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SuperChamps - Round Seven
Daytona Tamworth
On a wonderful warm summer morning we welcomed back Superchamps to Daytona Tamworth for the penultimate round of the season. There was special intrigue on the DMAX class as this was the first round with the newly arrived DMAX fleet, meaning everyone was excited to get stuck in.
N-35 ST
Rhys Barker took pole overall and then went on to dominate the first race, beating Harry Fitch and Zachary Smith to the victory. In the Heavyweights, Will Kenny drag-raced Saul Gregory to the line to secure victory in the first race and pole for the final, with Kieran Bryant looking very quick in third.
Much like the first race, Barker stormed to a grand slam in the final, and of the round as well. He won by twenty seconds, which was carefully built up over the course of the twenty five minutes primarily because the drivers behind were battling so hard. It was a tossup who would make up the rest of the podium, with the rest of the top five overall separated by just 1.2 seconds at the line. Zachary Smith was in the fight for a very long time, but ended up spinning around at the final corner with about five minutes to go. This allowed Joseph Smith and Amelia Charlesworth to fight for second, an honour that would end up going to Harry Fitch, with Charlesworth in third. Will Kenny fended off Keelan Arnold to take victory in the Heavyweights, with Saul Gregory making up the rest of the podium.
DMAX
Joseph Simcock looked the best of the field through the qualifying session and into the first race, taking victory by six seconds ahead of season debutant, but Thursday Night League regular, Ben Foden. It was Ashley Mayston-King who set the pace in the Heavyweights after his strong DMAX Champs showing on Sunday, Demetri Wade being his closest competitor.
After a mechanical failure on the first lap leading to a race restart, the ultimate variable was added when the rain started to pour as the field started its first lap. Ben Foden, Rhys Barker, and Luke Dodman all fell foul of the conditions at turn three, planting themselves in the barrier and causing an extended full course yellow period for the first few minutes of the race. With all drivers okay and able to continue, Foden was able to rejoin the pack on the lead lap, setting himself up for a last-to-first challenge. What followed was an absolutely remarkable recovery, finding himself third heading onto the final lap and then making a superb move at the final hairpin on the final lap to claim victory. Joseph Simcock was second, with Toby Mawdesley keeping his nose clean in third. As for the heavyweights, James Estrop took victory but only just ahead of pace-setter Ashley Mayston-King. Demetri Wade continued his fine form by finishing in third.
Daytona Sandown Park
We welcomed drivers back to Daytona Sandown Park for the penultimate round of this season’s SuperChamps series. With the Championship battle heating up, this round carried an extra layer of excitement, and the arrival of a brand-new DMAX fleet only added to the anticipation.
SODI
A fresh wave of emerging talent took to the circuit in a youthful SODI class this round. Tyler Orridge grabbed pole in the Lightweights, while Frederic Navarro topped the timesheets in the Heavyweights. An incident involving Orridge in the Shootout allowed James Callan to seize the win, followed by George Beauchamp and Jamie Riches. Riches capitalised on the opportunity in the Final, taking the win ahead of Callan and Ceasar Chen. Navarro, meanwhile, delivered another commanding performance, finishing seventh overall and once again clinching P1 in the Heavyweights, a result that’s becoming a regular feature on the Daytona Sandown Park podium.
DMAX
In the DMAX category, thirteen drivers lined up to christen the new fleet. It was recent Thursday Night League Hall of Fame inductee, Charlie Foster, who claimed pole position in the Lightweight class. He went on to dominate both the Shootout and the Final, securing victory and reinforcing his case as a serious championship contender. Adam Palmer’s Round Seven got off to a rocky start, picking up a jump start penalty early in the race. However, he recovered superbly, charging back through the field to finish third overall. Just ahead of him was Ellis McKenzie, whose consistent form earned him a well-deserved P2. In the Heavyweight division, Benny Reid looked to be in a class of his own, securing an uncontested P1 while battling amongst the Lightweights on track.
Photos:
For all Daytona Championship photos and more, please click here.