The opening Celtic Speed Mini Cooper race of the day started in sensational fashion with a three-car off-track excursion on the opening lap. The fun and frollicks continued throughout an action-packed encounter with the Championship’s leading trio of Thirlwall, Mortimer and Tanner yet-again taking centre stage.
Oly Mortimer made the early running in the race, leading a menacing Ken Thrilwall for the first three laps, with Joe Tanner happily plodding along in 3rd position in his Mini Cooper racer. Mortimer managed to open a slender gap heading onto the run down to the Hairpin on lap 3, but that’s where his advantage ended. Thrilwall closed in – his favourite overtaking place – and pulled side-by side as they left the Hairpin. The two then raced up the main straight within inches of each other before heading into turn one (Duffus Dip).
Traditionally, whoever holds the inside line heading into the corner tends to come through in the lead at Leslie’s. On the odd occasion however, there are times when a move around the outside can pay dividends (David Sleigh is one of the best exponents of that particular manoeuvre); and Thirlwall was in no mood to back off. Side-by-side down Duffus and then through Leslie’s before Mortimer came a cropper at Scotsman. The resultant off-track excursion resulting in a punctured tyre and wedge of Knockhill scenery welded to the front of his car.
So with Thirlwall now leading and Mortimer having to make emergency repairs in the pit lane before re-joining the race a lap down; you’d think the race result could have been called at that point. But, it’s Mini racing and there’s always a few twists and turns to every race. Thirlwall then duly obliged, by making a mistake at the Hairpin, running wide and allowing Tanner through into the lead.
Tanner held the lead for a short period before Thirlwall again regained the lead at Scotsman corner. Shane Stoney tried in-vein to hold his third place spot but an off at Clark’s demoted him to fourth on the road where he eventually finished the race – behind Thirlwall (1st), Tanner (2nd) and Morgan Murray (3rd).
Thirlwall’s win, sees him extend his Championship lead to 40 points, whilst Tanner now draws level with Mortimer in second place on the standings. With two more Mini Cooper races to come today, the action should be fast and frantic this afternoon if you’d like to join us – SMRC race action will conclude around 6.20pm this evening.
“I went to go round the outside at Duffus, and Oly should know by now that I don’t back out; and neither did he. Luckily for me he came off worse and that put me in the lead,” said Thirlwall, who was seen heading to Race Control armed with a laptop after the race; perhaps to show the incident from his on-board cameras.
Tanner on the other hand was surprised with his performance, after an engine change mid-week changed the characteristics of his car:
“I’m surprised by that, there’s a new engine in the car and to be honest l didn’t like it; I really struggled in testing yesterday. But I’ve got to be happy with the 2nd place, I could have had fisticuffs with Kenny, but l had my sensible head on and settled for the points.”
Third placed man, Morgan Murray was jubilant with his podium score exclaiming:
“Absolutely delighted with that podium today. I’ve got relatives over from New Zealand here and that’s a great way to reward my huge support here today.”
If you’d like to come to see the rest of today’s action, simply buy tickets at the gate.
