The scene is set for a dramatic and thrilling finale to the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain next month at Brands Hatch after Jayde Kruger won again at Silverstone this afternoon to draw level on points with long-time championship leader Harrison Scott. After 27 races and with just three remaining, JTR’s Kruger and Falcon Motorsport man Scott tie on 651 points.It was a great day also for Ashley Sutton, the MBM Motorsport driver securing his fifth win of the season in this morning’s race and with it securing the Scholarship Class championship title for 2015.

A drama-fuelled race not only thrilled the bumper Silverstone BTCC crowd it also set up a nail-biting finish to the series between title protagonists Harrison Scott and Jayde Kruger. For, as Ashley Sutton romped to outright victory and set the seal on his Scholarship Class title for 2015, Scott and Kruger made contact on the opening lap. Scott spun to the back after their clash of wheels, recovering to finish a lowly eighth.Said Jayde: “I made a good start and got past Harrison, and then he tried to go around the outside and we touched wheels… I think he was trying to squeeze me on to the apex but I had someone on my left and had nowhere to go. It’s unfortunate for him but a good result for us.”Scott’s viewpoint was different: “I think he caused an incident which could have been avoided and it nearly put me completely out of the race. It’s disappointing.” The clerk of the course examined the incident and deemed it a racing incident.Sutton had the bit between his teeth from the outset, making an excellent start in the MBM Motorsport EcoBoost Mygale from fourth on the grid to snatch third from Juan Rosso and then second from Rosso’s Radical team-mate James Abbott. Pole-sitter Ricky Collard (Falcon) built a 1.1-second lead on the opening lap but thereafter felt literally powerless to avoid being caught by Sutton.Ashley whittled away at the gap until the 10th tour, when he found his way through for the lead through Luffield. Collard, who then fell into the clutches of Abbott and then Kruger and had to settle for fourth, said: “That was the best that I could achieve. The problem again was a lack of straightline speed: it felt like I was towing a burger van behind me. I was trying everything I could to stay in front but there wasn’t much hope.”Sutton went on to win by 1.9s, claiming his fifth outright victory of the season, a £1000 winner’s cheque and his 15th Scholarship class win; the result gives him an unassailable points lead in the Scholarship class, with Collard now unbeatable for the runner-up position. “I want to say a big well done to Ashley; he has driven brilliantly all year,” said Ricky.Sutton was equally complimentary: “Ricky has been a great rival all year, and especially today – good clean racing and I’ve really appreciated having someone like that to race against. That’s the Scholarship title all wrapped up, and that’s what we came to do. I’m over the moon, time to celebrate and to think about my plans for next year. I think we will be staying with Ford and having a go at the new MSA Formula championship; the experience I have gained this year will be a help but there are a lot of quick young drivers coming up and it’s going to be a big fight.”After his early brush with Scott and 16th-lap pass on Collard to take third, Kruger had six laps in which to see if he could relieve Abbott of second. But James, celebrating his 21st birthday today, proved equal to the task of keeping Jayde at bay. Said Abbott: “I was quicker through the last couple of corners but Ashley was getting a really good run on me on to the back straight, so it was a case of covering where I could… I didn’t want the race to go on much longer.”Juan Rosso (Radical) tried to close the gap on Collard but had to settle for fifth at the flag, ahead of Michael O’Brien (MBM) and Louise Richardson (Richardson Racing). Scott took eighth after his first-lap delay, with Ovie Iroro (Richardson) and Greg Holloway (SWB) next up and Jessica Hawkins (MBM) the final finisher after making a brief pit stop to adjust her Hans device, which was impeding her ability to steer.Three cars fell by the wayside on lap three when there was contact at Copse involving the cars of Max Marshall (JTR), Chris Mealin (Falcon) and Clay Mitchell (JTR). Mealin and Mitchell spun off and Marshall limped to the pits and retirement. Again the contact was reviewed and put down to a racing incident.