The Ginetta Junior Championship looks set to be a family affair in 2010. The brother and sister Moores head the entry with a new car introduced this season.
Sarah Moore claimed last year’s Ginetta Junior Championship and indeed bagged her first race win here last season in a superb drive that made Sarah the first female winner of a TOCA-support race. A second win followed a day later and her ability to run at the front and score points was crucial in taking the title. For 2010, Sarah, whose elder brother Nigel Moore is a former Ginetta Junior and G50 champion, will have a renewed threat from younger brother David. He was quick last year – and led here, briefly, but with an extra year of car racing under his belt should be a major force to be reckoned with in 2010. With no karting experience, last season was a huge test for 15-year-old David M but he will be a front-runner this year.
Sarah M, meanwhile, is the benchmark driver and as reigning champion the one everyone wants to beat. She improved as a driver as well last year and is being run, as is David, by experienced racer Mike Jordan’s Eurotech Racing squad. With their ability and Jordan’s guidance, this is a formidable team.
But if the Moores aren’t heading the pack, it may well be Jake Hill. A race winner last season, Jake’s season was hampered by a lack of finance, but there is no denying Hill’s speed and if he can curb his occasional over-enthusiasm there is no reason to suggest that he can’t be a champion. Son of former racer turned broadcaster Simon Hill, Jake doesn’t lack for support or advice and certainly put the guidance from his father to good use last year although frustratingly his win came while Hill snr was away at Le Mans!
Alex Austin is another returnee and having secured fourth in the championship last year will be a front-runner once more. Austin was a race winner last season, too, and will be hungry for further success this year, while Chris Swanwick was another driver who developed well over the course of 2009 and will start this season as one of the drivers to beat.
From Junior Rallycross comes Brad Bailey, son of former Rallycross front-runner of the 1980s Paul, and although this is a very different discipline, Bailey knows how to stick out his elbows and race hard. Indeed, he was a title winner last year and proved his ability but these will all be new circuits to him. On his side, though, is the new Ginetta G40, the base model for this year’s championship which levels the playing field between the newcomers and the more experienced drivers.
Add in newcomers Maverick Domene, Seb Morris and Jody Fannin and there are sure to be battles right through the field in the opening double-header of the season.
An added incentive this season is the end of season prize: a test in Andrew Jordan’s Pirtek Racing BTCC Vauxhall Vectra which will allow the champion to showcase their ability. The Ginetta Junior Championship is noted for close and exciting racing and this season will be no different.
Free practice at Thruxton, Hampshire, takes place at 09.55 on Saturday 3rd April with qualifying at 11.45 and race one, over nine laps, at 17.05. Sunday’s race blasts off at 13.30.
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