Jordan Kelly wins opening FFord Festival heat as Rory Smith non-starts

Photo: Ida Wood

The first heat of the Formula Ford Festival had immediate drama, and ended with a close victory fight as Brands Hatch dried up.

B-M Racing’s Rory Smith had pole, but before the lights went out to begin the race he pulled away from his grid box and then off the track with a reported driveshaft failure.

That meant Smiths Precision’s Darwin Smith started from the front, and he held off Team Dolan’s Jordan Kelly and Tom Nippers before the safety car was called out on lap one due to spinners.

On the lap three restart both Kelly and Nippers nosed ahead of Smith but he was back ahead before Druids. Right behind the top three were Swift Cooper’s Rob Hall, Mann Motorsport’s Charlie Mann and John’s Racing Team boss John Svensson.

Hall challenged Nippers into Clearways on lap four and looked to have got ahead before Nippers drew back alongside down the pit straight to end the lap ahead.

The top six split into two-car battles, and Hall attacked again on lap five but could not get through.

Smith meanwhile kept his car planted on the racing line, with Kelly making use of the slipstream but not being in a position to lunge past at Paddock Hill Bend. However soon traffic came into play.

The first akwardly placed car the lead group encountered was at Graham Hill Bend on lap six, then on lap eight of 12 they had to squeeze past Sigbjorn Maehlum at the same corner. Kelly emerged with the lead, despite a snap of oversteer, and Nippers also passed Smith .

In an attempt to keep his spot on the podium he almost pushed Hall off down the Cooper Straight, and the top two broke clear.

Nippers looked to the outside of Kelly at Paddock Hill Bend on lap 10 and had no luck, and as they encountered more traffic Kelly got just enough of a gap to not have to worry about the car behind on the run to the chequered flag at the end of lap 12.

Smith fell to eighth, and Mann finished a distant third ahead of Svensson, PWR1 Racing’s rapid Jason Pribyl.