Mike Gardner has been declared the winner of a red-flagged second SDC Classic Formula Ford championship after a crash halted a thrilling five-way lead battle.
Gardner’s Crossle 32F was just about in the lead on the final lap, chased by Rick Morris in his Royale RP29, Race 1 winner Jake Shortland’s Lola T440, Ben Tinkler in a Van Diemen RF80 and Andy Gosling in a 1981 Van Diemen. A robust defensive move at Redgate sent Morris flying over Gardner’s wheels and towards the wall, bringing out the red flag. Morris was fortunately unhurt.
Tinkler was second after coming from the back of the grid, having retired from Race 1. He passed Shortland in the closing laps of the race after overcoming Gosling a lap earlier, having joined the five-strong lead group. He had been looking at an attack on Morris when the crash happened.
Shortland was third. He had started from pole but Morris proved much quicker off the line. Gardner soon attacked as well and the lead group increased to three. Shortland dropped as low as fourth, but passed Gosling early on to push himself up to third. Gosling in turn had closed the gap to the lead trio in the first few laps. He was fourth overall.
Class B winner Chris Porritt was fifth in his Titan. He made up some places during the race and passed James Rigby’s Royale convincingly, although he could not get on terms with the leaders. Rigby was sixth, with Mark Harrison (Lola T540E) some way behind and followed closely by James Fettiplace’s Van Diemen RF80.
Ben Hadfield’s 1979 Van Diemen occupied ninth place, sixth seconds further back, surprisingly accompanied by Joe Ahrens’s Royale RP26. Ahrens had started from the back after a non-finish in Race 1 and was still struggling with his car. A plug lead had come off and its carburettor problems from earlier still hadn’t been solved completely.
Stuart Kestenbaum had a lengthy off due to brake problems and slipped to the back of the grid from sixth. He recovered to eleventh in his Van Diemen RF81. Andrew Smith (Van Diemen FA73) passed Rudolf Ernst’s Titan for 12th and Tony Kiss (Lola) was the last driver on the lead lap in 14th. Mike Saunders was 15th in his PRS RH01.
Full results at TSL Timing
Image copyright Ben Lawrence/HSCC
Vintage Formula Ford 