McArthur wins WHT last chance race with late Parks and Wills passes

Photo: Ida Wood

B-M Racing’s David McArthur went past the battling Gavin Wills and David Parks to win the Walter Hayes Trophy last chance race.

McArthur had finished second in the progression race earlier in the day, putting him 21st on the last chance race grid.

Jaap Blijleven started on pole, but was swiftly passed by Wills as Parks – from seventh on the grid – tried to charge up the order. Exiting Brooklands there was a big crash, with Henry Campbell heading off backwards at high speed, Team Dolan’s Isaac Canto da Silva stopping entirely and then Speedsport’s massively inexperienced Melly Zhang clouting the rear of his car and destroying her own.

Red flags waved, and the race restarted some time later with the original grid order but without the three crashed cars.

Wills again went to the inside of Copse to take the lead, as Benn Simms went to the outside and passed several cars to end lap in sixth from 13th on the grid. Parks also made light work of the cars ahead, and at Brooklands made a diving move for third.

Other drivers making strong progress were McArthur, who was up 10 places, Stephen O’Connor who was up nine in 14th and Jan Magnussen up seven in 17th.

Simms passed Alex Fores into Brooklands on lap two, which set up a race-long battle between the pair as Parks got onto the rear of Wills up front and also began a lengthy duel.

On lap three Simms slipstreamed past Blijleven down the Wellington Straight, with Fores daring to also get past around the outside of Luffield and actually pulling it off to be able to quickly return to being on Simms’ rear.

McArthur was seventh after three laps, with O’Connor and Magnussen in 11th and 14th, and he was able to close in very quickly on the cars ahead due to their battling. First and third was disputed at Brooklands on lap four, then Fores tries the outside of Maggotts on lap five but Simms had more speed through Becketts.

On lap six they were cleared by McArthur, and James Hadfield got involved in what was briefly a four-car scrap. He went three-wide with Simms and Fores into Brooklands and passed the latter, then cleared Simms on lap seven.

Simms ran wide exiting Becketts on that lap, allowing Fores to attack again. He held the inside line at Brooklands, and Jake Shortland thought about a three-wide maneouvre before tucking back in behind. It was similar on lap eight, with O’Connor cutting and diving through the older cars, who were still battling each other.

On the penultimate lap McArthur passed Parks at Maggotts, but Wills kept his car planted on the racing line and was harder to pass. He eventually snatched the lead around the outside of Brooklands but they made contact, which allowed Parks to take second. Wills had more speed through the final corner though and got back ahead of Parks in a photo finish.

Hadfield and O’Connor were fourth and fifth, Simms continued to hold off Fores in sixth, and Magnussen was 11th.

Formula Scout got confirmation that Canto da Silva was uninjured, and Zhang was sent to the medical centre.

Last Chance race result (10 laps)