Russell and Barlow win at Wigan, while Marshall and Fawcett also take podiums
As the domestic season draws to a tense and exciting close, Strawberry Racing drivers Jack Barlow and George Russell’s preparations for the penultimate round of the Formula Kart Stars season at Three Sisters (25/26 September) were boosted in the best possible manner with victories in the Rotax Cup.
Super 1 title aspirants Jack Marshall and Tom Fawcett were also on the podium, which bodes well for the series’ finale at the Lancashire circuit in October.
In the Mini Max category, George Russell bounced back from a difficult qualifying session to win his second heat and then comprehensively outrace his rivals to take a comfortable victory in the main final.
Warwick Ringham, Strawberry Racing Team Manager observed, “George worked his way into the right spot, waited for his opportunity and then took it. In many respects it was the perfect drive because he made the decisive move at precisely the moment he needed to and then kept everyone else behind him.”His smile was made all the broader after watching his two Junior stars - Jack Barlow and Jack Marshall -convert the challenge of nearly thirty other drivers into a cat-and-mouse battle between themselves. Just as they did at Shenington (29 August), where they scored a 1-2 finish, the pair worked together to clear the chasing pack and then cleanly disputed the win. On this occasion, Barlow prevailed leading home his team-mate by a fraction over a tenth of a second.
In the senior class, the European Junior and World Senior Rotax champions were represented by Super 1 championship leader Tom Fawcett, Barrie Pullinger, Rotax Winter Cup champion James Greenway and guest driver, Ed Brand.
In timed qualifying all were comfortably inside the top ten, with Tom and Barrie going on to share the spoils in the following two heats. After what was billed as ‘an epic fifteen lap final’ round the Valley circuit configuration, Tom eventually claimed 2nd spot with Barrie 5th, Ed 6th and James 7th.
“As a warm-up for the last round of Super 1 it was a strong, encouraging performance,” said Warwick. “Each and every one of the boys had good overall speed - on balance, I’m very happy.”
