Mondello mix sets up final showdown at Croft

There was excitement and drama all the way at Mondello Park on Sunday (October 14) where Steve Hill (Aylesbury) claimed his win in a Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship event and where Ollie O’Donovan (London) edged ahead of Andrew Jordan (Lichfield) in the championship battle, setting the stage for a close battle in the final round at Croft this coming Sunday.

A qualifying round of the Irish Rallycross Championship, the Mondello event also attracted entries from former French champion Olivier Anne who raced his Citroën C4 for the last time before handing it over to new owner George Tracey (Mullingar), and from Swedish legend Per Eklund who drove his Saab 93 Aero and fielded his older 93 for Irish rally star Andrew Nesbitt (Armagh).

O’Donovan shared the front row of the Supercar A final with Eklund and Jordan but it was Anne, making a good start from the second row, who grabbed the lead and broke free to record a clear win. Nesbitt chased Anne home, but behind the lead pair the order was in constant flux and it was eventually Tommy Graham (Prosperous) who finished third, ahead of O’Donovan, Jordan, Dermot Carnegie (Dublin) and Tracey. Eklund retired in the first lap.

The place swapping of the A final was just a precursor to the Superfinal which was again led by Anne. This time, however, the Frenchman was out of luck as an alternator problem robbed his car of power and he was forced to stop in the third lap.

That allowed Carnegie to move ahead, but he was soon under pressure from Derrick Jobb (Fintona). Jobb took the lead in the fourth lap, but Carnegie went ahead again at the start of the fifth before being re-passed by Jobb.

The new leader also suffered with a faulty alternator and, as his Escort began to slow, the pack closed in. Hill was now second, ahead of O’Donovan and Carnegie and, when Jobb faltered exiting the last corner of the race it was Hill who won the dash to the chequered flag while Carnegie ducked around O’Donovan to land third place.

SuperModified Dave Bellerby (Northallerton) finished sixth in the Superfinal but, more importantly, collected his fifth win of the year in the SuperModified class and won championship for the second year running.

Bellerby was unbeaten, setting fastest time in all three qualifying heats and then sprinting to a clear win in the A final ahead of Irish racer Dessie Tierney (Cavan).

Teenage racer Ben Power (Welshpool) worked his way up to finish an outstanding third after winning his A final start by catching and passing James Bird (Midhurst) to win the B final.
Stock Hatch
Like the overall British title, the Yokohama Stock Hatch class will be decided in the final round. Irish driver Derek Tohill (Dublin) won the Mondello event in which current champion Julian Godfrey (Heathfield) claimed a last gasp second place by passing Michael Duke (Kingswood) on the finishing line.

Ash Simpson (York) took fourth place ahead of B final winner ian Fishbourne (Tallaght), the pair moving up after Keith Campbell (Carrickboy) rolled out of the race in the third lap.

Bill Gwynne Rallyschool Junior Rallycross Championship
Ben Rennison (Richmond) won the Bill Gwynne Rallyschool Junior Rallycross Championship after finishing second in the penultimate round.

Rennison started the A final from pole position and spent the whole race disputing the lead. Initially it was Rennison and George Tracey Jnr. (Mullingar) who fought for the lead, but Russ Simpson (York) then passed both to go ahead. Rennison eased ahead of Tracey and chased Simpson to the end of the race, but had to settle for second place.

The final round of the championship takes place at Croft, near Darlington, on Sunday (October 21).

Event details
Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship
Croft, off the A167 approx five miles south of Darlington.
Starts 0930. Adult admission £10, accompanied under 15s free.
Info: RallycrossUK.com, croftcircuit.co.uk, 01325 721815
Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross Championship