Smyth wins as surprise rain hammers second FFord Festival heat

Photo: Ida Wood

Team Dolan’s Jason Smyth was victorious as rain spiced up the second Formula Ford Festival heat at Brands Hatch.

It was dry on the formation lap, but once Smyth had lined up on it started to rain the grid and Graham Hill Bend was drenched by the time the lights went out.

Smyth slid out of his box, and fellow front row starter Jordan Dempsey was immediately alongside on the outside. His nose was ahead going over the crest into the opening corner, but it was Smyth who led the field through Paddock Hill Bend.

After a brief reprieve at Druids, it was chucking it down at Graham Hill Bend and the top two broke away while PA Motorsport’s Ben Pwoney held third in his Jamun M92 after taking the position from Graham Brunton Racing’s Callum Baxter off the line.

In fifth was Callum Grant, in an even older Van Diemen RF91 and having started from eighth place.

Druids had joined the list of very slippery corners by lap two, and Baxter reclaimed third through Clark Curve. Next time by he ran wide at Druids and conceded the place again, but once more took the inside through Clearways and passed Powney.

Grant watched closely from behind and TM Racing’s Ricky Simpson joined their pack as the top two stretched their legs up front. They were almost a second per lap faster than the rest of the field, and were not squabbling with each other.

Dempsey got very close to Smyth’s rear multiple times, particularly once lapped traffic was involved, but with a dry set-up on a wet track it made no sense to make risks and the Dempsey followed Smyth home.

Powney lost out to Grant at Surtees on lap five, with the latter nailing a move around the outside, and Simpson then followed through into McLaren.

The rain cloud had moved across to Clearways by then, but Andrew Noble had a spin at Graham Hill Bend that led to him being another car to lap.

The cars that passed Powney initially gapped him, but Simpson went off at Druids on lap eight so fifth place was reclaimed. At the same time, Grant was really pressuring Baxter and went past on the inside into Graham Hill Bend.

“Tyres helped, and sending it on the first lap helped,” Grant said to Formula Scout, crediting the fact his older and smaller car ran a different tyre tread as he rounded out the podium places.

Simpson got back past Powney before even reaching Graham Hill Bend on lap eight, and at the finish he got a run on Baxter and finished just 0.096s behind him.

Heat 2 results (10 laps)