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Radical UK - Brands Hatch '09

8th June 2009

Ben Jackson must have left Brands Hatch wondering when his luck is going to change. Despite leading both races for much of the time, a late safety car call out in both races, left him with only two  second places for his efforts.

Derek Johnston/Stuart Moseley and Terrence Woodward/Ross Kaiser took the victory spoils, with Colin Noble and Phil Abbott/Ross Edwards topping the hotly-contested Supersport class.

Jamie Patterson became the first driver to race an SR8LM in the UK Cup and promptly put it on pole by 0.407secs over Jackson’s SR8. Johnston/Moseley shared row two, while Paul Thomas/Charles Loughran’s SR3 and Don Patterson’s PR6 also took class poles.

16 cars lined up for the start,  and as the lights went out there was a scream from the V8 chorus, as poleman Patterson led the plunge through Paddock Hill Bend, from Jackson, Johnston, Roger Bromiley, Terrence Woodward and PR6 of Duncan Williams.

Manhal Allos spun his SR8 at Graham Hill Bend, but was out of the way when the top three arrived for the second time, already pulling clear from their rivals. Edwards had the Supersport lead but was immediately under pressure from Gary Kane’s PR6, while behind them Thomas, Don Patterson and Noble ran in close formation.

There was a fairly equal spread among the top six, but Woodward was struggling to make progress with a flat sound coming from his V8. Thomas then pitted after contact had damaged the suspension, while Michel Jackson followed after his PR6 had gear selection problems.  “The team worked so quickly they had me out again in seconds ,” he said.

Kane had headed the Invitation class from lap seven, as Edwards held onto second from Noble, who worked his way past Don Patterson on lap nine. But as pitstops approached both Edwards and Noble had closed dramatically on Kane, putting all the more importance on the pitlane activity.

Ben Jackson emerged from the stops with a 7.728secs lead over Jamie Patterson, with Stuart Moseley having taken over from Johnston a further 22 secs down in third. Phil Abbott also made up time in the pits, taking over from Edwards and establishing himself in fourth with the class lead, over Noble and Rob Wheldon in Bromiley’s SR8.

Wheldon made it into fourth within a couple of laps, but Abbott still kept Noble at bay for fifth, until the 39th lap. “Phil made it very wide,” said Noble. “I knew I'd rejoined with the lead, but had Colin on my tail straight away. I held him for a few laps, just,” Abbott replied.

The safety was called on for three laps to collect a stranded car on Cooper Straight and suddenly it was all to play for again. Jackson still had the lead but greatly reduced, but Moseley roared into second place through Paddock and had a clear track after Patterson pitted and retired. Jackson pushed on as hard as he possibly could, but it still wasn’t enough, as Moseley made the decisive move into Paddock with four laps to go and two wheels on the grass.

Jackson kept pushing and was only 0.481secs adrift at the flag, but it was Johnston/Moseley’s victory. “I just had a bit of oversteer in my session, but was pleased to see I was quicker than Stuart until the last few laps,” said Johnston. “When I first got in the car the handling and tyres had gone off. I expected second but the safety car let the car recover and gave me chance to come back,” Moseley added.

But for Jackson there was only one thought, “the safety lost it for me, I have been so close so many times now,” he said. Bromiley/Wheldon were lap down in third, “I am ecstatic with another podium,” said Bromiley. Kaiser/Woodward’s SR8 claimed fourth after closing the gap during the safety car period, “it’s a new chassis and we are still getting it sorted,” said Woodward.

Noble held onto fifth and the Supersport class victory. “My shoulders ached after the race, I knew I had to close on Edwards before the stops, and then I got the class lead from Phil Abbott and built a lead while they tried to get past Manhal Allos,” Noble explained. Edwards/Abbott completed the top six and were second in class, just holding off the SR3 of Ross Allen/James Saggers. “I tried hard to get Phil, but then thought it’s not good to take the owner off, as he would put the price of spares up,” said Allen.

Allos, Kane/Tom Ashton and Dan Compton/Colin Brown completed the top 10, with Jamie Patterson still classified ahead of Prosport class winner Michael Jackson. Don Patterson, Williams and Richard Corbett/Nick Barrow were the final classified finishers.

