For the second time this year the Maxxis British Drift Championship descended on Lydden Hill as the championship season began its conclusion.
For the first time ever the circuit was being used in reverse to differentiate it from round one in April when the races were completed in the track’s usual clockwise configuration. This meant that all the teams and drivers needed to adjust to their new, yet familiar surroundings.
In order to become prepared for the weekend of racing as well as the new reverse track layout the drivers set out on Saturday morning as early as possible to avoid the oncoming torrential rain which was forecast at the East Kent circuit; some were able to adjust their skills to accommodate the ayout whereas others were not so lucky as the unforgiving walls around the track took many victims in morning’s practice with qualifying following soon after in which every driver looked for a top 16 finish, earning them a place in the next day’s races.
Despite the rumours of heavy rain throughout the weekend the weather was kind to the racers on Sunday morning which meant that racing was able to go on with no problems, top qualifiers Tony Walker (Semi Pro), Gary Dunne (Pro) and Lluis Lopez (Super Pro) were prepared to lead their respective races from the start in the hope of being able to succeed and bring a victory to the next weekend of racing.
In the first race of the day it was close from start to finish between Ben Rowland and Marck Glegg as both Semi Pro racers attempted to get the maximum amount of points from the race after a long, tough battle between both driver’s BMW’s it was Rowland who was able to finish ahead of Glegg with Mike Jankowiak taking the final podium place.
The pro race was also decided after a breakaway from two drivers, Adam Weeden and Richard Grindrod contested jostled throughout the race for the top position with Weeden being able to finish before his competitors to take first place, Grindrod took second with Gary Dunne taking third in the increasingly difficult conditions as rain travelled across Kent.
In the final race Shane Sullivan who won round three of the championship was closely challenged by David Waterworth, despite the pressure from Waterworth, Sullivan was able to take first place again meaning that he has won in successive weekends of racing; Phil Morrison was able to finish in third to complete the podium.
Despite the increasingly challenging conditions as the weekend developed a set of three entertaining races was enjyed by a good crowd at Lydden. There is only one complete weekend of racing remaining now, but on September 7th the super pro drivers will head to Silverstone to take part in their penultimate weekend before they join up with their semi pro and professional counterparts at Anglesey for the championship’s final weekend on September 20-21st.