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Nathan Freke - Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit |
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Tuesday, 29 August 2006 |
Kidderminster racing driver Nathan Freke had mixed fortunes at Brands Hatch this weekend. Racing on the Brands Hatch Grand prix Circuit for the first time it would be important to score heavily to extend his championship lead in the UK Formula Ford title race. Free practice on the Friday saw the Newnet sponsored driver quickest on the famous track, and hopes were high for Saturday qualifying.
Qualifying on Saturday started dry, but with dark clouds looming overhead, seeing the impending rain it was important to make the first laps count, and Nathan duly obliged by putting in 2 identical times on laps 4 and 5 to gain the pole in both races. However as he passed the line on the end of lap 5 he was the first driver to realise that it had rained on Paddock Hill Bend and going at lap record pace he could not stop and careered into the gravel trap and tyre wall, taking no further part in the practice. A second car soon joined nathan in the tyre wall just missing his stranded Jamun / Mygale, with 15 minutes of qualifying left there was an agonising wait to see if his times can be bettered on the now dry track – however the chasing pack could not overhaul the times and Nathan was
confirmed on pole for both races – but with a damaged car.
After the car damage was fixed Nathan took his place on the grid for
race one and when the lights go out he made his usual fast getaway
chased by a gaggle of cars all trying to depose him. Driving with his
usual smooth consistent style he resists all advances to ease away and
win by over 3 seconds from the pursuing group.
Hopes were high for the 2nd race for the same result, but things turned
out very differently. Away in the lead the lack of grip meant that
Nathan lost the lead after one lap and became embroiled in a 3 way
battle for the lead when the safety car is deployed for 3 laps to clear
cars from an accident lower down the field. After the restart Nathan
retakes the lead at Clearways corner only to be relegated at the next
turn. Fighting with all of his skill he regains the lead going into the
last lap and looks to score maximum points again until the 2nd placed
car makes a lunge going into Surtees resulting in both nathan and the
2nd car crashing and non finishes for both. ‘There was no way he would
have made the corner, if I had not been there to hit he would have gone
off anyway, it was a stupid move and ruined the race for both of us,
luckily it has not made any difference to the championship standing for
me, but his is now in tatters.’ said Nathan afterwards.
Nathan now goes to Knockhill near Edinburgh with a 90 point lead in the
title race, a track he knows well, knowing that his championship hopes
are still intact.
More information on Nathan Freke and UK Formula Ford can be found at www.nathanfreke.com and www.ukformulaford.co.uk.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 06 January 2007 )
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