British Rallycross Grand Prix

Julian Godfrey completed a highly successful season by adding the MSA British Rallycross Grand Prix title to the British Rallycross Championship that he won the second time yesterday.

The Croft event featured more or less the same entry as for Saturday’s BRC finale but was run in track conditions that were not as good, the circuit wet early in the day and remaining slippery throughout. Andy Scott was fastest in the second and third heats and started his Focus from pole for the Grand Prix itself, Pat Doran alongside after being fastest in the opening heat of the day. Doran had non-finished the second heat after fifth gear failed, a great effort from the Autopoint team running his Citroën DS3 getting the box stripped and rebuilt in time for Doran to race and set second fastest time in the third heat. British champion Godfrey, third fastest in the first and third heats, completed the front row of the grid.

Saturday pace setter Kevin Procter went out of his home event in the second heat when the engine in his Focus failed, the same race also losing Silvo Viitanen whose Fiesta was damaged in a first lap collision with Jos Jansen. The Belgian finished the race with a puncture on his Focus, but missed the third heat because of an engine management problem.

Godfrey made the best start to the final and led the pack to the first corner. Scott came through in second place and may well have challenged Godfrey had his Focus not suffered a broken driveshaft that forced him to slow his pace. Doran quickly grabbed second place but Godfrey had already made the break and was out of striking distance and on his way the Grand Prix title. Doran survived a last lap spin to retain second place ahead of Andy Grant who passed Mike Manning’s Puma to take third place when the latter’s car also suffered a broken driveshaft. Scott managed to nurse his Focus home in fifth place ahead of Simon Horton’s Subaru, Jansen and Steve Mundy. Steve Harris went off in the third lap of the race but otherwise enjoyed his best run of the year in his C4. Ash Simpson started his Lotus Exige from tenth on the GP grid and had a spirited run in the first lap, reaching sixth place before contact caused a puncture and left him with no option but to retire the car.

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