Josh Smith soaks up the pressure and rain to win 2024 FFord Festival

Photo: Ida Wood

Oldfield Motorsport’s Josh Smith soaked up pressure from several drivers to win the Formula Ford Festival for a second time.

The 2018 victor inherited the lead following an incident at Clearways early on, and was involved in another incident there late on that proved crucial for retaining it.

Smith started fourth, sandwiched between Team Dolan’s drivers. Chris Middlehurst, Jordan Kelly and Jason Smyth were ahead, and Morgan Quinn was just behind.

Kelly drew alongside Middlehurst straight away off the line and led into Paddock Hill Bend while Luke Cooper (Swift Cooper) jumped from sixth to fourth.

Middlehurst ran wide at Druids but did not lose control of his car, and at the end of lap one trying to squeeze to the inside of Kelly. He had to back out of the move, but Smyth was less cautious when he saw the top two leaving the door open at Clark Curve.

Light contact with Kelly sent both spinning, and Middlehurst was also compromised so Smith charged past to lead. Ammonite Motorsport’s Hugh Esterson also profited to take third from Cooper, and Smyth continued in 13th. B-M Racing’s last chance race winner was 16th, having started 25th.

In ninth place but the fastest man on track was Pirate M-Sports’ Joey Foster, who was one of a few drivers on fresh tyres. He set fastest lap after fastest lap and, having started 22nd, was already in eighth by lap three.

On lap four he tried to go around the outside of Tom Nippers at Graham Hill Bend but slid off and fell back behind Charlie Mann (Mann Motorsport) and Smyth. He quickly recovered the places lost and passed Nippers at the end of lap six.

He went by at B-M Racing’s Jonny McMullan at Druids on lap seven, with Cooper getting back ahead of Esterson at the same corner. the top two, split by 0.3 seconds, broke clear of the rest of the pack and Foster used clean air to set another fastest lap next time by.

Foster darted down the inside of Quinn into Paddock Hill Bend on lap nine for fifth, but did not get the move complete until near the top of Hailwoods Hill. A different approach was taken on lap 11, as Foster coasted into Druids and carried the speed – and used as much road as possible – to go past Esterson.

Racing was then paused due to Foster’s team-mate Leanne McShane going off at Clark Curve, and while the safety car was out the race was extended from 20 to 23 laps.

Foster’s grip adavantage enabled him to immediately go straight around the outside of Cooper for third on the lap 15 restart, and he almost hit the rear of Middlehurst down the Cooper straight due to his pace advantage exiting Graham Hill Bend. He went around his outside at Paddock Hill Bend next time by, and ended the lap right behind Smith.

However he was denied another opportunity to overtake due to yellow flags at the first corner as Kelly had gone off, and then the safety car was summoned again and another two laps were added to the race duration.

There were six laps to go on the next restart, and Foster had enough grip to head to the outside line early at Clearways.

Smith had a sideways moment entering the pit straight and found Foster and Middlehurst right on his rear and expertly planted his car at every corner where Foster wanted to pass until they reached Clearways on lap 22.

Foster again went for the outside, and had a wheel alongside as Smith slowed and looked unsure of what line he wanted to take. His car drifted to the very outside, leaving Foster grass-bound and then spinning as he rejoined due to contact with Smyth.

Smith held off Middlehurst after that to win, with Cooper shaking off Esterson for third. Quinn and Rory Smith, who gained 19 places, were just behind him in fifth and sixth.

Post-race: Josh Smith and Foster’s near clash was reviewed by the clerk of the course following a report of Smith having crowded his rival off, and nearly two hours after the finish the decision was made that no further action would be taken. Middlehurst was the second driver involved in the decision, and appealed it, although Foster did talk to the clerk as testimony.

Mann was also disqualified from ninth place for overtaking under yellow flag conditions.

Race result (25 laps)