Four consecutive wins have seen Tom Ingram cement his place at the top of the Ginetta Junior Championship standings as the series heads to Donington Park this weekend. Ingram has emerged from a season long battle with Jake Hill and Louise Richardson to take a commanding 55 lead at the top of the standings, but with 148 points still available, it's all still to race for, setting Donington up as a potential thriller.
2010 has been an action packed, fascinating year in the Ginetta Junior Championship, with the series firming placing itself as one of the best and most popular series in Britain at the moment. A new car has seen new drivers come to the front of the field and like its predecessor, has continued to produce superb racing. With the youngsters never say die attitude behind the wheel, racing has been close and exciting, helping produce an unforgettable season.
All season, the fight has been between Hillspeed's Ingram, Tollbar Racing's Hill and TJ Motorsport's Richardson. Seven wins in the first six rounds saw Hill have the early advantage in the title race, but consistent results for both Ingram and Richardson, including wins at Thruxton and Snetterton respectively, saw them remain in contention throughout. Tough weekends at Silverstone and Knockhill, coupled with Ingram's domination at the meetings, saw Hill slip off the top. But he remains in with a shot and will be looking to re-affirm his status as the series quickest driver and add to his win tally at Donington. Four points ahead of him and still harbouring hopes of the title is Richardson, whose superb racecraft and recovery drives have made her a fans favourite. She will be hoping to use their support to push for wins at Donington.
As well as the top three in the standings, there are at least three other drivers in with a chance of race wins at Donington, showcasing how competitive the Junior championship has been this season. The first is Tom Howard, who won at Rockingham earlier in the season for TJ Motorsport, but after switching to Tollbar later in the season, will be desperate to pick up a first win with his new team. Then there's Jody Fannin, who has had a superb rookie season for TJ Motorsport and would love to add to his wins at Oulton Park and Brands Hatch, while Team Parker Racing's Adam Bonham, a pre-season title favourite, will be looking for his first win of a frustrating season.
Other drivers looking to fight at the front include Tockwith's Maverick Domene. The Rookie's results have been improving all season and he will be desperate to end the season on a high. In a similar position is the youngest driver in the series, Seb Morris, who had his best meeting of the season last time out at Knockhill. He will be looking to build on his best result of fourth and try to record a maiden podium finish by the seasons end. At Eurotech Racing, Moore siblings Sarah and David have both had frustrating seasons, particularly the reigning champion who has been unable to repeat her feats from 2009. Both will be looking to end the season on a high, beginning with a good performance at Donington.
Add to them, FML pairing Alex Austin and Jake Giddings and Piranha Motorsport's Ryan Ratcliffe, all of whom are capable of running in the top six, and Donington is set for some toughly contested races this weekend.
The main focus will be on the front though. With the title fight heading towards its conclusion, can Hill and Richardson put themselves right back in the title fight before the finale at Brands, or will Ingram continue his winning streak and put the crown out of their reach?
