Michael Eastwell wins at wet Brands Hatch in National FF1600

Michael Eastwell won the second BRSCC National Formula Ford 1600 race of the weekend in the wet at Brands Hatch.

The Kevin Mills Racing driver got away off the line better than polesitter Luke Cooper, and took the lead going into Paddock Hill Bend.

Next time round though Cooper had regained the lead, which he held until lap five of 17 when a slide from the Swift Cooper driver allowed Eastwell to take the lead again.

From here Eastwell was able to hold onto the position to take the third win of his part-season in the championship.

Cooper had to hold off pressure from B-M Racing’s Rory Smith during the second half of the race, but secured second place and was just 0.423 seconds off Eastwell at the chequered flag.

The safety car was deployed with eight minutes left on the clock when newly crowned Clubman class champion John Svensson and Max Marzorati tangled and ended up in the gravel at the top of Paddock Hill Bend.

James Clarke was the first of the Cliff Dempsey Racing drivers in fourth place, crucial in the battle for third in the standings, with team-mates Spike Kohlbecker and Jonathan Browne finished sixth and 10th.

Kohlbecker had been involved a battle with Team Dolan’s Chris Middlehurst after the race restart, but contact between the two resulted in Middlehurst going off track at Druids and a late retirement from the race.

Joey Foster recovered from his race one disappointment to finish fifth despite running off the track when the rain restarted.

Kenny Cowie started at the back of the grid after a retirement in race one but recovered to finish seventh and take Clubman victory.

Race results (17 laps)