12 November, 2006: Eighteen-year-old Kent racer David Mayes was crowned the UK Formula Ford Winter Champion yesterday (Saturday), appropriately enough on his home circuit of Brands Hatch.

Mayes, who was at the wheel of what was comfortably the oldest car in the Championship class for Duratec-powered machines, a three-year-old Ray prepared by Marque Cars, was third in both of the Brands rounds.

His podium finishes were - when added to his top-four results from last weekend's Silverstone rounds - enough to clinch for him the championship title. "It's a great way to end my season," said a delighted David, "and I want to thank Marque for giving me such a reliable car. I hope very much to be back in UK Formula Ford next season because it's a superb training ground, but it will be a long slog over the winter to raise the budget."

Young Finn Jesse Krohn ran Mayes closest in the Ford-backed championship, finishing six points behind after strong showings in his Eau Rouge Motorsport 2006 Ray.

The Brands Hatch races were a demonstration run for Rochester-based 2006 champion team Jamun Racing and its drivers Jay Bridger and Marc Murray. Nineteen-year-old Bridger, another Kent man, and South African Murray duelled all the way in both races and ended honours even, Bridger taking victory in the first event by a tenth of a second and Murray turning the tables in race two to win by six-tenths.

Murray smashed the Brands Indy circuit lap record set by champion Nathan Freke in July in race one, then lowered the mark once again to under 48 seconds on his second outing.

There was disappointment for Silverstone race victors David Brown and Takashi Nagase; both retired from race one after their Van Diemens came together, ending their title hopes. Brown placed fourth, just ahead of Nagase, in race two.

Spaniard Marcello Conchado was the unrivalled Clubmans Cup victor in both Brands races to end the Winter season tied on points with Silverstone winner Stuart Kestenbaum. Sixteen-year-old Garry Findlay was the Scholarship Class victor.

Provisional results UK Formula Ford Winter Championship
Round 3, Brands Hatch, 11/11/2006. 23 laps / 27.58 miles
1, Jay Bridger, UK/Horsmonden, Jamun, Mygale, 20m 18.000s
2, Marc Murray, ZA/Pretoria, Jamun, Mygale, +0.119s
3, David Mayes, UK/Staplehurst, Marque, Ray, +3.181s
4, Jesse Krohn, FIN, Eau Rouge, Ray, +12.087s
5, Graham Carroll, UK, Kartstart, Van Diemen, +16.838s
6, Marcelo Conchado, ESP/La Coruña, Galuppo, Mygale, 22 laps
Clubmans Cup: Conchado
Scholarship Cup: no finishers
Fastest lap: Murray 48.038s / 89.85mph (rec)

Round 4, Brands Hatch, 11/11/2006. 25 laps / 29.97 miles
1, Murray, 20m 14.196s
2, Bridger, +0.674s
3, Mayes, +20.283s
4, David Brown, UK/Glasgow, Mills, Van Diemen, +20.435s
5, Takashi Nagase, JAP/Milton Keynes, Fluid, Van Diemen, +21.044s
6, Krohn, +31.642s
Scholarship Cup: Garry Findlay (UK/Van Diemen) / 9th overall, 24 laps
Clubmans Cup: Conchado / 10th overall, 23 laps
Fastest lap: Murray 47.950s / 90.01mph (rec)

Provisional championship placings
Overall
1 Mayes 98 points; 2 Krohn 92; 3 Brown 80; 4 Jason Down (UK/Getem) 74; 5 Nagase 73; 6 Carroll 72 etc.
Scholarship
1 Findlay 98.
Clubmans Cup
=1 Stuart Kestenbaum (UK/Ray) & Conchado 64; 3 Mark Williams (UK/Van Diemen) 52 etc.

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