Double Victory for Novice Racer, David ShepherdMaiden Victory for 16 year old, Freddy Nordstrom
A double victory for novice racer, David Shepherd (20, Sandbach) and a maiden victory for Weybridge’s 16-year-old race sensation, Freddy Nordstrom were the highlights of an action-packed weekend of Works MINI Cooper racing in Rounds 5 and 6 of the 2005 John Cooper Challenge at Thruxton on Sunday, May 29.
In both the morning and afternoon’s races, Shepherd showed his more experienced competitors in the Works MINI Cooper championship a clean pair of heels off the starting grid, securing the lead on Lap One on both occasions and then clinging on for two victories in a pair of very different races.
Nordstrom had to wait until late in the evening, after an enquiry by the Clerk of the Course and an appeal had been rejected following an incident-packed Round 6, to take the laurels on the top step of the S Championship podium for the first time.
Works MINI Cooper S Championship
Both the morning and afternoon races witnessed the closest bumper-to-bumper action that the S championship has seen so far in 2005, with similar starts but very different endings. Twice James Loukes (24, Oxford) secured the lead from double-pole setter Andy Sayle (46, Congleton) on Lap One and twice proceeded to create a gap between himself and his pursuers.
In the morning, the places were changing hands on a regular basis behind Loukes, with Sayle and Mark Speller (21, Nazeing) sparring for second, and gradually reeling in the charging Loukes. All the while, championship leader, Arthur Forster (36, Newcastle) was concentrating on slipstreaming his fellow competitors and protecting his tyres against the abrasive Thruxton circuit. Sure enough, with just a couple of laps remaining, Forster saw that his competitors’ tyres were shot and pounced decisively to make it four wins out of five in the 2005 championship, with Sayle, then Speller following him home.
In the afternoon’s Round 6 however, Speller was determined not to let Loukes have it all his own way and, several laps in, attempted to take him on the inside at the chicane, made contact with the Oxford racer, pushing him into the path of a charging Forster, leaving Loukes and Forster’s cars in a distressed state at the side of the track.
Officials ended the race soon after, with Speller heading Freddy Nordstrom, Mark Drury and Andy Sayle into the pits. Following analysis of the race-ending incident, Speller was excluded and Nordstrom awarded the win.
Works MINI Cooper Championship
Similar to the S Class races, Thruxton’s fast and fearless set-up produced a pair of thrilling encounters in the Works Cooper championship. David Shepherd emerged victorious in both, but bizarrely is still waiting for his first opportunity to cross the finish line in first place.
In the morning’s race Shepherd was headed home by Clapham’s Barney Craggs (33), who led as a result of having charged straight across the chicane with just a few laps remaining. Craggs was awarded a three second penalty for the manoeuvre, which put him back down to fourth place, and allowed local boys, Eric Bailey (55) and Rob Austin (43, both Romsey) to secure second and third.
In the afternoon, the race was red-flagged, again depriving the dread-locked Shepherd of his moment of glory. None of this could suppress his delight however at his double victory:
‘I really like Thruxton. It’s a very fast circuit which favours the brave and I’m delighted to get my first wins here.’
Shepherd’s double was the third double victory of the campaign, the others going to Craggs (Donington, Rounds 1 &2) and Stephen Campbell (Croft, Rounds 3&4), who secured second and third respectively here in Round 6, following an almighty three-way tussle, which saw multiple lead changes.
Young Shepherd’s great weekend was a slight consolation for his father, Jonathan’s disastrous one; his racing was ended when a suspected blow-out caused his car to go off the track and sustain considerable damage on the warm-up lap before qualifying on Saturday.
