Team Parker Racing’s Chris Swanwick took a healthy score of points from a tough weekend in the Ginetta Junior Championship at Brands Hatch, from which he emerged with fourth and fifth-place finishes.
Nottingham lad Swanwick qualified eighth and ninth, but stormed to fourth on the opening lap of the first race. Unfortunately he could not hold onto his position, but recovered to take fifth after another frenetic race in the series for 14 to 17-year-old drivers, one of the most popular series on the British Touring Car Championship support package.
Swanwick had another awesome first lap in the rain of the second race to rise to fifth. He subsequently lost positions, but again showed strong racecraft and took a strong fourth.
Leicestershire racer Adam Bonham took sixth, just behind Swanwick, in the first race, after an excellent recovery. The car in front of him lost control when the safety car came out, sending Adam into the gravel in avoidance and meaning a comeback drive was required. Unfortunately, he was penalised down to an eventual ninth place due to another incident.
In the second race, Bonham slid wide at Clearways and dropped places, but fought back again to take sixth place, and set an impressive fourth-fastest lap of the race.
The team’s novice driver, 14-year-old Finlay Ractliffe, once again drove stunning opening laps, making up several places in each race. Unfortunately the Monmouthshire racer failed to finish either race due to incidents, but had charged up from 17th to sixth in race two before leaving the road in the horrendously wet conditions.
The team’s driver coach Danny Buxton said: “We’ve stuck to our principles so far, but we now need to further develop our cars in light of some of the decisions Ginetta have made. From our point of view we’re glad that Chris in particular is in the championship fight. We’ve got a five-week break until the next round at Oulton Park and by the time we get there the cars will be developed. We’ll come out fighting.
“Adam’s best lap in the second race showed that we’re not too far away, and he drove well to recover. Finlay we feel has massive potential. This was only his sixth ever race – he didn’t even do any karting – and he has no fear!”
The Ginetta Junior Championship again enjoyed live coverage of its second race at Brands Hatch on ITV4, and was streamed live on itv.com. The next round takes place at Oulton Park, Cheshire, on the weekend of June 5-6.
