Callum Grant has won the first Historic Formula Ford race at Donington after a late red flag meant final positions were decided on countback.
Grant, in his familiar orange Merlyn Mk20, was a worthy winner, but the red flag cut short a finely-balanced contest between him and Linton Stutely, which ended on-track in a photo finish.
Stutely’s Royale RP3 had the upper hand for a good portion of the shortened race, although Grant was never far behind and always ready to attack. The pair had broken away from a five-car leading group with Matt Wrigley’s Merlyn Mk11A/20, Benn Simms in a Jomo and another Merlyn driven by Sam Mitchell.
Wrigley was fourth. He briefly ran as high as second on the opening lap, but was not able to match Stutely and Grant. His principal rival was Simms, who was somewhat down on power but kept ahead of Wrigley when it mattered, taking the final podium spot. Mitchell retired late on with another ignition problem, which let Will Nuthall (Jamun J2) through into fifth place.
Spencer Shinner had been having a scrap with Nuthall in his Merlyn Mk20/50 and the two traded some robust moves. Shinner then spun negotiating a backmarker and was unable to start his overheated car again, bringing out the safety car.
Chris Porritt was sixth and took Over 50 honours. He was not close enough to Nuthall to attack, but did enjoy some tussling with Ross Drybrough’s Merlyn. Despite his best efforts, Drybrough remained seventh. Jonathan Speak was eighth in another Merlyn, hotly pursued by Cormac Flanagan’s Alexis. In a rather visually confusing battle of the orange midfield cars, Flanagan had passed Mark Wilkes’s Merlyn earlier. Wilkes followed him home.
Jack Butterworth was having his first race of the year in his Lola T200 and was eleventh. He had been rivalled by Damian Samuel-Camps’s Merlyn before a yellow flag to recover Shinner’s car, but dropped to 14th, behind the Merlyns of Craig Jamieson and Chris Willoughby.
The final red flag was brought out by Stephen Bayliss’s Lola, stranded in the gravel. With two and a half minutes to go, the race was not restarted.
Full results at TSL Timing
Vintage Formula Ford 