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DEMPSEY ON TOP AGAIN AT OULTON
18 April, 2006: Ireland's Peter Dempsey underlined his desire
to follow his countryman Charlie Donnelly into the UK Formula Ford
record books, yesterday (Mon) claiming his second successive race
victory in the rejuvenated Ford-backed championship.
Following his rousing Easter Saturday win in UKFF round one,
20-year-old Dempsey, from Ashbourne, County Meath, started
Monday's Oulton Park sprint as firm favourite, and he did not
disappoint. His Irish Ferries-backed Ray led all the way from pole
position to victory despite the very close attentions of Nathan
Freke's Jamun-run Mygale, inches behind throughout the 12 laps.
Dempsey's double-top earns him a nine-point advantage over
Freke in the championship standings.
As on Saturday, 25 cars made the starting grid - 17 of them
equipped with Ford's impressive new 1600cc powerplant - and they
provided the Bank Holiday Monday crowds with some brilliantly
close action.
Dempsey made a blinding getaway from the pole, but was hotly
pursued by the man he beat on Saturday, Nathan Freke. "I made
a better start than on Saturday," said Peter, "and I had
the pace to get away from him, but then I made a slight mistake at
Cascades on lap three and went on to the grass and he got right on
to me again. I couldn't really shake him off from there."
Kidderminster racer Freke was all over Dempsey's gearbox for
the duration, the pair of them locking brakes at almost every
corner as they tussled for the win. In the end, however, Freke had
to settle for second once more: "I tried my best but Peter
drove a tremendous race," said Nathan. "He defended
every inch and made all the right moves." Dempsey was less
than two-tenths ahead at the chequered flag.
Christian Ebbesvik held third throughout - fighting off
challenges from both Steve Roberts and Nick Tandy - to record his
maiden UKFF podium with Team JLR. It more than made up for the
Norwegian's disappointing Saturday outing, which ended prematurely
with a damaged car. "That was a bit better," said
Christian, "but still we have some problems with the car. I
must hope for better for the rest of the season."
Tandy, third on Saturday, might have made it two podiums in a
row but got a little too close to Ebbesvik's Van Diemen on the
ninth lap, right after setting fastest lap of the race. The slight
contact which ensued bent one of the trackrods on Tandy's Ray and
he was forced to back off and defend his fourth place from the
attentions of Ulsterman Richard Tannahill in the final three laps.
Tannahill was the only finisher for Kevin Mills Racing after
Steve Roberts' Van Diemen went out at Cascades on the fourth lap.
James Nash was sixth for the Fluid squad, with Stuart Gough
seventh and once again the Clubmans Class victor, just ahead of
David Mayes. Linton Stuteley and Sean Gaffney rounded out the top
10, with reigning Scottish Formula Ford Champion Joe Tanner 11th.
Young Brazilian Adriano Buzaid, 18-year-old son of 1984 Formula
Ford champion Alvaro Buzaid, claimed 12th and his first
Scholarship Cup win for Eau Rouge Motorsport with a narrow victory
over the Fluid Motorsport Van Diemen of Japanese racer Takashi
Nagase.
Provisional results UKFF round 2, Oulton Park, 15/04/2006. 12
laps / 32.30 miles
1, Peter Dempsey, IRL/Ashbourne, Dempsey, Ray, 20m 47.527s
2, Nathan Freke, UK/Kidderminster, Jamun, Mygale, +0.175s
3, Christian Ebbesvik, NOR/Bergen, JLR, Van Diemen, +0.292s
4, Nick Tandy, UK/Bedford, Ray, Ray, +6.362s
5, Richard Tannahill, UK/Coleraine, Kevin Mills, Van Diemen,
+6.436s
6, James Nash, UK/Newport Pagnell, Fluid, Van Diemen, +12.418s
Scholarship Cup: Adriano Buzaid / 12th overall +45.047s
Clubmans Cup: Stewart Gough / 7th overall +28.416s
Fastest lap: Tandy 1m 42.789s
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