After a disappointing outing at the last round David Jermy (Matt Nash Motorsport Van Diemen) got his 2016 championship challenge back on track when he took both race wins at the third round of the Investchem Formula Ford Kent championship at Dezzi Raceway on Saturday, 4 June.
Championship leader Andrew Horne (Xena Chemicals / Budd Power Royale RP31) grabbed pole position in the morning qualifying session by just 0.017 seconds from Jermy with Dean Venter (Turnfab Engineering / Manitou Mygale) and Ian Schofield (Investchem Mygale) on the second row of the grid.
Jeff Gable (Taylon Motorsport Van Diemen) was next quickest to head the third row of the grid with Paul Schultz in the Knottsberry Foods car alongside him. Dalan Holton (Debella Finance & Compliance Van Diemen) and Sean Hepburn (Suburban Body Shop Ray) rounded out the top eight.
The front of the day’s opening race turned into a battle between Jermy and Horne, with the pair exchanging fastest laps throughout the race. In the end, although Horne set the fastest lap, he had to settle for second place as he could not find a way past Jermy on the tight 2.1 km circuit. Behind them Venter and Schofield were involved in their own battle for the final spot on the podium. Venter led for most of the early part of the race but, once Schofield got past, he was able to open a gap and take a comfortable third place.
Holton and Ben van der Westhuizen (Delta Rubber / Pioneer Plastics Royale RP21) were next on the road, Holton finishing just over a second in front to claim fifth. Allen Meyer (Van Diemen) and Donny Lamola (Investchem Mygale) completed the top eight.
The early stages of race 2 were a repeat of the opening race with Jermy managing to stay in front of Horne until the motor on Horne’s Royale let go, spilling its internals all over the track. This allowed Jermy to go on to take a comfortable win.
Behind Jermy, Venter and Schofield resumed their battle with Schofield leading the way. Venter had a spin shortly before half distance and dropped about 8 seconds behind Schofield. He then set about closing the gap, which he did in around six laps. It was then that confusion reigned. The battling duo saw a last lap board that had been incorrectly shown and, a lap later thought they were headed for the chequered flag. A drag race to the line saw Venter in front by about two one-hundredths of a second and the pair slowed thinking that race was over. Unfortunately for them there were still two laps to run. Meyer and Hepburn took advantage of them slowing to slip past and claim second and third respectively. Scofield and Venter realized their error and were soon back up to race pace, crossing the line in fourth and fifth respectively, again separated by two one-hundredths of a second.
Lamola had her best result of the season, coming home in sixth with Holton and Gable rounding out the top eight.
Jermy’s double victory gave him the overall win for the day ahead of Schofield and Venter and moved him up to second place on the championship log behind Horne who still has an 11-point lead at the top of the standings. Schofield has dropped back to third a couple of points behind Jermy while Venter has moved up to fourth just ahead of Holton. Gable and Meyer are fighting it out for sixth on the log.
The 2016 Investchem Formula Ford Kent Championship returns inland for the next round which takes place at Phakisa Freeway on Saturday, 2 July.