The BRSCC Formula Ford Festival 2018

Brands Hatch hosted the 47th running of the Formula Ford Festival over the weekend (20-21/10/2018) on the famous Brands Hatch Indy Circuit. With two days under clear skies and warm out of season weather, an incident filled action packed finale was on the cards and Joshua Smith taking the Formula Ford Festival 2018 Victory, stealing the lead from Niall Murray during an 8 lap dash to the chequered flag…

The weekend kick off with the usual Saturday morning qualifying, the first of a 20 race package taking place after the lunch interval. First out of the box was the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford Championship. Pole sitter Ben Tilley in his Merlyn MK20A led the race at the start, latter to lose the lead on lap 13 to Scott Mansell in his Crossle 35F. Tilley slipped streamed past Mansell and put is nose in front at the flag winning by less than a second. Rick Morris in his Royal finished 3rd, not to far behind leaders.

The Sunday race for the Classic Formula Ford’s, the racing was no less exciting. Tilley lost out to Mansell at the start. Tilley took the fight to Mansell, taking the lead on lap 11 only to see Mansell reclaming the lead 2 laps latter. But just like the first race, the dash to the flag would would be hard fought by both drivers only to be snatched away from Mansell by Tilley at the line, again winning by less than a second. Again Rick Morris in the Royal RP29 taking the last step of the podium for another well earned 3rd place.

The Merlyn MK20A Of Ben Tilley Double Race Winner

Next on the grid we had some Touring Car type action in the form of the BRSCC Fiesta Championship with MRF Tyres. Saturday saw the first outing for the Fiestas, with 20 minuets of hard racing where Samual Watkins and Danny Harrison, both in Ford Fiesta ST’s, battled it out and finished with Watkins bringing his car home nearly 2 seconds ahead of Harrison. Simon Horrobin, also in a ST, finished 3rd.

Sundays first Fiesta Championship race, Danny Harrison never made it to the start line. Ryan Faulconbridge took full advantage, lead the field off the line and remained ahead of the pack for the duration beating both Horrobin and Samuel Watkins. Horrobin would later be disqualified from the meeting because his driving was seen to be “contravention of MSA regulations”. This moved Faulconbridge up a place in Saturdays race standings and Joshua Watkins into third on this the first of the two Sunday meetings.

Sundays second Fiesta race saw Samuel Watkins take his 2nd win of the weekend with Jamie Going finishing in 2nd place ahead of Joshua Watkins. Danny Harrison made it to the grid for this one but retired 6 laps later.

Samuel Watkins

The Irish Supercars & GT Lights were next in line with two 15 minute races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. The first ASK Supercar win went to Cameron Fenton and in GT Lights first place went to Jake Byrne. In Sundays affair the out right win went to Jake Byrne in his GT Light and Cameron Fenton taking 2nd place and top Supercar.

Saturdays racing ended with three 15 lap Formula Ford Heats. Heat 1, double Festival winner Niall Murry in his Van Dieman RF99 held of the competition to claim first blood and in Heat 2 Matthew Cowley brought his Van Diemen JL13 home in 1st position keeping at bay the Ray GR16 of Neil MacLennan and the Van Diemen LA10 of Chris Middlehurst. In Heat 3, after a lengthy safety car period, Michael Eastwell’s Spectrum 011C would be victorious with Oliver White piloting a Medina Sport JL17 and triple Festival winner Joey Foster in a Firman 2018 finishing some way off in 2nd and 3rd.

Sunday’s Semi Finals, again a 15 lap affairs, Semi Final 1 saw Niall Murray take an easy win, leading the race from pole position with Joshua Smith and Neil Maclennan on the last steps of the podium. In Semi Final 2 Oliver White lost out to Matthew Cowley at the start with proceedings being neutralized by a early Safety car period because of a coming together of Chris Middlehurst and Rory Smith at Cooper Straight. At the restart White and Cowley battled each other hard for the lead with Oliver White winning the war. Peter Dempsey in a Ray GR18 crossed the line in 3rd.

In the Formula Ford Festival’s Last Chance Race the win went to Max Marzorati in his Swift Cooper. 2nd & 3rd went to Ryan Campbell and John Svensson. Alan Davidson in a Mondial M89S just saw off the Raynard RF88 of Tom McArthur to take the BRSCC Formula Ford Festival Historic Final victory. 3rd was Connor Murphy in another Mondial M89S .

BRSCC’s Formula Ford Festival Final was to be a 20 lap race. With 30 cars on the grid all fighting for the same part of track anything could happen. The first red flag was shown 2 laps into the race. Following the re start the safety car was called for after an on track incident followed once again by the red flag to bring a halt to proceedings for a second time. Because of the darkening skies the race distance was reset to 8 laps. At the start Niall Murray’s car stalled, luckily a push start brought it back to life. Joshua Smith got a great start of the line and took the lead from Murray who retook the lead on lap 2. With Smith up Murray’s gear box, Oliver White had joined the fight who attempted to overtake both Murray and Smith at Druids on the final lap. Murray had to defend the move by White leaving Smith to take his chance for the lead. Joshua Smith went on to take the ‘Final’ win denying Murray a third Festival victory. Oliver White come home a close 3rd.

Joshua Smith Formula Ford Festival 2018 Victor

Also on the bill was the Sports 2000’s and the BRSCC Fiesta Junior Championship. In Sports 2000 Tom Stoten won the first of their two races in his Gunn TS11, the second win going to Ben Cater in a MCR. In Fiesta Jounior’s, again two races, first win went to Magnus Kriklywi, second win went to Josh Steed, both driving Fiesta ST’s.