Sean Huyton won both races in the Fuchs Ginetta Challenge on the new Snetterton 300 circuit after two inspired drives in his Academy Motorsport-run Ginetta G40.
Race one
A rain-affected qualifying session led to a pair of unusual grids, as the 15-minute session didn’t allow for many laps. The G20s, running on a treaded tyre, were the faster cars initially before the road dried a little to allow the G40, on racing rubber, to make more of an impact. However, just as the session was starting to look as though a dry road would be achievable, Richard Southgate spun his G20 at Coram Curve and ended up stranded on the circuit. A red flag was shown to stop the session and with just four minutes remaining, it wasn’t restarted. That gave Autosport journalist Ben Anderson a maiden Ginetta pole, his HHC Motorsport-run car bagging the best time just three-tenths quicker than team-mate Rick Parfitt, with the best-placed G20 third in the hands of Stuart Pearson. Sean Huyton was 12th and fellow Oulton Park winner Mark Davies 18th, while championship leader Clive Richards was just 22nd.
Anderson led away but was passed by Pearson going into the new Montreal hairpin. Behind him, Huyton was flying and was up to second place at Oggies, turn six, on the opening lap with Anderson third ahead of Gary Simms (Optimum Motorsport G20). Huyton made his move for the lead at the end of the opening lap, diving past Pearson at Murrays with Anderson trying to follow suit. Ben's plan didn’t work and he found himself off-line and spun down to 11th place allowing Simms up to third ahead of Ryan Ratcliffe (Piranha Motorsport G40). Davies was flying as well, eighth at the end of the opening lap with Richards 11th, and the Yorkshire man would move up to fourth mid-way around lap two as Ratcliffe moved pat Simms for third. Davies moved past the G20 and then closed on Ratcliffe, the two crossing the line together at then end of lap two and Davies made his move stick at Montreal on lap three. Richards spun himself down top 21st as Davies moved up to second spot heading into Brundle (the first corner of the Esses).
However, the 2009 champion went off the road and damaged the rear of his car allowing Huyton to win by nine seconds from Ratcliffe, the Welshman taking his best Ginetta Challenge finish. Anderson recovered superbly for third place with Mike Robinson (TCR G40) fourth after starting last on the 27-car grid.
The G20 fight went down to the wire with Simms catching Pearson at Agostini on the penultimate lap and the pair traded the lead on the last lap. Simms made it three in a row by being ahead at the flag, with third in the G20 class going to Matt Flowers.
Race two
Another mixed grid for race two had Pearson’s G20 on pole with Anderson (G40) alongside. Row two boasted Parfitt and Matt Flowers (G20), while Huyton was 11th, Richards 15th and Davies 27th, the grid based on drivers’ second best times.
Anderson had a little wheelspin off the line and that allowed Pearson to lead, but Harvey Booth (G20) was soon on his tail. Anderson was third ahead of a quick-starting Richard Sykes (HHC Motorsport G40) who was up from 13th on the grid. Both Anderson and Sykes moved ahead of Booth going into Riches for the second time and Sykes also worked past his team-mate to chase after the leaders. He was up to second at the end of lap two but was being chased by Huyton who caught Sykes on lap three and the two ran together for two laps until the safety car was deployed after Lee Moulden (Track Cars G40) went off at Agostini.
The safety car failed to pick up the leader and it took many minutes for the situation to be resolved. When the race was restarted, there was time for just one more lap and Sykes led the pack with Huyton, Clive Richards and Ryan Ratcliffe on his tail. It all came to a head on the last lap as Huyton repeated his race one move by launching himself up the inside at Murrays. He grabbed the lead but Sykes was forced wide and then spun allowing Ratcliffe to take second and Richards third. Sykes recovered to finish 14th.
The G20 race was led by Pearson early on having gapped rivals Harvey Booth, Paul Morgan and Gary Simms, but Simms worked his way through to second in class and was up with a lap to go after the safety car. Pearson was aggressive in his defence and held on to win the class from Simms and Harvey Booth.
Huyton leads the championship with 33 points in hand over Richards with Mike Robinson a further five points back in third, while Simms continues to lead the G20 from Pearson and Flowers class as the championship heads to Brands Hatch on June 18/19.
