Mini Challenge JCW title
contenders Gornall (l) and
Harrison clashed in finaleAL
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Ex-BTCC racer Smith took
a narrow victory in the
second Mini Se7en contest62 AUTOSPORT.COM 25 JULY 2019CLUB AUTOSPORT NATIONAL REPORTSFront-row men Gornall and Zelos got
sideways at Druids on the opening lap of
race two, allowing Harrison into a lead he
wouldn’t relinquish. Gornall held second
while Zelos had to fight back past Lewis
Brown and Palmer for third.
From sixth on race three’s reversed
grid, Harrison slipped back further after
opening-lap contact, before recovering
to pass Gornall for fourth at Druids three
laps from home. Harrison was penalised
one second – behind Gornall – and three
licence points (equating to 30 championship
points) for contact but his appeal was
upheld. Gornall had seven days to decide
whether to make a counter-appeal.
Palmer dominated the race, with Rory
Cuff securing a maiden podium in second
and Zelos third. Palmer might have had
even more to celebrate, having led theBRANDS HATCH
MSVR
20-21 JULYThe Mini Challenge JCW championship
battle intensified at Brands Hatch as
title rivals Nathan Harrison and James
Gornall clashed in the last race. The pair
took a win apiece, with Ben Palmer also
victorious in the triple-header that
headlined the Mini Festival.
Harrison consolidated his championship
lead with some battling efforts, bouncing
back after struggling in wet qualifying
when he salvaged fifth on the grid for race
one, only after pitting late on for scrubbed
wets. From there, he finished third behind
Gornall and polesitter Dan Zelos after
losing out when attempting to go three-
wide into Druids with Gornall and Palmer.Mini Festival produces no shor tage of drama
opener by 2s until an off at Surtees left him
with damage that dropped him to fifth.
Former British Touring Car
Championship racer Jeff Smith claimed
his first Mini Se7en victory in a frantic
race two after cutting back and passing Joe
Thompson into Druids on the final lap.
Spencer Wanstall played his part in an
entertaining lead battle, repeatedly braving
it around the outside at Paddock, before
contact with Dom Burger pitched him
into the pitwall, inflicting damage that
ended his race half a lap later.
A day earlier Smith thought his maiden
success had come when he won on the road
from pole position, only to be hit by a 10s
penalty for an out-of-position start. Smith
and fellow front-row starter Wanstall’s
penalties were initially rescinded (both said
they had been confused by seeing a digital
green flag alongside the start lights), then
upheld. Darren Thomas inherited the win
having climbed from sixth on the grid.
Masters Historic Formula 1 champion
Nick Padmore produced a repeat of his
performance in last year’s Mini Festival
as he claimed a brace in another of his
semi-regular Mini Miglia appearances. After
an 8.7s win from reigning champion Aaron
Smith in the opener, Padmore had to work
much harder in race two. Smith shadowed
him throughout but couldn’t find a way
past. Rupert Deeth wasn’t able to match the
leaders’ pace in third, hampered by running
his second-choice engine after retiring from
Saturday’s race with gearbox failure.
The Champion of Brands Formula Ford
1600 grid was bolstered by several drivers
seeking track time at the venue ahead of