectively. The top six was rounded out by Fraser and Cheetham.
Race 1
As the drivers arrived at the circuit on Sunday morning a tough choice on set up was going to be required. It had rained heavily overnight but it had stopped and the circuit was beginning to dry. However, about half an hour before the race was due to start another downpour and the decision was made easier, a wet set up was the order for the day.
Heard led from start with Penrose tucked in right behind and a very fast Cheetham already up to third. At the end of lap two Cheetham was pushing just a little two hard and spun out at the final corner getting stuck in the gravel trap. Lap two also saw race leader Heard running wide onto the grass and dropping down to fourth place, gifting the lead to Penrose. Pattinson made the most of the situation getting up to second place with kirkham in third. Heard fought back and was back up to second by the fifth lap. Fraser caught and passed Kirkham around the outside of the bottom hairpin on lap four.
After lap five things began to settle down with Mowbery passing Ramsay on lap eight to move up to seventh. Lap twelve and problems for Kirkham and Hatswell as they touched and resulted in Hatswell crashing into the wall with enough damage to put him out for the rest of the day. Kirkham managed to rejoin in seventh. Lap thirteen saw Fraser move past Pattison to take third. Pattinson then tried to come back at the top hairpin on the following lap but spun under braking dropping him to seventh.
The final eight laps was much like and F1 race with very little overtaking as people began to settle for positions. Penrose took a deserved win from a fast catching Heard with the podium rounded out by Fraser.
Race 2
Unlike the morning race, race two was dry. Heard led from lights to flag driving away from the rest of the field and setting the fastest lap in the process. A superb drive from Cheetham saw him start from the back of the grid and come through to finish second. Penrose finished a comfortable third to complete the podium
Lap one Heard leading from Penrose, Pattinson and Mowbray. The final corner of lap one saw a coming together of Ramsay and Kirkham dropping them to tenth and twelfth respectively Cheetham had made his way up from the back of the grid to sixth. Mowbray and Pattinson set about trading paint from the second lap. It didn't make them any quicker, and gave the advantage to Mowbray.
Fraser and Cheetham contested fifth place in the early stages, changing places several times before Cheetham broke free and passed the dueling Mowbray and Pattinson to take 3rd place on lap ten. Lap 11 and more contact as Ferrari and Ramsay tangle leaving Ferrari parked up for the rest of the afternoon.
Line a stern for the following ten laps before Cheetham having caught Penrose finally managed to pass and move up to second place with two laps to go.
Report Compiled by Paul Finn & Alec Fraser |
