Ashley Sutton had a weekend of differing proportions at Knockhill in the latest round of the Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain for Rochester based Jamun Racing.
He looked unstoppable during practice on Friday and on Saturday firmed that up with pole position for the opening race of the weekend. He followed that up with a lights to flag victory in race one, which was even more impressive given the changeable conditions that he had to deal with throughout the race, and underlines his talents.
In race two he was challenging for the lead but went off into the tyre barrier at high speed approaching the final corner on the final lap, possibly pushing a little too hard in pursuit of victory and South African Jayde Kruger who drove for Jamun last season.
Then in the final race of the weekend he started at the back of the grid and worked his way back through to take fifth place. It was lucky for Sutton that the team had a spare car that he could take to the track in for the final race of the weekend.
Speaking after the second race of the weekend which he escaped from without injury Sutton explained just what happened in that last corner incident.
He said: “The throttle stuck on the second down change as I approached the hairpin. Once I realised what was happening I stamped on the throttle to try to unjam it, then back on to the brakes to try to stop it. But I was still going… Last lap, last corner, it’s a real shame.
“I had backed off by that point because the tyres had gone off a little; I pushed it that little bit too hard trying to catch Kruger.”
The season now takes a two week break before Sutton and Jamun Racing are back on track pushing for the top step of the podium at Rockingham, over the weekend of the 6th and 7th September.
Picture supplied by Jakub Ebery.