Jack Mitchell secured his first-ever victory in the Ginetta Junior Championship after emerging victorious from an action-packed Round 12 at Snetterton.
In one of the most memorable Junior encounters of recent times, Mitchell battled his way through from fifth on the grid to pass championship leader Harry Woodhead and erstwhile race-leader Will Palmer to take a hard-fought victory.
Palmer started from pole position, however a slow getaway allowed fellow front-row man Ollie Chadwick to storm into the lead. Palmer slipped to third behind Woodhead, while a first lap battle for fourth saw Mitchell and James Kellett briefly switch places before Mitchell regained the place.
Chadwick and Woodhead quickly started battling for the lead, which allowed Palmer to close on them. On lap three, the front two slowed each other up through the opening corner, allowing Palmer to produce a stunning move around the outside of both into Montreal to take the lead.
Chadwick continued defending into Agostini, with the JHR Developments racer running just wide, allowing Woodhead, Mitchell and Kellett to slide past. Kellett briefly passed Mitchell for third in the process, but he soon slipped back behind Mitchell and Chadwick at Oggies, and then Tom Jackson at the Esses.
The action couldn’t have been closer as the race headed into its final two laps, with a change for second occurring at Montreal on lap five, as Mitchell pushed his way through to take the place, leaving Woodhead to defend from Jackson and Chadwick behind.
A lap later and Mitchell was on the offensive again into the same corner, forcing his way down the inside of Palmer to take the lead. The front two ran a little bit wide however, with Woodhead nearly getting down the inside of both, however Mitchell just forced him back into second.
Mitchell came under immense pressure for the remainder of the lap from Woodhead, however the privateer held on to take the win by ……s. Behind, a final corner move from Jackson for third sent himself and Palmer wide across the gravel, allowing Chadwick to sneak through and take the final podium position.
Jackson recovered to fourth ahead of Kellett, while Round 11 winner Keith Donegan emerged in sixth ahead of Palmer. Rookies Ben Pearson, Jack Rawles and Ryan Hadfield completed the top ten.
Full race results can be found here: http://tsl-timing.com/toca/2013/133103gij.pdf
