Clive Richards and Mark Davies took wins in the Ginetta Challenge at Brands Hatch, although Sean Huyton continues to lead the title race.
Race one
Oulton Park winner Mark Davies (Optimum Motorsport) led off the line in the opening 20-minute race but was beaten into Paddock by Richard Sykes (HHC Motorsport), while Harvey Booth rotated his G20 at Graham Bill Bend and broke up the pack in avoidance. Championship leader Sean Huyton, who was last on the grid, was in great form and carved his way to 15th on the opening lap and was 12th a lap later.
Up front, Sykes and Davies continued to dispute the lead with Tiff Needell (in HHC’s guest car) working his way up to fifth place, as Mike Robinson (TCR) and Ryan Ratcliffe (Piranha Motorsport) moved into the leading group.
Robinson took the lead at Paddock on lap six and was able to take advantage of a huge scrap behind to make a break from the opposition. Sykes hung on to second but ran wide at Druids on lap nine and fell to fourth behind Richards and Davies. Huyton was still hustling on and passed Needell on lap 11, but Ratcliffe moved past Sykes at Stirlings which pushed Richard down to fifth.
Up front Robinson led Richards, the former Caterham champion cutting the gap as they entered the final few minutes of the race, but Robinson hung on to take the win from Richards and Davies. Post-race, however, Robinson and Ratcliffe were penalised 30 seconds for putting all four wheels off the road at Graham Hill Bend, meaning that Richards took his maiden win in his Colards Motorsport-run car from Davies and Sykes.
"I have just been interviewed for finishing second and now I am the winner. It was close at the end but a great result. I didn't make the best start and I had to work hard to make up ground,” said Richards.
The G20 class produced its usual drama, with returnee Dominic Pettit leading the class early on. Stuart Pearson and Gary Simms (hampered by a gearbox problem) battled for second place but delayed themselves and were unable go catch Pettit who was a delighted class winner.
“I just got my head down and drove hard. This was a good result,” he said later.
Race two
Richards led race two away from the line with Davies and Ratcliffe slotting in behind him, while Huyton made another stellar first lap charge to be 10th as the pack raced across the line. By lap five, Huyton was sixth and soon moved into the top five by wriggling ahead of Sykes at Surtees a lap later.
Up front, a five-car battlepack established. Richards led Davies, Ratcliffe, Robinson and Huyton, who nipped by the former Clio racer and attacked Ratcliffe for third. Davies relieved Richards of the lead at Graham Hill Bend on lap nine and despite Richards trying to retaliate, the Yorkshireman was able to maintain the advantage to the flag. Richards fell to seventh in the last couple of laps, allowing Ratcliffe to take a career-best second place and Robinson third. Sykes took fourth from Graham Johnson with Huyton sixth to retain his championship lead.
The G20 class fell to Stuart Pearson after battle with Dominic Pettit with Craig McIlvar third.
The results mean Huyton heads the G40 class with a 20-point gap to Richards, while Pearson heads Simms by just six points in the
