Formula Ford

Murray and Donegan Clash in Walter Hayes During Wet Saturday

3 Mins read
Credit: Nick Smith / TheImageTeam.com

The Saturday of the Walter Hayes Trophy from Silverstone once again proved to be a fantastic show for the fans, with six drivers taking wins in the respective Formula Ford heats despite delay for rain.

Wins would be narrowly taken by Matt Round-Garrido and Ross Martin in the opening two races as all eyes remained on the third event, in which Joey Foster made a clean start to continue his winning streak from the Formula Ford Festival.

Elsewhere, heat 4 proved to the event of the day, with contact in the final corner allowing Keith Donegan to come off better and take the flag. A quiet heat from Micheal Moyers saw him cruise to victory, while the fastest heat turned out to be the final one as Josh Fisher came out in front during a three care scrap for the line.

Race 1

Qualifying Byrne / Roe Jr / Round-Garrido / Raven

Winner: Matt Round-Garrido

Track conditions were better than they had been for qualifying, but were still wet as the field cleanly got off the line. Bryrne and Roe would make the best start from the front row. The two came to blows at Brooklands though, letting Matt Round-Garrido into the lead as Byrne and Roe came back up the order.

Chasing Round-Garrido would be James Raven, but had fallen away in the opening lap ensuring it came down to 3 lap sprint as Raven slid past only to run wide and lose it on the last lap. Round-Garrido won from Raven and the recovering Byrne. Roe and Thomas Cappezzone completed the top five.

Race 2

Qualifying Martin / C.Jackson / O’Hara / Fisher

Winner: Ross Martin

From the front row, Cameron Jackson made a poor start allowing Ross Martin to break off into the lead with Kevin O’Hare and Felix Fisher battling over second. The latter would fall off with O’Hare pressuring the race leader Martin. The #11 would hold on though for a well deserved heat win.

The action eventually promoted Luke Cooper to third, despite starting eighth. Behind them, David McArthur and Callum Grant rounded out the top five, remaining in contention for the podium.

Matt Round-Garrido (#27) won the opening event in wet conditions (Credit: Nick Smith / TheImageTeam.com)

Race 3

Qualifying – Foster / Dempsey / Chadwick / Mallock

Winner: Joey Foster

The first start was red flagged, but during the second restart it was once again a fight between Jordan Dempsey and Joey Foster. Dempsey was behind on the grid and stayed with the leader throughout the race as all eyes turned to third as Jamie Chadwick John Ferguson and Michael Mallock swapped honours.

Foster would never break away, but with Dempsey thinking about the Semi-Final settled for second, while setting the fastest lap. Chadwick rounded out the podium with Jack Wolfenden inheriting fourth from Mallock.

Race 4

QualifyingMurray / Kotyk / Donegan / J.Smith

Winner: Keith Donegan

Keith Donegan made a lightning start taking the lead from Niall Murray, with the 2017 Formula Ford Festival runner-up holding on as Murray and Jonathan Kotyk hounded the leader. This allowed the battling Chris Middlehurst and Josh Smith to catch, with a failed overtake from Murray dropping him to fourth.

Donegan was flagged for track limits as Smith, now in second was the biggest danger. Murray though proved to be a thorn in the leaders, running back to the front and briefly taking the lead. A tangle in the final lap though saw Donegan take the win from Kotyk and Murray who had been punted by the eventual winner. Smith would be demoted to fourth, ahead of Midddlehurst who fell away.

Josh Fisher (#81) will start on pole in the Semi’s as he won the fastest heat from Stuart Gough (#142) (Credit: Nick Smith / TheImageTeam.com)

Race 5

Qualifying Moyers / McCullough / R.Smith / McArthur

Winner: Michael Moyers

Michael Moyers had qualified on pole and immediately proved he was the man to beat as he broke away from the field. It was an untouchable race for the #25, as he won by the biggest distance of any driver, 4.2 seconds. His early challenger Aaron Jeansonne pulled into the pits at the halfway stage.

A run to the top saw Roger Orgee take second despite starting fifth as Ivor McCullough settled for third as he was chased to the line by Michael Eastwell. Rounding out the top five would be Rory Smith having fallen back throughout the event.

Race 6

Qualifying Gough / Fisher / White / Thorburn

Winner: Josh Fisher

The heavens had just opened as the final heat took to the grid. Stuart Gough was on pole as a crash on the start line brought out an early red flag. The second attempt saw Josh Fisher jump to the lead as Gough, Fisher and Oliver White made it three abreast into Brooklands. Fisher though saw his chance and broke away.

The three were soon away as the battle for fourth proved to be just as close. Three drivers got very physical as Abdul Ahmed claimed the place from Jaime Thorburn. Up front Fisher won from the chasing Gough and White.

Credit: Nick Smith / TheImageTeam.com
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Single-Seater Specialist who worked for TCF from 2015-19. Come finding me wandering the paddock.
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