O’Donovan wins British RX season finale at Croft Circuit
With the title already wrapped up by 19-year old Dan Rooke (Holsworthy) at the penultimate round, three drivers arrived at the final event of the year in North Yorkshire in the fight for second overall; O’Donovan battling with Julian Godfrey (Heathfeild) and Dave Bellerby (Northallerton).
O’Donovan took the lead of the re-started final at the first corner and led for the duration of the six laps, fending off pressure from Godfrey throughout despite having started the race with the power steering not working on his Ford Fiesta. Five-time champion Godfrey had a difficult day, his Ford Fiesta suffered gearbox problems in Q1 and he missed Q2 altogether while his team repaired the problem, but recovered to finish just behind O’Donovan in the final and the overall standings.
Steve Harris (Hillbridge) ran third in the opening laps but after a close battle with Bellerby spun out of contention at the end of lap three. Andy Grant (Barnstaple) also lost ground early in the race as Pat Doran (Dolton) forged his way through the field, making it to third when he too passed Bellerby to finish on the podium.
“That was a very hard earned win,” said O’Donovan. “I made a great start, my only option was to get around the outside at the first corner because I could hardly steer the car. I was just using the handbrake to turn the car. It’s a pity we didn’t have better form earlier in the season or we could have been fighting for the title, but to finish second is good and it’s really nice to win the last round.”
Bellerby finished his home event fourth, replicating his overall position in the championship, while Kevin Procter (Northallerton) set fastest time in Q1 and Q3 but suffered from mechanical problems in the final, a legacy of damage sustained in the initial running of the final before it was red flagged after just a lap. Tony Bardy (Scotch Corner) made his return to rallycross in O’Donovan’s Ford Focus and showed well, running in the top three in the initial running of the final and finished sixth at the end of the day.
Grant was involved in a last lap battle with Bardy and Procter and finished seventh with Harris recovering to be eighth. X Games gold medalist Liam Doran (Dolton) returned to British RX with his Citroen DS3 but was plagued by technical troubles in the semi-finals, but it was worse for his LD Motorsports team mate and newly crowned champion Dan Rooke, who was forced out of the event before Q3 with engine issues. Steve Hill (Thame) crashed out of his semi-final with a stuck throttle and James Grint (Kimpton) also ran into mechanical dramas. Mad Mark Watson (Barnard Castle) failed to finish any of the qualifying races.
MSA British Rallycross Championship results (Supercar): 1 Ollie O’Donovan (Ford Fiesta), 2 Julian Godfrey (Ford Fiesta), 3 Pat Doran (Citroen C4), 4 Dave Bellerby (Ford Fiesta), 5 Kevin Procter (Ford Fiesta), 6 Tony Bardy (Ford Focus), 7 Andy Grant (Ford Focus), 8 Steve Harris (Citroen DS3)
MSA British Rallycross Championship points (Supercar): 1 Dan Rooke 194, 2 Ollie O’Donovan 177, 3 Julian Godfrey 173, 4 Dave Bellerby 163, 5 Kevin Procter (Ford Fiesta) 139, 6 Steve Hill (Mitsubishi Evo) 129, 7 Steve Harris 127, 8 Andy Grant (Ford Focus) 121
Lynch wins at Croft to claim Supernational title
Multiple rallycross champion Tony Lynch (Wigan) claimed his biggest prize to-date by sealing the MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship title with victory at Croft. Steve Cozens (Lipton) took the lead at the start of the final, chased by former champion Stuart Emery (Faversham) and Joe Cunningham (Bedale) as Lynch ran fourth in the early stages. Emery retired at the end of lap one, before Lynch passed Cunningham for second and Cozens for first, before the Renault Clio driver spun at the first corer at the start of lap four. Cunningham also retired with a blown head gasket. Guy Corner (Northallerton) climbed to second in the final, to finish second to Lynch in the Championship, while Allan Tapscott (Umberleigh) completed the podium. Paige Bellerby (Northallerton) retired in the semi-finals while leading.
“This is fantastic. The Supernational field today was pretty hectic,” said Lynch. “I’m shocked to win the race to be honest, I paced myself through the day and when the opportunity came in the final I took it. This is a massive team effort, I’m just one very small part of it. I didn’t realise how competitive the Supernational class was, so to be British Supernational Champion sounds pretty special.”
