Clive Richards and Mark Davies took wins in the Ginetta Challenge at Brands Hatch, although Sean Huyton continues to lead the title race.
Race one
Oulton Park winner Mark Davies (Optimum Motorsport) led off the line in the opening 20-minute race but was beaten into Paddock by Richard Sykes (HHC Motorsport), while Harvey Booth rotated his G20 at Graham Bill Bend and broke up the pack in avoidance.
Championship leader Sean Huyton, who was last on the grid, was in great form and carved his way to 15th on the opening lap and was 12th a lap later.
Up front, Sykes and Davies continued to dispute the lead with Tiff Needell (in HHC’s guest car) working his way up to fifth place, as Mike Robinson (TCR) and Ryan Ratcliffe (Piranha Motorsport) moved into the leading group.
Robinson took the lead at Paddock on lap six and was able to take advantage of a huge scrap behind to make a break from the opposition. Sykes hung on to second but ran wide at Druids on lap nine and fell to fourth behind Richards and Davies. Huyton was still hustling on and passed Needell on lap 11, but Ratcliffe moved past Sykes at Stirlings which pushed Richard down to fifth.
Up front Robinson led Richards, the former Caterham champion cutting the gap as they entered the final few minutes of the race, but Robinson hung on to take the win from Richards and Davies. Post-race, however, Robinson and Ratcliffe were penalised 30 seconds for putting all four wheels off the road at Graham Hill Bend, meaning that Richards took his maiden win in his Colards Motorsport-run car from Davies and Sykes.
"I have just been interviewed for finishing second and now I am the winner. It was close at the end but a great result. I didn't make the best start and I had to work hard to make up ground,” said Richards.
The G20 class produced its usual drama, with returnee Dominic Pettit leading the class early on. Stuart Pearson and Gary Simms (hampered by a gearbox problem) battled for second place but delayed themselves and were unable go catch Pettit who was a delighted class winner.
“I just got my head down and drove hard. This was a good result,” he said later.
Race two
Richards led race two away from the line with Davies and Ratcliffe slotting in behind him, while Huyton made another stellar first lap charge to be 10th as the pack raced across the line. By lap five, Huyton was sixth and soon moved into the top five by wriggling ahead of Sykes at Surtees a lap later.
Up front, a five-car battlepack established. Richards led Davies, Ratcliffe, Robinson and Huyton, who nipped by the former Clio racer and attacked Ratcliffe for third. Davies relieved Richards of the lead at Graham Hill Bend on lap nine and despite Richards trying to retaliate, the Yorkshireman was able to maintain the advantage to the flag. Richards fell to seventh in the last couple of laps, allowing Ratcliffe to take a career-best second place and Robinson third. Sykes took fourth from Graham Johnson with Huyton sixth to retain his championship lead.
The G20 class fell to Stuart Pearson after battle with Dominic Pettit with Craig McIlvar third.
The results mean Huyton heads the G40 class with a 20-point gap to Richards, while Pearson heads Simms by just six points in the G20s.
