Keith Donegan took the spoils in a characteristically action-packed opening Ginetta Junior Championship encounter at Silverstone, battling his way to a third win of the season.
Ollie Chadwick started the race from pole position and a good start saw him maintain his lead through Copse corner for the first time ahead of Jack Mitchell, with Donegan just managing to maintain third from a quick-starting James Kellett.
HHC Motorsport’s Will Palmer leap-frogged team-mate Harry Woodhead off the line to grab fifth, however the recently-crowned 2013 champion fought back with a great move at Brooklands to pass both Palmer and Kellett for fourth.
With Tom Jackson and Jamie Chadwick on their tails, an eight car train emerged for the lead, with Ollie Chadwick quickly coming under immense pressure from the gaggle behind.
Donegan was the driver on the move, forcing his way past Mitchell on the exit of Brooklands for second on lap three, with the loss of momentum for Mitchell allowing Woodhead to get ahead at Copse at the start of lap four.
Mitchell fought back ahead of Woodhead at the same corner a lap later, with Kellett following through. It all changed a corner later though as Chadwick ran wide from the lead, with Donegan grabbing the lead from Mitchell, Chadwick slotting into third ahead of Woodhead, who jumped Kellett in the melee.
Chadwick aimed to fight back at Copse on the next lap, but the JHR Developments driver just found himself forced wide, allowing Woodhead to slide past into the podium positions.
The battling behind had allowed Donegan to edge a gap in front, with the train for second being joined by Ben Pearson, the privateer passing Jamie Chadwick for eighth into Copse on lap eight.
While Donegan cruised home for the victory, the battle behind went down to the final lap, with Woodhead passing Mitchell on the final lap into Becketts to take second.
Behind, Palmer forced his way past Chadwick at Brooklands for fourth, with Chadwick retaliating by hitting the rear of Palmer into Luffield. The contact spun Palmer around, with Jackson benefitting to take fourth from Chadwick, Kellett and Pearson.
Jamie Chadwick took eighth ahead of Ryan Hadfield and Josh White, with Palmer eventually recovering in eleventh ahead of Jack Rawles, James Webb, Jonathan Hadfield and William Taylforth. Completing the finishers in sixteenth meanwhile was Tom Brown, the 15 year old showing strong pace in his first-ever car race.
Full race results can be found here: http://tsl-timing.com/toca/2013/133903gij.pdf
