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Race Report Part Three - Finals D to A

Terry joined Isaac (red), Ozzy (blue) and Gareth (white) in the D Final...

   

Gareth got off to the worst of starts with his Super-G - two offs on the first lap - and it didn't get any better... the WHO veteran soon calling time on a frustrating night and bagging the points for thirteen place overall. In the other gutter lane, Terry led the first lap, but then binned it at Turn 1 - that let Isaac and Ozzy through and start a great scrap for the win...

   

Terry found a good rhythm in yellow and made it a three-way battle - all three drivers in with a shout. Isaac looked in control, but an off handed the lead to Ozzy... Could the rookie hold on for a landmark victory? In the end, Isaac was just too strong, coming back and winning by 0.90 of a lap. Ozzy was second, 0.70 of a lap ahead of Terry.

That gave Isaac a crack at the junior medal in the C Final - although he'd be in white and Ollie was in red lane...

   

They were joined by Kev in blue and Ryan in yellow - both of whom had been squeezed out of the B final by Andy and Oliver's late charges in the heats. This was a chance to get back in the mix. Ryan was off on the first lap - like so many yellow lane racers, the chicane caught him out. Kev led Ollie and Isaac through the early laps, Isaac gradually falling away as the inner 6-inch curves slowed him down or launched him off the track...

   

Ollie and Kev had quite a battle - an off for the youngster handing Kev the lead, before Ollie fought back. It was nip and tuck as the chequered flag approached, but Ollie kept his nerve to win by 0.45 of a lap. Ryan got the better of Isaac in the gutter lane contest, but ninth overall was ultimately disappointing. That meant Ollie took the first F1 junior medal of the year. With a 15 point deficit already, Isaac has work to do to defend his championship...

Ollie stepped up to white in the B Final. He was in the company of three F1 race winners - Darren bucking the trend and choosing blue, Andy in red and Oliver in yellow...

   

A first lap coming-together between Ollie and Andy saw Darren and Oliver lead the way. Andy was nearly two laps down by the time he got going again, but set off in pursuit of the others. Ollie was having a tough time in white lane and was soon passed, but at the front Oliver was keeping Darren honest...

   

In fact Oliver was putting together a magnificent drive in yellow lane. Although Darren was gradually easing away, Oliver kept Andy at bay for as long as he could. Inevitably, red lane prevailed, although only for second place - Darren was long gone, driving a near-perfect race in blue lane with his Super-G.

That moved Darren inside one lane for the A Final. On a normal track that might have given him a chance, but on the street circuit all eyes were on Keith (red) and Deborah (blue), with Pete only looking to pick up any scraps in yellow...

   

Keith and Deborah had been the outstanding performers on this tricky track, so it was utterly devastating to see Deborah's car stranded with a pick-up shoe missing on the very first lap. Whether it was a coming-together or self-inflicted, Deborah remained stoical - but it soon became clear Deborah's race was over before it had really started. Robbed of a tasty encounter at the front, we watched an F1 masterclass by Keith...

   

There was no way he was backing off, banging in a series of sub-4 second laps to completely annihilate the opposition. Behind him, Darren wrung everything he could out of white lane as Pete did in yellow. But they were in their own battle. Out front, Keith stormed through the finish line, scoring an absolutely massive 24.50 laps - smashing his best from the heats - and drawing a round of applause from those who'd stayed to the bitter end. Darren's 20.85 in white was impressive, beating Deborah's heat best in that lane by nearly one and a half laps. Pete rolled in with a 18.90 in yellow, not quite matching his heat score. But this race was all about Keith...

   

Huge congratulations to Keith on his first race win of 2024. Congrats also go to Ollie for another junior medal and to Ozzy for finishing top rookie by some distance.

Here are all the results from the finals...

   
Click on the image to make it bigger.

We have a big debt of gratitude to Ash for recording all the scores and best laps on paper.

Next, we'll have the updated club championship and rookie tables...