1 Derek Johnston/Stuart Moseley (SR8) 62 laps in 50m02.233s (89.11mph); 2 Ben Jackson (SR8) 50m02.704s; 3 Roger Bromiley/Rob Wheldon (SR8); 4 Terrence Woodward/Ross Kaiser (SR8); 5 Colin Noble (SR3); 6 Ross Edwards/Phil Abbott (SR3); 7 James Saggers/Ross Allen (SR3); 8 Manhal Allos (SR8); 9 Gary Kane/Thomas Ashton (PR6); 10 Dan Compton/Colin Brown (SR3). Class winners: Johnston/Moseley; Noble; Kane/Ashton; Michael Jackson (PR6). Fastest lap: Jamie Paterson (SR8LM) 44.436s (97.10mph).

RACE TWO

The start of the second race was even more dramatic than the first, after Jackson had led Johnston, Woodward, Bromiley, Noble and Allen in the charge into Paddock on the opening lap. But Johnston was side by side with Jackson into Druids for the second time, with Jackson just holding the line on the exit. Into McLarens they were side by side again but this time Johnston led through Clark Curve.

Patterson was also flying in his SR8LM, fifth by the end of lap three after taking Noble, while back at the front Woodward had closed on Jackson as Johnston started to build a lead.

By the end of lap seven, the top three looked fairly settled, while Patterson found his way past Bromiley for fourth. Noble had so far kept Ashton at bay, but this allowed both Allen and Tony Freeman’s PR6 to close too.  Bromiley began to drop off the pace and was caught by Noble, who towed his class rivals along too.

But at the head of the field Johnston found his lead down to 0.993secs, and after a tentative look down the inside at Graham Hill Bend, Jackson was back ahead three laps later into Druids. Noble had also made it ahead of Bromiley, but it was shortlived when he dropped to seventh after Ashton pitted, handing the class lead to Allen. Although some of the gaps closed again, the order remained unchanged until the pitstop window opened.

It was organised chaos in the pitlane, but due to the hard work and diligence of the crews, everyone made it out again. Jackson headed Moseley again, from Woodward, Edwards, James Saggers, Noble and Wheldon. Moseley immediately ate into Jackson’s lead, but Kaiser was quicker than both.

Wheldon was on the move too, picking off Noble at Druids at Druids, leaving the Scot to chase for Edwards’ class lead. But the dramas weren’t far away, as Moseley’s pursuit came to an end when he pulled off at Graham Hill bend after 44 laps. Also pulling out was Paul Thomas after damaging the suspension again on a kerb, which was a disappointing end for the team after Loughran had stormed up to 10th in the first half.

Four laps behind the safety car and Jackson could only wait and see the outcome, after his race winning lead was reduced to nil for the second time in the weekend. Two laps after the green flag and Kaiser made his move on Clark Curve, before pulling out a 10 second lead by the flag. “I couldn’t really see Ben until the safety car came out, but I knew then we had a fighting chance and with Rob attacking too, that helped us,” said Kaiser. “Before I handed to Ross the car seemed very lively and sideways, but this result gives us plenty to build on,” added Woodward.

Although Wheldon snatched second on the penultimate lap, a post race penalty for a yellow flag incident handed second back to Jackson. “It took a while for my tyres to heat up, but once again we were there until the safety car,” said Jackson. “Ben defended really well and our car wasn’t really right in that race,” commented Wheldon. “I still thought Rob was a revelation, I played my small part though,” Bromiley added.

Abbott/Edwards secured a class win, after dominating the Supersports in the second half, promoted to third overall too after Wheldon/Bromiley’s penalty. “I thought our stop was quite long, but I had the lead of the class when we rejoined and I even closed in on the SR8’s near the end,” said Edwards. Saggers/Allen claimed fifth and second in class win by a whisker after a great duel with Noble. “I had the lead at the stops but we seemed to lose out somewhere,” said Allen.

Ashton was seventh overall and first in the Invitation class after a second half scrap with Freeman’s PR6. “I had to pit again when the rear bodywork came loose,” said Ashton. Don Patterson just held off Michael Jackson for first place in the Prosport class.

1 Woodward/Kaiser 60 laps in 50m23.100s (85.64mph); 2 Ben Jackson 50m33.639s; 3 Abbott/Edwards; 4 Bromiley/Wheldon; 5 Allen Saggers; 6 Noble; 7 Ashton. 8 Tony Freeman (PR6); 9 Don Patterson (PR6); 10 Michael Jackson. Class winners: Woodward/Kaiser; Abbott/Edwards; Ashton; Patterson. Fastest lap: Johnston/Moseley 44.760s (96.40mph).

Issued by Peter Scherer for Radial Sports Cars, June 8th, 2008.