WHAT AN ENDING!!!!
A day of action courtesy of the Formula Ford and Fun Cup drivers enabled the BRSCC’s North Western Centre to bring the motor racing season at Oulton Park to a close in fine style on 12th October.
Top marks for thrills and spills went to those in the Pre90 class of the Avon Tyres Northern Formula Ford Championship. In part 1 of their double header Jaap Blijleven made a blinding start from third on the grid to take the lead into Old Hall. His rivals for the title – Chris Hodgen and Jamie Jardine – along with Wayne Poole tried everything they knew to demote the KLM pilot but he resolutely defended his position. With the front quartet covered by 0.7 secs matters came to a head at Cascades on lap 6 when Blijleven and Hodgen attempted to take this tricky corner side by side. Contact was made and both ended up on the grass. As Wayne Poole took avoiding action, Jamie Jardine inherited the lead, which he kept until the end. Poole remained glued to the Reynard driver’s gearbox until he retired with what appeared to be suspension failure on the last lap. Hodgen had recovered from the earlier incident to move up into second when misfortune struck Poole. Blijleven took sixth after being involved in a further incident with John Murphy on lap 8.
Part 2 saw another collision, this time between Hodgen and Christopher Stones – almost as soon as the red lights went out, which ended the former's race. Blijleven got embroiled in a race long battle with Jardine. It was Jardine who won the fight and was delighted to claim the Pre90 Champion of Oulton title in the process along with the new for 2013 Wallpaper Central Autumn Challenge Trophy while Hodgen’s runner-up finish earlier in the day was enough to seal the Pre90 Northern crown.
David McArthur looked set to clinch the Post89 Northern Championship with a double victory but midway through the second outing he clipped a kerb too hard and damaged his car however he still managed to nurse it to the finish behind winner Martin Short. This meant the trophies for the Northern and Autumn Challenge titles were his but Short went home as Post89 Champion of Oulton.
In their first contest David McArthur and Short had been followed home by David’s brother, Tom, who was third. The trio are all fielded by the MedinaSport team and it was the first time that the squad, who are based very close to the Tarporley track, had filled all three places on any podium.
The Fun Cup contenders completed their season with a 4-hour event. The Peter Belshaw/Marcus Clutton car had an early drive-through penalty following a jump-start while Team Honeywell also dropped down the initial order following a spin on the exit of Cascades. Nonetheless, with half an hour to go, both had recovered and Team Honeywell headed the field from Belshaw/Clutton but then the latter team suffered a mechanical failure, which resulted in them retiring on Lakeside Straight.
The Safety Car period this triggered enabled title holders Team RaceLogic to close in on the leaders but Honeywell held on to take the win, however finishing as runners-up was enough for RaceLogic to take their second Championship in a row.
Full Results: Oulton Results
Dave Williams