16 April, 2006: The UK Formula Ford Championship enjoyed a spectacular return to form yesterday (Sat) at Oulton Park with 25 cars tackling the Ford-backed championship's opening round.

It was the first ever race for Formula Ford's exciting new 1.6-litre Duratec powerplant, and it provided abundant close action and thrilling racing as Irishman Peter Dempsey earned his place in the record books as the maiden victor of the Duratec era.

Sam Roach, director of championship promoter RacingLine, was delighted: "To see 25 Formula Fords on the grid was a fantastic reward for all the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes to make the introduction of the Duratec engine possible. It was the largest grid seen so far this season in the UK for a manufacturer-backed single-seater championship, and that says everything."

Dempsey's progress to win number one and an early UK Formula Ford Championship lead provided more than enough excitement, even without the efforts of the other 24 drivers. The 20-year-old from Ashbourne, County Meath, qualified his Irish Ferries-backed Ray on the pole with a time two-tenths better than that of his nearest rival, Nathan Freke.

But it was Freke and his Jamun Racing Mygale who made the better grid getaway, the 22-year-old karting veteran outgunning Dempsey on the run down to Old Hall Corner. Peter tried everything possible to find his way past… trying a little too hard at the start of the third lap, when he missed a gear and received a tap from closely the pursuing Christian Ebbesvik. "That put me on to the grass and half the field went past me," said Dempsey. "It made things a bit exciting."

Dempsey slipped to fourth behind Freke, Nick Tandy and Steve Roberts, with Freke taking the opportunity to open out a three-second gap to his pursuers.

Peter was not going to let matters rest there, however. On his fourth lap he shattered the old Formula Ford lap record for Zetec-engined cars and went on to lower it a further two times as he deposed first Roberts and then Tandy to slip into second spot.

Entering the penultimate lap Dempsey still has more than a second to make up to catch Freke, but his dogged fight back was rewarded by an error from the Mygale pilot. "I didn't have the grip I needed," said Nathan. "I could see Peter catching me and then I locked a wheel going into the chicane, and that allowed him to get on to my tail."

Demspey made his move into Old Hall on the last lap, holding on to top spot at the chequered flag by a margin of just 34 thousandths of a second. "I was lucky he made a slight mistake," said Peter, "otherwise I would never have won it. Hopefully I won't make such a mess of the next race."

Tandy was delighted with third place in his works-run Ray, not least because he had had little chance for pre-race testing and had damaged his car early in qualifying. Roberts was fourth for the Kevin Mills team after surviving a late-race clash with Ebbesvik which brought about the Norwegian's retirement.

Ulsterman Richard Tannahill was fifth ahead of Jonny Baker, James Nash (Newport Pagnell) and Andrew Meyrick (Delamere). Stuart Gough (Nottingham) put in an excellent showing to claim ninth as leading Zetec finisher and Clubmans Cup victor, with Linton Stuteley (Hexham) 10th and Simon Kinsey (Holmes Chapel) taking 11th and Scholarship Cup victory after overhauling the race-long class leader, Brazilian Adriano Buzaid, on the final lap.

Dempsey is set to start from pole position once again in Monday's second round of the 2005 UK Formula Ford Championship.

Provisional results UKFF round 1
Oulton Park, 15/04/2006
12 laps / 32.30 miles
1, Peter Dempsey, IRL/Ashbourne, Dempsey, Ray, 20m 48.035s
2, Nathan Freke, UK/Kidderminster, Jamun, Mygale, +0.034s
3, Nick Tandy, UK/Bedford, Ray, Ray, +4.148s
4, Steve Roberts, UK/Whitchurch, Kevin Mills, Van Diemen, +10.260s
5, Richard Tannahill, UK/Coleraine, Kevin Mills, Van Diemen, +11.091s
6, Jonny Baker, UK/Farnham Common, JLR, Van Diemen, +12.448s

Scholarship Cup: Simon Kinsey / 11th overall +45.310s
Clubmans Cup: Stewart Gough / 9th overall +34.310s

Fastest lap: Dempsey 1:42.687 (est rec)

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