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ANOTHER DOUBLE FOR REIGNING CHAMP FENNYMORE
Ben Corley | July 16, 2007
Graham Fennymore gave a masterclass in race winning at Brands Hatch yesterday (Sunday), proving to all his Avon Tyres Caterham Superlight Challenge rivals that it will take an extraordinary effort to stop him retaining his championship crown.
The 42-year-old Oxfordshire driver led the way for all but a few hundred yards for the Ambitions Racing/Hyperion Motorsport team. The only driver to put a nose ahead of Fennymore all weekend was new championship leader Glen Denny.
Race 1
Fennymore’s Taylor Made Joinery and Sherlock Interiors-backed car made the best of its pole position start slot to establish the lead into Paddock Hill Bend, ahead of Nick Payne’s sister Hyperion car and the Fauldsport-prepared Superlight of Rachel Green. By lap’s end Fennymore was 0.9s to the good, and that was as close as anyone would get until the slowing down lap.
There was plenty of action behind, however, as Denny’s Colards Motorsport machine displaced Green from third and sparked a battle which would be maintained to the chequered flag. Will Mitcham and Peter Ratcliff meanwhile staged a spirited battle over fifth, swapping the position several times a lap.
A spin at Paddock Hill Bend by Steve Ross resulted in his car coming to rest in an awkward position in the gravel trap, stopping the race five laps early. It mattered not to Fennymore nor those pursuing him in vain: Graham was nearly five seconds clear. Said second-placed Payne: “I’m very pleased with my performance and the car is absolutely on song now. Unfortunately Graham managed to open a gap on me at the start and after that there was no way to catch him.”
Green regained third place five laps from the end with Denny staying ahead of the battling Mitcham and Ratcliff to collect fourth. Will won the fifth position argument despite some intense pressure from his wily rival. Craig Welsher took seventh ahead of Pat Gormley, Richard Reed and Chris Bialan.
Race 2
Although Denny managed to make the better start to lead into Paddock Hill Bend, it was not long before Fennymore hit the replay button and re-established himself in front. This time stretched his legs even further as he romped to his fourth consecutive UK Superlight victory. At one stage he was 13 seconds to the good, although he backed off on the final tour. “It was a bit lonely out there at times,” said Graham. “I eased off at around half distance but then I made a mistake or two and decided to pick up the pace again to keep my concentration. I’ve collected some useful points this weekend and I’m back in the championship hunt again.”
The battle for second place was the main feature of the race, disputed by Green, Payne and two drivers making impressive maiden Brands Hatch appearances, Denny and Reid. Rachel liberated second from Denny on lap two but later had it taken from her by Payne; she had to fight back past the Londoner six laps from the end to secure the position.
Payne successfully repulsed Denny to take third, with Silverstone Scholarship winner Welsher bouncing back to form to take fifth ahead of Mitcham and Reed, who could not maintain his strong early race pace. Andrew Beaumont placed eighth ahead of Gormley and Ratcliff, who had had to fight back from dead last after a first-lap tangle with Bialan’s car.
Fennymore, who missed the opening rounds of the championship at Oulton Park, is now up to third in the standings, only five points behind Denny, who has assumed the championship lead early in his maiden car racing season.
Backers for Caterham Motorsport’s UK and European race series include Bilstein, Brian James Trailers, Cheesman Products, Circuit Driver, Cooper-Avon Tyres, Demon Tweeks, evo, HSBC Insurance Brokers, Mitchell Cotts, Motorsport News, Stack and Steel Fabrications.
Topics: Racing |
