FARRELL & SKINNER DOUBLE UP AT OULTON

The North Western Centre of the BRSCC were on hand to supply their organisational skills at the Oulton Park Time Attack meeting on Saturday, 24th April. Their commitment and dedication really came to the fore when two racing trucks collided during a demonstration run.

Instead of taking a well earned lunch-break many of the club’s officials and marshals rushed to the scene of the accident. Fortunately, while the impact shocked onlookers, those in the cabs climbed out unaided although it was quite a challenge to recover the two 5-ton tractor units which were stranded on the grass triangle in the middle of Hislops’ Chicane.

Aside from the Time Attack cars battling against the clock, the Avon Tyres Formula Ford Northern 1600cc Championship got under way on Oulton’s Island configuration with four events which comprised of two double headers for Post-’89 and Pre-’90 competitors.

When the most recent cars took to the circuit, Australian Jordan Skinner continued his successful start to his season in the UK with a brace of victories. Stuart Gough got the most traction and took the lead each time the red lights went out but on both occasions he had to yield to Skinner before too long. A broken crankshaft during practice meant last years’ Champion, Simon Kinsey, took no further part in proceedings.

With the grid for the second races decided by the finishing order in the first, a last lap crash earlier in the day meant Neil Patten lined up near the back of the pack when he returned to the track. Having got onto the grass exiting Cascades he lost control as he returned to the tarmac and collided with Mike Bennett. This was quite a high speed crash with the cars reaching the braking area for the Island Hairpin before they came to a halt. Bennett was unable to repair his vehicle in time for the rematch but Patten carved through the field to cross the line in fifth.

In the second Pre-90 encounter there was another drive from the back of the grid, this time it was from Lee Hannam who went missing from the runner-up spot on lap 2 of the first event.

He charged through to third behind John Farrell and Nigel Dolan who came home close together in that order in both outings with Mario Sarchet taking a deserved third in the first Pre 90 race.

The full results can be found at Click Here

Dave Williams