British championship at Croft

In an incredibly close finish, and after making a last corner pass on incoming champion Julian Godfrey, Andy Scott claimed second place in the Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship, pipping David Binks by 0.06s in the race and pushing the Fiesta driver down to third in the championship.

Scott qualified on pole position for the A final, Godfrey alongside him and again securing the five bonus points for fastest time of the day. David Binks, another of those in the battle for second place, completed the front row, Tony Bardy and “Mad Mark” sharing the second line. Kevin Procter led the third row, with retiring champion, and another of those still bidding for second place, Pat Doran, the last direct qualifier and joined at the back by Per Eklund who beat Steve Mundy, Gareth Wood and Simon Horton to win the B final in Scott’s Peugeot 306.

Godfrey made the best start and led the final, Scott and Binks running second with the top three immediately opening out a gap to Procter who made a great start to climb to fourth, Doran following him up the order. At the start of the second lap Godfrey made a small mistake and ran wide across the gravel trap in the first corner but was able to retain the lead. Procter had now closed on the lead trio, leaving Doran to fend off Bardy while “Mad Mark” and Eklund completed the order.

At the front, the race order appeared set, but in the last lap Scott sprung a surprise on Godfrey, “I think he was a little nervous, but I had much more speed than him on the gravel and when he saw me coming there he went a bit wide in the last corner and I got him,” said Scott. Binks also took his chance, passing Godfrey and running Scott close in the dash to the chequer, the pair split by 0.063s. Godfrey crossed the line in third place, philosophical about his defeat, “Andy got his nose alongside and made the space, and that forced me wide so Binks got past too, I wanted to win but the championship was the main thing and I’m very happy to have that,” he said as his team fixed the coveted ‘GB1’ race number to his Fiesta Supercar.

Bardy went out of the race in the last lap when the turbocharger in his Ford Puma failed, oil leaking from the turbo then causing an engine bay fire. With “Mad Mark” also failing to finish having had a very strong run in the heat, sixth placed Eklund was the last finisher.

Ash Simpson (Lotus Exige) was unchallenged as he bagged the Supernational victory, younger brother Russ (Citroën C2) taking the Hot Hatch class which had its biggest field of the year here. The four-car BMW Mini final was won by Kris Hudson. Dave Bellerby signed off his second Swift Sport Championship with his fifth win of the year, Aidan Hills the clear winner in the Junior championship, also with his fifth victory.

• Results
• Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship, A final (4 laps)
• 1 Andy Scott (Ford Focus II) 3m23.545s
• 2 David Binks (Ford Fiesta VII) 3m24.508s
• 3 Julian Godfrey (Ford Fiesta VI) 3m24.834s
• 4 Kevin Procter (Ford Focus II) 3m26.205
• 5 Pat Doran (Ford Focus) 3m30.750s
• 6 Per Eklund (Peugeot 306) 3m40.956s
• 7 Tony Bardy (Ford Puma) 3 laps
• 8 “Mad Mark” (Citroën Xsara) 2 laps
• Championship
• 1 Godfrey 173
• 2 Scott 160
• 3 Binks 156
• 4 Doran 143
• 5 Steve Hill (Mitusbishi Lancer E10) 132
• 6 Procter 108