Rapp was an elated winner of the feature race on Sunday when he fended off
the challenge of Slater and Chambers to score his first win in the championship.
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Ian Croft's 968CS
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"It’s been a long time coming. I’m absolutely delighted,"
said an elated Rapp after a race shortened due to an accident that befell Ian
Croft. With Croft’s 968CS parked upside down at Dingle Dell after hefty
contact with the tyre wall, the race was halted after a couple of laps behind
the safety car. Fortunately, Croft was unscathed. In class two, Kevin Harrison
battled ahead of Chris Heeley to take a hard-earned victory as Robert Babikan
clinched third.
With rain threatening, Slater led from the rolling start to head the pack
into Paddock Hill Bend as a fast-starting Rapp fired into second at the expense
of Chambers. On the run out of Druids, the cars of Tim Bartlett and Richard
Burnett crashed out and forced the safety car to be used for the first time.
After three caution laps, Slater headed the field away at the green flag, but
Rapp was soon looking to make a move. His chance came after he bravely went for
the outside at Clearways. The cars ran side-by-side over the line and Rapp
stayed on the outside as they braked for Paddock. Still he held on and was able
to grab the lead as they plunged down through Paddock.
Chambers tried to follow through and made contact with the rear of Slater’s
car at Druids. Further round the Grand Prix loop, Chambers worked ahead to take
second, but this was a win that Rapp was not about to let slip away. With
Chambers filling his mirrors, Rapp stood his ground and was ahead when the race
was halted.
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Mike Salmon's GT3
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"Eventually," he shouted as he climbed out of the car in
victory lane, to the cheers of his team. "I managed to keep it together!
I’ve got a lot of guests here today," added a jubilant Rapp. Chambers
and Slater took the other leading positions, while Armstrong took fourth from
the battling duo of Bernberg and Demeroutis. Having started at the back of the
grid, Rice forged through to seventh in the limited racing laps that ran between
the safety car periods. However, there was disaster for Mike Salmon who ended
his drive from the back of the car with a heavily damaged front to his car after
an accident.
Class two also produced some great racing as Heeley shot straight into the
lead from Harrison, Babikan and a fast-starting Graham Hellier. Heeley looked to
have made the break, but once again the GT3 cars coming through the field
changed the complexion of the class two race and Harrison was able to close back
in again.
On lap seven, Heeley ran marginally wide at Graham Hill Bend and Harrison
seized his chance to charge ahead on the run to Surtees. Heeley tried to follow
suit and a moment on the Grand Prix loop delayed Hellier, Heeley and Wiley. All
of that left Harrison with a clear lead that he retained until the race was
halted.
"Chris made a mistake and I got him. I’m very, very pleased,"
said Harrison after the race. Heeley recovered to take second from Babikan and
Andrew Shelley, who had battled up well after starting at the back of the grid.
With the spectacular demise of Croft, Ellis clinched class three after chasing
Croft hard through the early laps.
