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VICTOR VICTORIOUS, ADRIAN ALSO

13 July, 2008: The British Formula Ford Championship welcomed two new race winners at Brands Hatch today, Adrian Campfield claiming not only his maiden championship victory but also the first for a Kevin Mills Racing Spectrum chassis, while young Brazilian Victor Correa took a hard-fought win ahead of his Jamun team-mate and championship leader Wayne Boyd.

Ironically it was a collision involving Correa and Boyd which cleared the way for Campfield's victory in race one, and though Boyd came away win-less from Brands (the first time this year he has failed to win at least one race in a weekend) the Ulster teenager's lead in the Ford-backed championship is barely altered at 54 points, with five races remaining.

Brands Hatch always provides the closest in Formula Ford racing, even on the 2.3-mile Grand Prix circuit, and both of the day's sprints were super-close slipstreamers. The first looked likely to turn out another Jamun Racing 1-2 as pole position man Boyd and Correa disputed the lead over the opening five laps, with the Brazilian claiming top spot on the opening lap after making the better getaway. Boyd charged past Correa on lap four to regain the lead and, with Campfield and Matt Hamilton's JTR Mygale in close company for third and fourth, the scene was set for a battle royal to the flag.

Alas for Boyd, Correa and Hamilton the three of them tangled out of Clearways on lap six, a collision race stewards were later to put down as a racing incident. Fortunately none had their race ended, but all three were delayed and a very grateful Campfield found himself out in front.

Adrian may have been handed the lead, but he certainly wasn't handed victory; for that he had to work harder than he had ever done before as Tim Blanchard's Jamun Mygale piled on the pressure for the next seven laps. In the end even the Aussie battler was unable to prevent a Spectrum win, the first in 2008 for any chassis other than a Mygale. "It's unbelievable," said a delighted Campfield. "We have had such a bad run of luck all year that finally to win is just amazing. I found it a real struggle to keep up with Wayne and Victor early on, and then when they went off it was a case of holding my nerve to the end."

Campfield was less than half a second ahead of Blanchard at the line, with the rejuvenated Van Diemen of Dane Marco Sorensen third to claim his first podium finish since April's Oulton Park races. Chris Maliepaard's Getem Mygale charged up from eighth on the grid, past the other Fluid Van Diemen, driven by David Brown, to take fourth, and Linton Stuteley was right in Brown's wheeltracks for sixth.

To add to the Kevin Mills team's joy, Glen Wood placed seventh to end his run of no-score results and Alex Jones claimed a commanding Scholarship Class victory in his Spectrum, ahead of Chrissy Palmer's Ray. Boyd recovered to 10th, behind the cars of Rogier de Wit and James Cole, Correa finished 12th and Hamilton 15th.

A seven-car slipstreaming battle for victory kept the spectators more than entertained during the second Formula Ford epic, the outcome of which was not decided until the last corner. Once again it was Boyd and Correa who were in charge at the sharp end of the fight, but fortunately this time their Mygales did not meet physically.

Boyd led from the pole to the end of the fifth lap but was powerless to prevent Correa nabbing the lead from him through Paddock Hill Bend next time around. "I just didn't have the pace to stay ahead," said Wayne, "and once he was in front Victor drove brilliantly to defend his position." Boyd tried every trick in his repertoire to try to force an error from Correa; none came and the Brazilian was the winner by less than three-tenths of a second. "It was a very hard race," said Victor. "It's my first win and I am very happy. I hope to have more."

Campfield held third from beginning to end and had his hands full trying to keep behind him the battling Van Diemens of Sorensen and Brown, each of which took its turn in fourth. Sorensen held that position on the final lap, with Maliepaard nicking fifth at the last from Brown. A subdued Blanchard came home seventh ahead of Hamilton, JTR guest driver Peter Dempsey and Stuteley. Scholarship Class honours on this occasion went to Palmer after Chrissy's Ray and the Spectrum of Jones made contact at Druids on the fourth lap.

 

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