Rackstraw and Ensor-Smith deliver KMR Sport 1-2 in WHT semi-final two

Photo: Ida Wood

Andrew Rackstraw and KC Ensor-Smith delivered KMR Sport a one-two finish in the second Walter Hayes Trophy semi-final.

The pair started first and third, with Team Dolan’s Chris Middlehurst between them and Swift Cooper’s Luke Cooper and Rob Hall immediately behind.

Ensor-Smith mirrored several of his team-mates this weekend in making a slow start and dropping several places, as Middlehurst snatched the lead and the top three quickly broke away. TM Racing’s Felix Fisher passed and then Charlie Mann passed Hall, with Ensor-Smith dropping to seventh.

Rackstraw reclaimed the lead at Brooklands by going bold on the outside and sticking to the line, which became the inside for Luffield. Squabbling down the Wellington Straight on lap two turned the lead three into a lead six, with Ensor-Smith setting the fastest lap and gaining back a place after Hall went wide exiting Copse and dropped to 10th.

The group compressed again at Luffield on lap three, then Wayne Poole Racing’s charging Alex Walker set the fastest lap and made it a seven-car train lap four. Ensor-Smith went around the outside of Mann on that lap, with Walker following him through at Becketts, and at the end of the Wellington Straight the lead fight spiced up and Middlehurst had to back out of a move at the final second.

A great move at Copse on Fisher earned Ensor-Smith another spot on lap five, and he set another fastest lap to get within a second of the continually dicing top two.

Middlehurst went for the inside at Copse on lap six and seemed to get the move done, but between the corner exit and then entering Maggotts it was Rackstraw whose nose was back ahead slightly. He had a slide exiting Becketts and now Cooper was getting alongside, but Rackstraw managed to pull ahead again exiting the corner and then go around the outside of Middlehurst at Brooklands for the lead. At the same time, Ensor-Smith dived down the inside of Cooper.

Ensor-Smith’s next target was Middlehurst, and he was side-by-side with him on the run to Maggotts. Middlehurst gave him little room and it worked, but it meant he could no longer pressure Rackstraw.

The next overtake attempt by Ensor-Smith was around the outside of Copse on lap eight, but there was not enough grip, and behind Cooper and Walker were also ready to pounce.

Rackstraw weaved down the Wellington Straight in an attempt to deny Middlehurst the tow, and Middlehurst did the same which again helped him hold position.

Walker went around the outside of Cooper at Brooklands on lap nine, with Ensor-Smith unsuccessful with his overtake attempt there.

Ensor-Smith finally got through lap 10, and wasted no time in then trying to pass Rackstraw around the outside at Copse on the penultimate lap. Walker banged wheels with Middlehurst behind as he tried passing on the inside, and Cooper instead overtook Walker exiting the corner.

Rackstraw continued his tow-breaking approach through the final lap, as Middlehurst threatened a pass at Maggotts and Brooklands, and Dolan’s Jonathan Kotyk pressured Walker.

Victory went to Rackstraw by 0.7s, Ensor-Smith pipped Middlehurst by 0.05s and 0.16s split Cooper, Walker and Kotyk.

Four-time WHT winner Joey Foster rose from 17th to ninth before a lock-up by Fisher at Brooklands led to Foster heading wide and then into a half-spin. He dropped to 16th and recovered back to 11th, while Darwin Smith charged from 21st to 10th before retiring after clashing with Adam Higgins at Brooklands.

Semi-final 2 result (12 laps)