British Rallycross 5 Nations championship moved to Scotland and Knockhill racing circuit at the weekend, for a double header comprising of rounds 4 and 5 for the Supercar Series and rounds 5 and 6 for all other classes.
Saturday 25th September
(Images by and Copyright Matt Hancock), Images shot for Racerviews
Supercars
There was action aplenty today at Knockhill in Scotland as the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy presented by Cooper Tires visited its third nation of 2021. The event saw close racing throughout the day on the championship’s first visit North since the new promoter 5 Nations BRX took over. Roberts Vitols claimed victory in round four of the headline Supercar class, while in changeable weather conditions, competitors from the other classes enjoyed an action-packed day of racing with the promise of more to come tomorrow.
Vitols (Citroen DS3) became the first driver to win two Supercar rounds in 2021. The Latvian won his semi-final but lost out on pole for the Final to Ollie O’Donovan (Ford Fiesta) who won the other. On a damp track, Vitols bogged down at the start with O’Donovan losing out to Steve Hill (Mitsubishi Evo) and then taking a detour through gravel. Hill was looking set for at least a podium after jokering but a spin dropped him down the order. Vitols, having managed to recover faced a clean track and drove his own race, jokered on the last lap and clinched victory nearly five seconds ahead of O’Donovan.
Sunday 26th September
(Images by and Copyright Matt Hancock), Images shot for Racerviews
Supercars
It was a day of fire, drama and attrition in the latest round of the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy presented by Cooper Tires at Knockhill held in glorious weather conditions for round five of the British Rallycross Championship and round six of the remaining championships.
Derek Tohill (Ford Fiesta) won round 5 of the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship with a stunning performance this afternoon. The multiple Irish champion was in dominant form, taking victory in two of the three qualifying races to take his second win of the series and crucially move into third in the points table. Yesterday’s winner Roberts Vitols overcame two DNFs in the qualifying races and a win in the third to claim second ahead of six-time champion Julian Godfrey who took over the Citroen DS3 of reigning champion Mark Donnelly following mechanical issues to his own Fiesta. Steve Hill took fourth, Ollie O’Donovan was docked five seconds for track limit infringements and finished fifth ahead of Tristan Ovenden but holds onto the championship lead now shared jointly with Vitols.
All the other action from Saturday and Sunday
Saturday
Jason Bleasdale (Vauxhall VX220) took wins in the first two qualifying races of the MSUK Supernational Championship with Slawomir Woloch (BMW M3) taking the third race win. Bleasdale claimed victory in the Final with reigning champion Paige Bellerby (Lotus Exige) second ahead of Woloch.
Max Langmaid won the Final on the third attempt of the MSUK Junior Rallycross Championship after two races were red flagged following dramatic rolls for Caitlin May and Corey Padgett. Such was the tenacity of May she took third in the Final with Max Langmaid taking the win ahead of Q1 winner Will Ovenden. Owen Robbins won Q3 but had a spin on the wet track and his Final ended in the gravel.
Max Weatherley took the Swift Sport win having worked hard for it. The Faversham driver led from lights to flag for five of six laps when a big accident for David Watt, James Constantine and Luke Constantine meant having to re-run the race. Take two saw him repeat his lights to flag performance with David Watt in second and Scot Don MacLeod taking the final podium spot on his home track.
Vince Bristow (BMW E36 328) looked to have thrown away his pole position in Super Retro, bagged by winning Q2 and Q3, when his start dropped him right down the order. Q1 winner Barry Stewart (Porsche 911) was leading just ahead of John Cross (Lancia Stratos) when Phil Collard (Renault 5) joined the battle, touching Stewart and sending him into a spin. Bristow pushed his way back to second then overtook Cross for the win.
Tony Lynch (Toyota MR2) and Simon Hart (Ford Escort Mk1) were the sole Retro Rallycross competitors in Scotland. Lynch won Q1 but a fire in Q2 ended his charge handing victory to Hart.
BMW Mini action was dominated by Dave Bellerby who won every qualifying race, his semi-final and the final. Ben Sayer won the other semi-final but had to settle for third, being denied second place in the final by Tom Constantine who drove a great race to make up lost ground from the start.
Darren Scott (Citroen C2) won all three qualifying races in Super 1600 but an engine problem in the final ended his. Craig Lomax (Citroen C1) came through to win the round followed by Phil Chicken (Citroen C2).
Sunday
Jason Bleasdale powered his stunning Vauxhall VX220 to its second MSUK Supernational Rallycross Championship win of the weekend with a controlled victory in the Final to extend his championship lead over Slawomir Woloch (BMW M3). Reigning champion Paige Bellerby suffered a broken driveshaft to her Lotus Exige earlier in the qualifying races but came home third.
Max Langmaid once again proved the youngster to beat with another supreme performance in the MSUK Junior Rallycross Championship round. After a rare error in the final qualifying race, the teenager came through for his fifth win of the season to extend his series lead. Will Ovenden was just unable to repeat the result of his older brother Tom who took his maiden win in Minis secured at Silverstone this weekend, he did however take a well-earned second spot ahead of the fast-improving Finley Scott.
Max Weatherley enjoyed his second win of the weekend with a dominant performance in round six of the Swift Sport Rallycross Championship. Local hero Don Macleod went one place better than yesterday, to record second place and another podium finish in front of his family and friends. David Watt completed the podium places ahead of series newcomer Ansko Pikanen.
Barry Stewart (Porsche 911) returned to his winning ways with a controlled lights to flag win in Super Retro, finishing just ahead of John Cross in his normally immaculate Lancia Stratos that was missing much of its front bodywork. Ray Morgan (Ford Escort) held off a concerted challenge from yesterday’s winner Vince Bristow (BMW) to claim the final podium spot.
Pembrey Retro Rallycross winner Tony Lynch was the man of the weekend after an eight hour round trip to repair his Toyota after yesterday’s fire to enable him to challenge yesterday’s Retro Rallycross winner Simon Hart (Ford Escort). Sadly, his efforts came to nothing after he rolled out of the final leaving Hart to collect his second win of the weekend.
Tom Constantine finally earnt the result that reflected his performance in BMW Mini RX with victory in the Final. Starting from pole it was Dave Bellerby who took the early lead, however he pulled off the track when the relay popped out allowing Constantine through for his first win of the season. Dave Ellis was docked five seconds for track limit infringements but still came home second ahead of Pembrey victor Stephen Brown.
Darren Scott (Citroen C2) saw his hopes of extending his Super 1600 championship lead end in a cloud of smoke after retiring yesterday. With Phil Chicken (Citroen C2) also sidelined with a broken crankshaft, it was left to reigning champion Craig Lomax (Citroen C1) to uphold the honours, but he too failed to cross the line with mechanical problems but took maximum points.
After qualifying wins apiece for Tommi Caldwell, Patrick O’Donovan and Stephen Jones, it was Jones who lead following a spin by Caldwell who ended up last. Given a second chance after the race was red flagged, Caldwell took the lead at the restart with O’Donovan and Jones battling behind. O’Donovan then suffered a spin which put him back to third with Caldwell in the lead after the jokers, Jones clinching second.
The next round of the 5 Nations British rallycross will be at Lydden Hill on the 6th and 7th November 2021
Review taken from and by 5 Nations British Rallycross
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By Matt Hancock
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