Ginetta Junior Championship…2 Wins For Chadwick & Kellett takes Rookie Cup Title

Ollie Chadwick ended his Ginetta Junior Championship career in style, after two race wins at Brands Hatch, including a lights to flag victory in race one.

Starting from pole position for race one; a blistering start for the JHR Developments driver saw him hold the lead over the opening lap, ahead of Will Palmer and James Kellett. Starting from sixth on the grid, an impressive opening few laps from Keith Donegan – which included a particularly brave move at Graham Hill Bend on Tom Jackson – saw him up into fourth in no time.

As Palmer, Kellett and Donegan got caught up in the fight over second and third, Chadwick used the distraction to pull out a gap to his rivals. However, a battle a little further down the field, between Jamie Chadwick, Jack Rawles and Jack Mitchell ended up with Rawles’ race coming to an end on Hailwoods Hill, and a safety car deployed to rescue the stricken car.

As racing resumed, everything continued as it was, with Chadwick pulling away, as Palmer, Kellett and Donegan squabbled over third. Despite being in his first season of racing, Kellett held his ground, until a pass for Donegan saw the Irish racer move up into the final podium position.

Knowing points were crucial in order to be crowned Rookie Cup Champion, Kellett was happy to settle into fourth place – knowing that he had a 2013 title of his own in the bag.

Race two was a struggle for the juniors, as hours of rain left the drivers with an extremely slippery track and reduced visibility. Will Palmer started from pole position but soon found himself under pressure from Keith Donegan for the race lead.

A brave move by Donegan proved a little too over-exuberant after a drive around the outside of Palmer for the lead at Paddock Hill Bend saw him momentarily victorious, until the excess speed saw him straight-line into the gravel and out of the race, handing the lead back to Palmer.

It wasn’t long before Ollie Chadwick was in the frame, and the two experienced Ginetta Juniors found themselves position-swapping around most of lap four, before a spin for Palmer at Paddock Hill Bend demoted him behind Jamie Chadwick.

As the 2013 Ginetta Junior Scholarship winner held her own, and ambitious move by Palmer ended in the pair of them spinning in synchronisation at Sheene Curve and ultimately putting both cars out of the race. Palmer’s demise allowed Tom Jackson to inherit second place – his best result to date – whilst Jack Mitchell was able to finish third overall and first in the rookie class.

With the Ginetta Junior Championship over for another year; Harry Woodhead, Keith Donegan and Will Palmer will now look forward to the annual Ginetta Awards Dinner, where they will join Rookie Cup champion James Kellett to collect their final pieces of silverware.

Many thanks to Ginetta & Jakob Ebrey Photography

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