3 October 2009: Chrissy Palmer's 24th-round win was a masterclass in wet-track driving, the 18-year-old gaining the lead on the opening lap - after losing pole advantage to the impressively fast-starting Dan Cammish - and holding on to it all the way to the chequered flag despite seeing his hard-won lead diminished by a brief interruption from the safety car.

Once he'd dealt with Cammish, who had nipped to the front as early as Folly corner, Palmer's superiority in the damp was such that he'd built a one-second lead by the end of the opening lap. By lap six it was up to six seconds, with James Cole now his closest pursuer after the champion-elect had stolen second from Cammish.

With several cars having spun off, notably the Van Diemens of Garry Findlay and Fabio Gamberini at Quarry, race directors brought the safety car into play for a lap to clear the debris. This was a gift for Josef Newgarden, who was running fifth, having fought back from 10th after a second-lap spin, and for Josh Hill, who had started from the back with a 10-second penalty because of a technical infringement in qualifying.

Newgarden nailed the restart to pass both Alex Jones and Cammish, then slotted into second before the eighth lap had ended by passing a cautious Cole. Driving like a man possessed, Hill meanwhile leapt from eighth to fourth, and then dived down the inside of Cammish at Camp Corner next time around to slot into third and claim his second podium finish of the season.

That settled the top three, but there was still plenty of excitement to come. A spin by Cammish saw him slip to sixth behind Cole and Dan's KMR team-mate Jones. Then, as Cammish tried to repass Alex through Quarry on the penultimate lap, their Spectrums touched and both spun out.

Felix Fisher was the grateful recipient of fifth place, the Somerset driver making up for a warming-up lap spin in the works Juno, with Ben Barker sixth and the sole Van Diemen finisher, ahead of Daniel Erickson, whose Spectrum was handed a contentious stop/go penalty for an alleged track infringement.

Thanks to Cammish's demise, eighth-placed Josh Benson was the Scholarship Class victor by a 10-second margin from Kieran Vernon, who was at the wheel of an Enigma Motorsport Mygale for the day. Dan de Zille, Jordi Cunill and Zaamin Jaffer completed the finishing order.

Race 2
Palmer made a better getaway from the pole this time to lead Cole and Newgarden into turn one, with Josef lifting second place from Cole with a brave move around the outside at Camp at the end of the opening lap.

Josef was determined not to let Palmer get away with this one, the JTR driver closing the Jamun man down over the next four laps and then nipping past for the lead through the Esses on the fifth tour. But Chrissy was every bit as resolute and there followed one of the toughest and closest battles for victory that has been seen all season - a fitting end to a great championship year.

By lap seven Newgarden had eased into a 1.2s lead. Palmer whittled away at the American's advantage lap by lap, posted the best lap of the race on lap 11, and then bettered his own mark next time around and repassed his rival out of Tower Corner into the bargain. Chrissy clung on to the lead for the final two laps, with Josef backing off only on the final lap to allow his rival a 1.1s victory.

Third-placed Cole tried to join the fight but spun at the Esses mid-race. The new champion got going again but placed only ninth; ironically it was his worst finish of the season.

Having failed to finish race one, Garry Findlay's championship third position was under threat from Palmer. Garry responded in style, making a great start in his Van Diemen and passing Cammish for fourth just after mid-distance. Cole's problem promoted Findlay to third in the race and secured Garry's overall championship third into the bargain.

Erickson, Barker and Hill also found their way past Cammish to finish fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. Cammish came home seventh overall and, for the 17th time this season, first in the Scholarship Class. Jones stayed ahead of Cole for eighth, with Rogier De Wit, Cunill and Patrick McKenna completing the top 12.

Links  |    Teams area   |    Archive  |    Site map  |