Smyth and Dempsey enjoy another duel in first WHT semi-final

Photo: Ida Wood

Team Dolan’s Jason Smyth won the first Walter Hayes Trophy semi-final, pipping B-M Racing’s poleman Jordan Dempsey.

The pair switched positions at the race’s opening corner, and led a train of cars through lap one. Wayne Poole Racing’s Josh Fisher was third, ahead of Ammonite Motorsport duo Haarni Sadiq and Hugh Esterson, and Joey Foster whose car is being run jointly by Pirate M-Sports and Don Hardman Racing this weekend.

Dempsey’s first attempt to reclaim the lead was into Maggotts on lap three of 12, then he had to defend from Fisher there a lap later. But going into Brooklands he carried more speed and went right around the outside of Smyth who then cut off Fisher through Woodcote to avoid losing another spot.

Smyth was back ahead down the Wellington Straight on lap five, and Dempsey locked up at Brooklands.

It became a four-car fight as Sadiq and Foster resumed their heat battle mid-race and were gapped, and on lap seven Esterson filled both of Fisher’s mirrors before sweeping past him on the outside at Brooklands. The pair then began to fall away from Smyth, only running side-by-side again down the Wellington and pit straights on the penultimate lap.

Dempsey lowered the pace with a lap to go as he slipstreamed Smyth, and had a look at passing going into Maggotts for the final time before they had to navigate lapped traffic. Just 0.156 seconds split them at the finish.

Progression and last chance race winner Chris Middlehurst put in another starring drive. The Team Dolan driver started 25th, and was the fastest driver through most of the race. He gained seven places on lap one, four on lap two, three on laps three and four, and overtook Ammonite’s Jase Petty for seventh on lap five.

He had a lot of clear air thereon, but caught Sadiq on lap eight after he had lost fifth to Foster through a move around the outside exiting Becketts.

Middlehurst went around the outside of Sadiq at Copse on lap 10, resisted his counter-attack at Woodcote, then pursued Foster. He overtook him on the last lap, securing fifth by a tiny 0.099s.

Julian Van der Watt was ninth, and KMR Sport team-mate Andrew Schofield sat 11th before retiring in the pits on lap nine.

The top 18 finishers went through to the final, with Pirate M-Sports’ Leanne McShane securing that final spot.

Smyth and the rest of the frontrunners confirmed post-race they were on used tyres, saving their second set of the weekend for the final.

Race results (12 laps)