MSA Supernational results: 1 Tony Lynch (Ford KA), 2 Guy Corner (Peugeot 206) 3 Allan Tapscott (Vauxhall Corsa), 4 David Ewin (Ford Fiesta), 5 Vince Bristow (BMW 318), 6 Joe Cunningham (Vauxhall VX220), 7 Steve Cozens (Renault Clio), 8 Stuart Emery (Peugeot 206)
Llewellin victorious at Croft as Jones wins Junior RX title
Tom Llewellin (Haverfordwest) maintained his 100% winning record in the MSA Junior Rallycross Championship from four starts in 2016 at Croft Circuit, but it was Sam Jones (Bexley) who won the title having led the points race for much of the year. Jones’ nearest challenger for the title, Tom Constantine (Richmond), finished the last round second, just missing out on the title by two points, while Morgan Wroot (Doncaster) scored a maiden Junior RX podium in third. Tom Middleton (Maldon) spun while attempting a pass on Jones during the final and finished sixth, but secured third in the points. Jones was fourth at the last round, just ahead of Matt Rainbow (Stafford).
“We didn’t have brilliant pace this weekend, but it all came good,” said Jones. “I knew we only had to finish fifth in the final if Tom (Constantine) came second. I’m really pleased to win the championship, it was very close at the finish, closer than I thought it would be but we achieved our goal. I’ll be taking a year out next year for exams but my plan is to return to rallycross.”
MSA Junior Rallycross Championship results: 1 Tom Llewellin, 2 Tom Constantine, 3 Morgan Wroot, 4 Sam Jones, 5 Matt Rainbow, 6 Tom Middleton
Titles decided in supporting rallycross championships
Nathan Heathcote (Ashford) secured the Swift Sport Rallycross Championship title in the best possible way by claiming his third win of the year at Croft after a closely contested final. Jack Brown (Barnsley) led until the penultimate lap, when Heathcote took the lead exiting the circuit’s hairpin. Martin Dalzell (Lincoln) climbed to second in the encounter, while title protagonist Simon Ovenden (Canterbury) finished third at Croft and second in the points. Brown’s fourth place was enough to move him to third overall. Luke Woodham (Loudwater) ran at the front of the field in the opening corners and finished sixth, behind former Junior champion Aidan Hills (Worthing) in fifth.
Chrissy Palmer (Chichester) completed a dominant season with his eighth victory from eight starts in the RX150 Rallycross Championship, while Kirk Langley (Liverpool) finished second and British F4 race winner Jamie Caroline (Warlingham) completed the podium, having led the final in the early stages. Stephen Jones (Havant) and Jake Harris (Canewdon) finished the season tied on points for second in the standings, Jones taking the place on results count-back.
Michael Boak (Jarrow) passed Paul Coney (Dartford) in the second corner of the Super1600 final to win his first event of the season, as Coney claimed the title ahead of Tristan Ovenden (Canterbury), who finished fourth at Croft. Outgoing champion Craig Lomax (Knottingly) was third. Martin Hawkes (Stockton on Tees) scored a first victory in the BMW Mini Rallycross Championship, withstanding pressure from first Keifer and then Kris Hudson (Harrogate) early in the race. Both retired. Bradley Durdin (Nazing) finishing second with David Bell (Ferryhill) third. Kris Hudson claimed the title. Michael Labedz (London) won the final round of the Hot Hatch Rallycross Championship ahead of Graham Rumsey (Tunbridge Wells) and Mark Henry (Granborough). Robert Potyra (Hounslow) retired during the final but claimed the category title.
Swift Sport results: 1 Nathan Heathcote, 2 Martin Dalzell, 3 Simon Ovenden, 4 Jack Brown, 5 Aidan Hills, 6 Luke Woodham, 7 Brett Harris, 8 Andrew Hawkes
RX150 results: 1 Chrissy Palmer, 2 Kirk Langley, 3 Jamie Caroline, 4 Jake Harris, 5 Stephen Jones, 6 Mitchel Flaherty, 7 Larry Sargent
BMW Mini results: 1 Martin Hawkes, 2 Bradley Durdin, 3 David Bell, 4 Jennie Hawkes, 5 Kris Hudson, 6 Frankie Helliwell, 7 Keifer Hudson
Super1600 results: 1 Michael Boak (Citroen C2), 2 Paul Coney (Vauxhall Corsa), 3 Craig Lomax (Citroen C2), 4 Tristan Ovenden (Suzuki Swift)
Hot Hatch results: 1 Michael Labedz (Citroen Saxo), 2 Graham Rumsey (Citroen Saxo), 3 Mark Henry (Alfa Romeo 15), 4 Robert Potyra (Citroen Saxo)
Full results can be found here
Championship standings can be found here.