Mark Davies scored his first double victory of the season by taking two wins at Silverstone in the Texaco Havoline Ginetta Championship. The Yorkshireman also bagged two pole positions and one fastest race lap in a great weekend for him.
Qualifying
Davies was the man to beat in qualifying, his two best laps earning him pole position for both races. Behind him came Andrew Smith and the impressive Matt Bell who had starred a week earlier at Donington in two non-championship races. Freddie Hetherington bagged fourth for both races with Julian Barratt fifth, a sign of his pace for the weekend.
Race one
Davies dominated race one for his fifth win of the season. He made a peach of a start and pulled clear of the opposition while fellow front row starter Andrew Smith spun himself down to 13th. His fight back was one of the highlights of the race as he fought back to claim sixth by the chequered flag. Behind the unstoppable Davies, Dominic Pettit made amends for a disappointing qualifying session to take second place in a typically gutsy drive through the pack to head Julian Barratt who finally scored a podium finish – his first of the year. Russell McCarthy took fourth place with championship returnee Mark Wania fifth ahead of the recovered Smith.
Race two
Davies made the running at the start of race two with Smith slotting in behind him ahead of a quick-starting Freddie Hetherington. In contrast, Matt Bell made a sluggish getaway and fell down the order although Mark Wania and Adam Morgan both had lap one spins and dropped back, too.
Davies headed Smith at the head of the field, Smith seemingly prepared to bide his time. For corner after corner he shadowed the leader, always a threat but never making a move for the lead. By half distance, they had broken clear of the pack with an advantage of six seconds over the young guns Hetherington and Bell who were disputing third. Bell made a bold move on the inside at Copse with eight minutes of the race remaining. With three laps to run, Smith made a move at Beckets and briefly led, but Davies instantly powered ahead once again and wasn’t about to leave another gap. Davies held his nerve as Smith made a last lunge at Priory but he spun, looping the car onto the grass but still being able to rejoin in second. Behind them, the fight for third raged on with Bell under pressure from Pettit who made his move at Luffield and ran side-by-side with Bell through Wood cote and down to Copse where he finally took the place after some inch-perfect driving.
A typically understated Davies said: “I am pleased with my weekend’s work. Two wins is really good and it all helps in the championship. Andy (Smith) made me work hard in that second race though.”
Rounds 13 and 14 of the 2009 Texaco Havoline Ginetta Championship will take place over the weekend of September 19/20 at Brands Hatch.
