Cliff Dempsey Racing?s Jonathan Browne cruised to victory in the first Formula Ford Festival semi-final, while Jordan Dempsey departed the race after one corner.
Polesitter Browne led the field from the start to take victory, mastering a early safety car restart after contact with Don Hardman Racing’s Joey Foster at Paddock Hill Bend put Kevin Mills Racing’s Dempsey out of the race.
Team Dolan?s Matt Cowley, who won the first heat, finished 5.477 seconds behind Browne, and only just ahead of Dempsey’s team-mate Michael Eastwell.
The most thrilling scrap through the race was between Foster, Callum Crawley and Ross Martin.
BRSCC National FF1600 champion Martin came out on top in that duel, with Foster dropping back late on but holding off Crawley. Alan Davidson, in a 30-year-old car, finished was just behind them.
Max Marzorati charged up the grid to finish eighth, ahead of B-M Racing team-mate Tom McArthur and Team Dolan’s Morgan Quinn.
Ollie White started at the front but could only manage 11th, with the final automatic qualification spot for the final taken by?Ivor McCullough. Crucially, he edged Michael MacPherson by 0.006s to that spot.
Another to miss out was impressive Team Canada scholar Jonathan Woolridge, who finished 15th.
Race results (15 laps)
| Pos | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonathan Browne | Cliff Dempsey Racing | 14m16.457s |
| 2 | Matt Cowley | Team Dolan | +5.477s |
| 3 | Michael Eastwell | Kevin Mills Racing | +5.649s |
| 4 | Ross Martin | Team Dolan | +8.147s |
| 5 | Joey Foster | Don Hardman Racing | +11.567s |
| 6 | Callum Crawley | Kevin Mills Racing | +12.896s |
| 7 | Alan Davidson | Harris Racing | +12.995s |
| 8 | Max Marzorati | B-M Racing | +13.215s |
| 9 | Tom McArthur | B-M Racing | +13.387s |
| 10 | Morgan Quinn | Team Dolan | +13.818s |
| 11 | Ollie White | Souley Motorsport | +14.437s |
| 12 | Ivor McCullough | Team DDR | +14.693s |
| 13 | Michael Macpherson | Kevin Mills Racing | +14.709s |
| 14 | Ryan Campbell | +26.280s | |
| 15 | Jonathan Woolridge | Cliff Dempsey Racing | +33.518s |
| 16 | James Hadfield | B-M Racing | +36.096s |
| 17 | Colm Blackburn | Motorsport Car Preparation | +36.184s |
| 18 | Logan Hannah | Graham Brunton Racing | +36.433s |
| 19 | Simon Hadfield | Simon Hadfield Motorsport | +37.892s |
| 20 | Peter Daly | Don Hardman Racing | +38.247s |
| 21 | Andrew Blair | +38.780s | |
| 22 | Kevin McLurg | +45.195s | |
| 23 | Henry Campbell | +46.667s | |
| 24 | Stuart Kestenbaum | Don Hardman Racing | +1 lap |
| 25 | Andrew Pryke | +1 lap | |
| Ret | Kenny Cowie | Rotor Racing | |
| NC | Bryce Aron | Oldfield Motorsport | +7 laps |
| Ret | Stephen Mawhinney | ||
| Ret | Dan Rene Larsen | ||
| Ret | Jordan Dempsey | Kevin Mills Racing | |
| Fastest lap: Browne, 50.263s | |||