JHR Developments’ John Bennett claimed his first GB3 victory in Oulton Park race two this morning (Monday) after a stunning overtake at Island Bend.
In tricky conditions with rain falling, Bennett looked serene as he claimed the win ahead of race one winner and pole sitter Louis Sharp, with Elite's McKenzy Cresswell benefiting from late drama to climb to third.
With wet conditions greeting the drivers, the race began under safety car, but it was after its second appearance, caused by an off at Old Hall for Rishab Jain, that the drama started.
Sharp made a good restart as he had done first time around, but Bennett found the courage to go around the outside of the top speed Island Bend, and completed the stunning move at Shell.
While Bennett pulled away, initially operating a second quicker than his rivals, Sharp had to fend off the attentions of Hitech's Tymek Kucharczyk, who had surged up the order from sixth on the grid to third during the first phase of the race. With aspirations of climbing further up the order, he went for a late move on Sharp, only for the two to collide at Lodge. While Sharp continued and held on to second, Kucharczyk ran into the gravel with a broken front wing, which would lead to his retirement halfway round the final lap.
That promoted Cresswell, who had already climbed to fourth at the expense of Rodin's Ugo Ugochukwu. The Brit therefore claimed his first podium of the year ahead of the American driver, with Gerrard Xie fifth for Hitech after challenging towards the front early on, and ahead of teammate Will MacIntyre.
Cresswell's Elite teammates Jarrod Waberski and Hugo Schwarze were seventh and eighth, with the latter climbing from 15th on the grid.
The second JHR car of Patrick Heuzenroeder claimed strong points again in ninth place, with the third Rodin of Arthur Rogeon completing the top-10.
The challenging conditions accounted for several contenders hitting trouble, with only 15 cars taking the chequered flag. The final race of the weekend is due to commence at 13.45.
GB3 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Oulton Park race two provisional result:
1. John Bennett, JHR Developments, 10 laps
2. Louis Sharp, Rodin Motorsport, +2.898s
3. McKenzy Cresswell, Elite Motorsport, +7.084s
4. Ugo Ugochukwu, Rodin Motorsport, +8.489s
5. Gerrard Xie, Hitech Pulse-Eight, +12.837s
6. Will MacIntyre, Hitech Pulse-Eight, +13.440s
7. Jarrod Waberski, Elite Motorsport, +20.406s
8. Hugo Schwarze, Elite Motorsport, +21.073s
9. Patrick Heuzenroeder, JHR Developments, +21.612s
10. Arthur Rogeon, Rodin Motorsport, +25.639s
11. Adi Kulkarni, Hillspeed, +31.037s
12. Shawn Rashid, VRD by Arden, +35.534s
13. Seb Murray, Chris Dittmann Racing, +48.155s
14. Flynn Jackes, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1m13.019s
15. Noah Ping, VRD by Arden, +1 lap
DNF. Tymek Kucharczyk, Hitech Pulse-Eight
DNF. James Hedley, VRD by Arden
DNF. Edward Pearson, Fortec Motorsports
DNF. Josh Irfan, JHR Developments
DNF. Colin Queen, Fortec Motorsports
DNF. Rishab Jain, Chris Dittmann Racing