Sharp wins first FFord Festival semi-final after lengthy grid drama

Photo: BRSCC

B-M Racing’s Jamie Sharp won the first Formula Ford Festival semi-final, where most of the drama happened on the grid.

Sharp made a strong start from second on the grid, and stuck to the outside rather than head to the inside as many had done during Saturday’s races. He swept past Ammonite Motorsport’s poleman Nolan Allaer into the lead easily and began to pull away.

Team Dolan’s Chris Middlehurst pressured Allaer at the end of lap one and looked to pass him on the outside line down the pit straight but tucked back in behind when they reached Paddock Hill Bend. When Allaer ran slightly wide at Druids that gave Middlehurst another chance, going side-by-side down Graham Hill before tucking in behind again.

The same happened at Surtees, with Middlehurst bailing on attempting an overtake, but this time it was because the race was red-flagged as Henry Chart and Bob Hawkins and gone off, with the latter’s crash leading to barrier repairs being needed.

The 14-lap race was later restarted with the original grid, meaning Allaer had the pole spot again. There was drama as the grid lined up as Vincent Jay waved to marshals to indicate he could not get his car started so yellow flags were waved until he was convinced he could get his engine running and then another formation lap was added.

Allaer did not get going, while Tom Nippers jumped the formation lap start. When Allaer did get his car running he was already in 26th and last place, meaning he had to take the proper start from last place. But instead he spent the formation lap overtaking as many people as he could. As Sharp and Middlehurst took their original grid slots, Allaer weaved between them to take the pole slot.

There was further drama as Jay realised again he could not get going, so marhals wheeled his car onto the grass and the race was reduced to 12 laps. Next to wave the arms with a start issue was Nippers, who was fifth on the grid, and two more laps were taken off the race distance.

Then Team USA scholar Jack Sullivan, his Ammonite team-mate Hugh Esterson and Dolan’s Jason Smyth signalled they could not get their cars started. Ayrton Houk, another Team USA scholar, was attended to along with Chart and Callum Grant, and the race was reduced to nine laps.

Ben Miloudi was the last driver who had a mechanic come to them on the grid before the one-minute board was shown and all personnel had to head back to the pitlane before two further formation laps.

When the race finally restarted Allaer held the lead through Paddock Hill Bend but hitting a damp patch on the run to Druids enabled Sharp to get down the inside of him. Houk went off at Clark Curve, but was able to rejoin the track.

More drama came on lap two as Esterson and Team Dolan’s Jordan Kelly banged wheels at Druids then Esterson went off at Graham Hill Bend. The safety car was called at the end of the lap due to Henry Sandblom going off, and some drivers slowed suddenly when they got the message.

Racing resumed on lap six and there was contact at Druids between Allaer and Middlehurst. Allaer spun down the order, while Nippers inherited third ahead of Kelly and Sullivan. Kelly passed Nippers on the penultimate lap.

Oldfield Motorsport’s Brandon McCaughan and Team Dolan’s Morgan Quinn came from what was originally 26th and 27th on the grid to finish seventh and 11th respectively, with the top 12 automatically progressing to the final.

Race result (9 laps)