CLARK, LANGRIDGE & BAINES MAINTAIN 100% RECORDS
John Langridge is one of three drivers who maintained their 100% win record at Donington. Photo: Ford Racing UK
Over 220 drivers competed on Donington Park’s National circuit at last weekend’s BRSCC Midland Centre meeting, where Dave Clark, John Langridge and Scott Baines maintained their 100% winning records so far this season.
After a morning of qualifying, the 20 race schedule started on Saturday afternoon with the first of two Pre 90 races in the Avon Tyres Formula Ford 1600cc Northern Championship. Veteran John Loebell showed his younger rivals how to do it in the first race winning from Christopher Stones, who was making a return to the championship after a three year sabbatical. John couldn’t quite repeat the trick in the second race as Class D’s Nigel Dolan added a victory to his third place in the first outing.
In the triumvirate of OSS races Tony Sinclair posted wins either side of a race two victory for guest runner Matt Manderson in a Chiron LMP09. In the Irish GT Global Lights that complemented the OSS grid Alan Bryne, Ben Conway & Peter Drennan shared the spoils.
The Post 89 Formula Ford competitors were scoring points in three different championships; Northern, National and Triple Crown. Oliver White from Bath proved to be the class of the field winning both races. John Murphy and Chris Middlehurst completed the first race podium and Middlehurst moved up a step in race two with third place going to American newcomer Abdul Ahmed.
Dave Clark continued his domination of the Design911.com Porsche Championship but it was far from comfortable for the Boxster campaigner with Gerry Taylor pushing him extremely close in both races. It is a different matter in the 924 class as Alfred Piesinger and 2010 924 champion Andrew Hannington enjoyed a win each to join Silverstone victor Jayson Flegg toward the top of the points table.
The pre race favourite in the grid of 32 Euro Saloons was Dave Cockell in his Ford Escort Cosworth. Dave lived up to the billing crossing the line some 4 seconds ahead of Peter Challis with Richard Hawken in third. However, he was fortunate that Nick Williamson, who was in the same machinery, had to bow out after 5 laps having been on pole.
Sunday’s race action began with consecutive Fiesta races, albeit for different classes. John Langridge from East Sussex maintained his 100% win ratio this season winning both of the Class A & B races. Scott Baines was the first man home on each occasion amongst the Class B runners which also gives him maximum wins to date.
In the Fiesta ST class (B) David Grady was also defending a run of four straight wins but he had to give way to Jason Cooper in the first outing with Nicholas Bowers in third. It didn’t take Grady long to get back to winning ways, swapping positions with Cooper in the second race with Ed Cockill completing the podium positions.
In the Pickup Trucks Hartlepool’s Michael Smith took the flag from championship leader Nic Grindrod and Damien Carr. Grindrod was soon back on form in the second race relegating Smith to third with Steve Dance sandwiched in between.
Peter Morris brought his 968 Sport home first in the Porsche Club Championship race with Mark Sumpter second and Andy Purdie third. Purdie showed a marked improvement in the second race winning by just .391 seconds from Ben Demetriou. Sumpter dropped a spot to third and Morris was in fourth.
The pair of races in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge produced the same podium – Oly Mortimer winning from Graeme Mundy and Yuzel Ozbek, although the winning margin was much reduced from five seconds to just under two in the second outing.
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