Declan Jones completes Ginetta GT4 SuperCup season by bagging two second places for the Rob Boston Racing-Whitley Neill Gin team and secures fourth place in the Drivers’ Championship
Liverpool racing driver Declan Jones finished the season on a high by claiming two more podiums in his Whitley Neill Gin branded-Ginetta G55 during the eighth and final round of the 2017 Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup at Brands Hatch (September 30-October 1).
The Halewood Wines & Spirits-backed star ran at the front throughout the weekend and in qualifying on the Saturday posted the third fastest time, just 0.133secs off pole position and only 0.054secs off a place on the front row.
Declan then made a good start in the opening race, moving to second and shadowing the leader all the way to the chequered flag.
Race two on Sunday morning yielded another runners-up spot for the Rob Boston Racing-Whitley Neill Gin team man, who was battling for a rostrum from start-to-finish, snatching P2 on the final lap with a superb move up the inside of two of his rivals, despite very tricky wet conditions.
In the third and final race of the weekend - broadcast live as usual on UK television on ITV4 - Declan made a good start and even though something broke on the rear of his car, he still brought it home in P4. That result helped ensure he secured fourth position in the Championship, ending the season with 440 points on the board.
“It has been an absolutely fantastic end to the year,” Declan said. “We collected a lot of points this weekend and we finished fourth in the Championship. If you had said at the start of the weekend you will do that, I would have been happy with that.
“At the end of the day I drove well and it has been great working with Rob Boston Racing during the second half of the year. It is a really family orientated team and the lads there are all absolutely spot on. To be able to pull back and achieve what we did – with two wins too – after a difficult start to the season is really thanks to them. Rob Boston has helped make the year end well and the fact we have ended it like we have and we have ended up in fourth, it makes you wonder: ‘what if…’ – what if we had been with him at the start of the season?”
“So what a year! It has been a hard one at times, but a successful one and I am pleased with how it has worked for Whitley Neill Gin. I want to say a big thank-you to Whitley Neill Gin, Rob Boston Racing and all my family for their support. There is a lot of positivity now going into next year and if I am anywhere in 2018 it is going to be in the TOCA paddock,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rob Boston Racing boss, Rob Boston was delighted with Declan’s form, especially as it helped the Lincolnshire squad secure the Team's Championship.
“It was a good weekend for Dec. He arrived with a target in mind and wanted to secure fourth in the championship. He set to going about it from the start of the weekend very nicely and he qualified literally fractions of a second off pole position. Then he had some really great results in the races. He raced hard and fair and got that fourth spot in the championship,” Rob said.
“Overall it was a cracking weekend for the Rob Boston Racing-Whitley Neill Gin team. Dec had great steel about him and really showed what he was worth. Really good, good racing. Declan’s points scoring also helped us tie up the team's championship as well. So we are actually team champions.
“He has been a fantastic addition to the team since he joined us over the summer and it has been great working with him. I have really enjoyed it and I hope there is an opportunity to work with him in the future, be it in Porsche or something else. We would love to carry on with him and Whitley Neill Gin.”
