Following its mid-season break, the Ginetta Junior Championship returns to action this weekend with the title picture looking dramatically different to how it did following the last outing at Croft seven weeks ago.
That’s after the MSA National Court overturned the exclusions of Seb Priaulx, Matt Luff and Harry Dyson from the Thruxton meeting over apparent engine irregularities, meaning Priaulx is the new points leader.
The reigning Winter Series champion holds a sixteen point lead atop the standings, and he heads to Norfolk as the championship’s man in form with four victories in the last five races at Oulton Park and Croft.
The erstwhile championship leader was Priaulx’s JHR Developments team-mate Tom Gamble, who had seen front-running consistency propel him to the top, taking eight podium finishes including four wins.
Dan Harper and Harry King are ones to watch this weekend as race-winners at Snetterton last year, with King in particular in need of a return to the top step after only featuring twice on the podium so far this season.
Harper meanwhile still harbours title aspirations and will be determined to add to his four podium finishes this year, which include a victory at Donington Park, as he tries to begin closing his 86 point deficit to Priaulx.
Arguably the most impressive recent run of form comes from Harper’s Douglas Motorsport stablemate Kiern Jewiss, who has superbly taken five consecutive overall podiums and six Rookie wins on the bounce.
Sitting just above him in third overall in the points meanwhile is Tom Wood, who has quietly risen up the standings with superb consistency, he’s only finished outside the top six twice, coupled with regular podium visits.
Seven drivers have finished on the outright podium so far this season and eager to add their name to that roll call are Connor Grady and Jordan Collard, both of whom have secured multiple top six finishes.
Jewiss’ closest challengers in the Rookie class meanwhile are JHR team-mates Dyson and Adam Smalley, with Brands Hatch race-winner Dyson back in the hunt after getting his Thruxton class win back.
Smalley is one of a number of Rookie contenders searching for a first class victory, with fellow podium finishers Luff, Tom Canning, Ruben Del Sarte and Luke Browning all holding similar aspirations.
Full championship standings heading into the Snetterton meeting can be found below.
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