28 August, 2006: Australian star of the future John Martin yesterday showed the UK Formula Ford Championship regulars the way they do it Down Under, winning at a canter the 12th round of the Ford-backed series at Brands Hatch.

The 22-year-old Queenslander was the class of the field in the new-to-Britain Spectrum chassis, taking a handsome victory after his chief race rivals tripped over each other on the final lap.

One of those to fall by the wayside in pursuit of the Aussie was championship leader Nathan Freke. It was Freke's first no-score of a fantastically successful season, and came after his victory on Saturday at Brands. With eight races remaining and despite the failure, Nathan leads the title chase by 90 points.

Freke's Saturday lights-to-flag win may have looked straightforward but Nathan's smooth on-track progress to his fifth victory of the season was only part of the story. Unseen by spectators were the tireless efforts of the Jamun Racing Services team to repair his Mygale for the race.

In qualifying Freke ploughed straight on through the Paddock Hill Bend gravel trap, causing front-end damage which could have brought a premature end to his racing weekend. Fortunately for Nathan, Jamun had the answer and, doubly lucky, the 22-year-old from Kidderminster had already done enough prior to his shunt to secure pole position for both races.

There were no mistakes from Freke in the race: he made a superb getaway to seize the lead at the first corner and, though his pursuers never allowed him a moment to relax, he claimed a relatively untroubled win. "The accident took the edge off things a bit," said Nathan, "but fortunately I had no problems in the race. I just tried to be as consistent as possible and managed to edge away."

The battle for the remaining podium placings was absorbing, Ireland's Peter Dempsey - returning after a 30-day drive ban - making an early bid for second in his Ray before being overhauled by Nick Tandy's similar car and the Van Diemen of Steve Roberts.

Dempsey soon faded, the result of "understeer and overdriving", to allow Tandy a clear run to the runner-up spot, while Roberts fell back after twice spinning at Graham Hill Bend.

All this handed Australian newcomer John Martin an ideal opportunity to shine on his UKFF debut at the wheel of his Spectrum. Eighth on the opening lap, Martin doggedly fought his way up to sixth by lap three and disposed of Dempsey, Roberts and Brazilian Adriano Buzaid to race on to an impressive third.

"I'm pleased," said Martin, "but not as pleased as I would have been if I had won. It's hard to come to a completely new circuit, into a new championship with a new car and be competitive. It's tough at the front here, so third is a good result." Martin is returning immediately to his homeland to defend his Australian Formula Ford Championship position but will be back in Britain next month.

Dempsey held on for fourth, with Jay Bridger fifth on his home circuit ahead of Richard Tannahill, Sean Petterson, Christian Ebbesvik, Buzaid, James Nash, Jonny Baker and Roberts.

Thirteenth overall and the Clubmans Class victor was another Kent-based driver, David Mayes, who finished more than three seconds ahead of class points leader Neil Tofts. Craig Bell was the third Clubman home.

David Brown, who arrived at Brands win-less but heading the Scholarship Cup points table, broke his duck with a comfortable class victory over Simon Kinsey after the other Scholarship runners, Takashi Nagase and Jamie Jardine, fell by the wayside.

Aussie battler Martin, emboldened by his first-race result, was in no mood to return home without a win on Sunday. He started from fourth on the grid, behind Freke, Tandy and Roberts and just ahead of Dempsey, and moved into third on the opening lap to give chase to Freke and Tandy.

Freke's tenure of the lead lasted but a lap before he was overhauled by Tandy, with Martin right on Nathan's tail and Buzaid close behind for fourth. Alas Adriano came a cropper at Hawthorns on lap four, spinning his Ray and being collected by Roberts' closely pursuing Van Diemen.

The incident triggered a two-lap safety car period, after which Martin made his move. He overhauled Tandy on the fast back section of the circuit and then nosed in front of Freke as they crossed the line to complete lap seven. By the end of the following lap the Spectrum was half a second clear and well on its way to victory.

But there were plenty more fireworks to come: into Surtees on the final lap the battle for second between Freke and Tandy took a grisly turn, their cars touching and spinning off. Jay Bridger was caught up also and all three finished their races several corners early.

Thus Martin romped to a handsome 3.3-second win. John was delighted: "That's what I came all this way for and naturally I am delighted."

Sean Petterson picked his way carefully through the last-lap carnage to claim a season-best second for Jamun, with Richard Tannahill notching up his first podium finish in third for the Kevin Mills team.

Dempsey, who survived a solo first-lap excursion at Paddock, later clashed at the same corner with James Nash, an incident which resulted in his later exclusion from fourth place. Thus Jonny Baker claimed fourth for Team JLR, another personal best.

Tofts beat Mayes to the Clubmans Class honours on this occasion, Neil taking fifth and David sixth, with Brown seventh ahead of his Scholarship Class rivals Nagase, Kinsey and Jardine. Craig Bell and Nick Lay completed the top 12.

Provisional results UKFF round 11, Brands Hatch, 26/08/2006
13 laps / 29.91 miles
1, Nathan Freke, UK/Kidderminster, Jamun, Mygale, 20m 06.954s
2, Nick Tandy, UK/Bedford, Ray, Ray, +3.036s
3 John Martin, AUS/Blackwater, Borland, Spectrum, +5.198s
4 Peter Dempsey, IRL/Ashbourne, Dempsey, Ray, +6.542s
5, Jay Bridger, UK/Horsmonden, Jamun, Mygale, +11.879s
6, Richard Tannahill, UK/Coleraine, Mills, Van Diemen, +12.062s
Clubmans Cup: David Mayes / 13th overall +32.930s
Scholarship Cup: David Brown / 15th overall +47.778s
Fastest lap: Freke 1m 32.011s / 90.02 mph (est rec)

Round 12, Brands Hatch, 27/08/2006. 9 laps / 20.71 miles
1, Martin, 16m 04.081s
2, Sean Petterson, ZA/Walton, Jamun, Mygale, +3.336s
3, Tannahill, +6.162s
4, Jonny Baker, UK/Farnham Cmn, JLR, Van Diemen, +6.704s
5, Neil Tofts, UK/Old Harlow, , Mygale, +9.953s
6, David Mayes, UK/Staplehurst, Marque, Ray, +10.194s
Clubmans Cup: Tofts
Scholarship Cup: Brown / 7th overall +11.861s
Fastest lap: Martin 1m 32.594s / 89.46mph

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