Ginetta Challenge results – Rounds 5 & 6, Brands Hatch
Round 5
1 Clive Richards, Colards Motorsport, G40, 12 laps, 20:39.953
2 Mark Davies, Optimum Motorsport, G40, +0.704
3 Richard Sykes, HHC Motorsport, G40, +4.852
4 Graham Johnson, Colards Motorsport, G40, +12.185
5 Sean Huyton, Academy Motorsport, G40, +14.207
6 Tiff Needell, HHC Motorsport, G40, +19.987
7 Mike Robinson, TCR, G40, +29.873
8 Rory Bryant, Piranha Motorsport, G40, +32.564
9 Ryan Ratcliffe, Piranha Motorsport, G40, +34.127
10 Thiago Calvet, Optimum Motorsport, G40, +38.866
11 Dominic Petitt, Driver, G20, +49.733
12 Paul Latimer, Track Cars, G40, +49.839
13 Rick Parfitt, HHC Motorsport, G40, +50.330
14 Gary Simms, Optimum Motorsport, G20, +51.215
15 Stuart Pearson, Driver, G20, +54.109
16 Lee Mowle, Optimum Motorsport, G40, +59.364
17 Craig McIlvar, M-Sport Racing, G20, +1:06.744
18 Matt Flowers, Driver, G20, +1:07.449
19 Neil Delargy, Colards Motorsport, G40, +1:18.841
20 Tom Mallett, Driver, G20, +1:22.732
21 Harvey Booth, Driver, G20, +1:23.171
22 Kevin Begley, Track Cars, G40, +1:43.428
23 Richard Southgate, Driver, G20, +1:45.277
24 Andrew Long, Hepworth International, G40, +1 lap
25 Paul Morgan, Driver, G20, +1 lap
26 John Morgan, Driver, G20, +2 laps
27 Mick Morgan, Driver, G20, +2 laps
Not classified
John Saunders, Track Cars, G40, 5 laps
Paul Gormley, Track Cars, G40, 5 laps
James Owen, Driver, G20, 0 laps
Tony Robinson, Colards Motorsport, G40, 0 laps
Round 6
1 Mark Davies, Optimum Motorsport, G40, 11 laps, 19:05.897
2 Ryan Ratcliffe, Piranha Motorsport, G40, +2.642
3 Mike Robinson, TCR, G40, +3.067
4 Richard Sykes, HHC Motorsport, G40, +3.075
5 Graham Johnson, Colards Motorsport, G40, +7.172
6 Sean Huyton, Academy Motorsport, G40, +7.207
7 Clive Richards, Colards Motorsport, G40, +14.248
8 Thiago Calvet, Optimum Motorsport, G40, +21.574
9 Rory Bryant, Piranha Motorsport, G40, +27.522
10 Paul Gormley, Track Cars, G40, +28.386
11 Stuart Pearson, Driver, G20, +35.946
12 Dominic Petitt, Driver, G20, +35.948
13 Kevin Begley, Track Cars, G40, +52.937
14 Craig McIlvar, M-Sport Racing, G20, +54.432
15 Matt Flowers, Driver, G20, +54.710
16 Harvey Booth, Driver, G20, +54.991
17 James Owen, Driver, G20, +1:01.944
18 Tom Mallett, Driver, G20, +1:08.934
19 Richard Southgate, Driver, G20, +1:09.395
20 Neil Delargy, Colards Motorsport, G40, +1:19.827
21 Tony Robinson, Colards Motorsport, G40, +1 lap
22 John Saunders, Track Cars, G40, +1 lap
23 Paul Latimer, Track Cars, G40, +1 lap
24 Mick Morgan, Driver, G20, +2 laps
Not classified
John Morgan, Driver, G20, 9 laps
Rick Parfitt, HHC Motorsport, G40, 8 laps
Lee Mowle, Optimum Motorsport, G40, 6 laps
Paul Morgan, Driver, G20, 5 laps
Gary Simms, Optimum Motorsport, G20, 0 laps
Tiff Needell, HHC Motorsport, G40, DNS
Andrew Long, Hepworth International, G40, DNS
Championship Standings (after 6 rounds)
G40 Challenge
1 Sean Huyton, 169pts
2 Clive Richards, 149
3 Mark Davies, 139
4 Mike Robinson, 135
5 Ryan Ratcliffe, 131
6 Richard Sykes, 102
7 Graham Johnson, 101
8 Rory Bryant, 60
9 Lee Mowle, 52
10 Kevin Begley, 47
G20 Challenge
1 Stuart Pearson, 175
2 Gary Simms, 169
3 Matt Flowers, 148
4 Harvey Booth, 132
5 Craig McIlvar, 118
Next round: 16-17 July, Brands Hatch Indy
Watch Ginetta Challenge highlights from Snetterton on Saturday 9 July at 2:45pm (BST) on Motors TV.
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