Ollie Chadwick ended the Donington Park weekend as he started it; on top. Though it wasn’t easy for the Ginetta GT5 Challenge champion as Ryan Hadfield finished under a cars length behind.
It was good start for second place Ian Robinson who leaped into the lead from second, demoting Steven Wells. Jostling between Robinson, Wells and Matt Palmer for the lead allowed their rivals to close in.
Chadwick had been edged wide by Alex Toth-Jones into the first corner, but neither him or R Hadfield were prepared to fall back. Within two laps, Chadwick and R Hadfield made it into first and second.
Further back, it got worse for Robinson who was demoted towards the back after losing it in the opening sector. Toth-Jones and Matt Chapman were handed 10 second penalties for jumping the start as the order settled down with Palmer in third.
The safety car had been summoned after Jac Constable ended his race in the gravel, not helping his team-mate break away.
Chadwick failed to break the tow of R Hadfield as the top two pulled away from the battle for third. Palmer had held off Matt Flowers at the restart, but it was Wells joined to make it a three car fight for the final podium place.
Chadwick was almost bump drafted over the line by R Hadfield as the R+J Motorsport driver helped his bid for second in the series. Chapman had crossed the line in third yet his penalty dropped him back, despite this, he claimed the vice-champion role.
This promoted Palmer to third overall as Flowers and Wells narrowly followed him over the line. Chapman was classified sixth as Mohammed Elshimy collected seventh after a final lap overtake on Glen Broster, the winning Am driver.
