With the massive 38 car entry list the heats were always going to action packed. Missing from the race weekend was Kevin Proctor who’s unsolved engine issues meant he couldn’t take part this weekend. There was drama in the morning practice when Anton Marklund‘s VW Polo went up in flames, thankfully for the Swede the marshals were on hand to quick put the fire out and save the car (see our photos from this morning).
Andreas Bakkerud was the top driver of the first heats, fresh from helping Nelson Piquet Jr. to fourth place in the opening round of the Global Red Bull Rallycross season in Barbados, followed by a holiday the Norwegian hit the Kent circuit and was the only driver of the first heat to drop below 3 minutes finishing time.
Toomas Heikkinen was fired up to take his race victory ahead of British Touring Car champion Andrew Jordan who took second place in his first competitive rallycross race since 2007; while Heikkinen did enough to take second overall in the heat, Jordan would finish just outside of the top 10 in eleventh place. Jordan would later reveal a last lap puncture meant he had to lift off to nurse the car home
Anton Marklund was showing no signs of his practice drama as he waltzed to victory ahead of the highest placed LD Motorsports car of Derek Tohill. Timur Timerzyanov was flying once again in his heats as he looks to put the disappointment of not making it through to the finals in the opening round of the World Rallycross championship as he beat Petter’s older brother Henning Solberg.
With Bakkerud taking the race victory there was disappointment for home heroes Liam Doran who was penalised after a jump start and Ollie O’Donovan as they finished fourth and fifth respectively. Robin Larsson fought off Timmy Hansen for a close victory in their race with just 0.258s seperating them as the chequered flag came out.
Tanner Foust blitzed his race to finish nearly two seconds ahead of Jérôme Grosset-Janin; the American has won at Lydden the last two times he has raced there, and looks like he is planning to add to that tally this weekend.
Reinis Nitiss managed to get the upper hand over round 1 winner Petter Solberg who finished an overall twelfth place.
If you’re looking for photos of the Heat 1 action click here.
Heat 1: Top 10 Overall Result
| Pos | DRIVER | Time | Heat Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andreas BAKKERUD | 02:59.850 | 50 |
| 2 | Toomas HEIKKINEN | 03:00.846 | 45 |
| 3 | Timur TIMERZYANOV | 03:01.317 | 42 |
| 4 | Tanner FOUST | 03:01.321 | 40 |
| 5 | Robin LARSSON | 03:02.137 | 39 |
| 6 | Anton MARKLUND | 03:02.384 | 38 |
| 7 | Timmy HANSEN | 03:02.395 | 37 |
| 8 | Tommy RUSTAD | 03:02.708 | 36 |
| 9 | Reinis NITISS | 03:03.084 | 35 |
| 10 | Jérôme GROSSET-JANIN | 03:03.219 | 34 |
Heat 1: Race 1
| Position | Race: 1 | Total Time | Heat POS | Heat Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tommy RUSTAD | 03:02.708 | 8 | 36 |
| 2 | Pavel KOUTNY | 03:08.013 | 19 | 25 |
| 3 | Julian GODFREY | 03:13.019 | 34 | 10 |
Heat 1: Race 2
| Position | Race: 2 | Total Time | Heat POS | Heat Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toomas HEIKKINEN | 03:00.846 | 2 | 45 |
| 2 | Andrew JORDAN | 03:03.420 | 11 | 33 |
| 3 | Davy JEANNEY | 03:03.870 | 14 | 30 |
| 4 | Bohdan LUDWICZAK | 03:37.658 | 36 | 8 |
Heat 1: Race 3
| Position | Race: 3 | Total Time | Heat POS | Heat Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anton MARKLUND | 03:02.384 | 6 | 38 |
| 2 | Derek TOHILL | 03:08.130 | 22 | 22 |
| 3 | Alexander HVAAL | 03:08.415 | 23 | 21 |
| 4 | Peter HEDSTRÖM | 03:10.838 | 32 | 12 |
| 5 | Mats ÖHMAN | 03:11.396 | 33 | 11 |
Heat 1: Race 4
| Position | Race: 4 | Total Time | Heat POS | Heat Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Timur TIMERZYANOV | 03:01.317 | 3 | 42 |
| 2 | Henning SOLBERG | 03:04.360 | 15 | 29 |
| 3 | Jos JANSEN | 03:08.083 | 21 | 23 |
| 4 | Jean-Luc PAILLER | 03:10.524 | 30 | 14 |
| 5 | Krzysztof SKORUPSKI | 00:00.000 | 37 | 6 |
Heat 1: Race 5
| Position | Race: 5 | Total Time | Heat POS | Heat Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andreas BAKKERUD | 02:59.850 | 1 | 50 |
| 2 | Koen PAUWELS | 03:03.700 | 13 | 31 |
| 3 | Alexandre THEUIL | 03:08.484 | 24 | 20 |
| 4 | Liam DORAN | 03:08.699 | 27 | 17 |
| 5 | Ollie O’DONOVAN | 03:10.605 | 31 | 13 |
Heat 1: Race 6
| Position | Race: 6 | Total Time | Heat POS | Heat Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robin LARSSON | 03:02.137 | 5 | 39 |
| 2 | Timmy HANSEN | 03:02.395 | 7 | 37 |
| 3 | Fabien PAILLER | 03:04.559 | 16 | 28 |
| 4 | Tord LINNERUD | 03:06.455 | 18 | 26 |
| 5 | Jochen COOX | 03:34.852 | 35 | 9 |
Heat 1: Race 7
| Position | Race: 7 | Total Time | Heat POS | Heat Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tanner FOUST | 03:01.321 | 4 | 40 |
| 2 | Jérôme GROSSET-JANIN | 03:03.219 | 10 | 34 |
| 3 | Frode HOLTE | 03:08.567 | 25 | 19 |
| 4 | Ramona KARLSSON | 03:09.956 | 28 | 16 |
| 5 | Eric FAREN | 03:10.452 | 29 | 15 |
Heat 1: Race 8
| Position | Race: 8 | Total Time | Heat POS | Heat Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reinis NITISS | 03:03.084 | 9 | 35 |
| 2 | Petter SOLBERG | 03:03.435 | 12 | 32 |
| 3 | Andy SCOTT | 03:06.131 | 17 | 27 |
| 4 | Emil ÖHMAN | 03:08.043 | 20 | 24 |
| 5 | Lukas WALFRIDSON | 03:08.652 | 26 | 18 |
