G50: Series Croft race 2 report

G50 CUP 'FIRSTS' CONTINUE AS MORGAN TAKES MAIDEN VICTORY

Dynojet's Adam Morgan continued the run of Michelin Ginetta G50 Cup 'firsts' at Croft Circuit today, Sunday, 20th June, by claiming his maiden category victory with an outstanding, and unchallenged, lights-to-flag performance during round 14.

After IDL's Tom Sharp secured his maiden win on Saturday during round 12 before adding another success with victory in round 13 this morning, this afternoon it was Morgan's turn to steal the limelight from title contenders Carl Breeze and Frank Wrathall -- the championship rivals playing more minor roles in North Yorkshire than would normally be expected.

With the addition of 'guest car' driver Stefan Hodgetts to the grid this weekend and the welcome return to Ginetta G50 Cup of inaugural champion Nigel Moore, Breeze and Wrathall knew they had to focus on their own private battle rather than get caught up in any potential incidents.

Lining up on pole position for round 14 by virtue of the 'reverse' grid format, Morgan led away well at the start of the race and although team-mate Wrathall remained in close contact to begin with, the latter was forced into a mistake at Sunny In on lap five.

Under pressure from Hodgetts, who had passed Breeze for third place at Tower Bend on lap one, Wrathall just ran a bit too wide at the entry to the long right-hander and -- in a potentially pivotal moment in terms of the championship -- he rejoined behind Breeze. The Total Control Racing driver was in fourth position at that point, having been passed by Moore a lap earlier.

On lap six, Moore sliced up the inside of Hodgetts at the hairpin to take second place and as the duo fought tooth and nail it allowed Breeze, Wrathall and sixth placed Sharp to close in. On lap eight though, Moore's progress came undone when he clipped the kerb at the chicane a bit too hard and was forced into a disappointing retirement. He at least had the consolation of posting the fastest lap.

Back at the front, Morgan continued to press on and his well judged and highly competitive drive was rewarded with victory when the race was stopped a lap and a half early following contact between Stephen Tyldsley and Jon Barnes at Barcroft -- Tyldsley hitting the rear of Barnes' car at one of the fastest points on the circuit and resulting in a substantial excursion for both.

With the results classified from the end of lap 13, Morgan won by 3.4 seconds ahead of Hodgetts, Breeze, Wrathall and Sharp. Joachim Ritter secured one of his best results of the year in sixth place on the road, a great fillip for the category regular having struggled throughout the weekend with an arm injury, ahead of Alice Powell who impressed by fighting through from last on the grid.

Speaking after the race, Morgan said: "It's been a perfect weekend for me, to bring the car home in top spot in the last race of the day is a dream come true. It was my first time leading a race from the front of the grid, I kept checking the mirrors and then after about six laps I started to focus more on the track ahead and pulled out more of a gap. Something has clicked this weekend so hopefully we can carry on like this for the rest of the season."J This morning's 13th round resulted in another success for Sharp, his second career win following hot on the heels of his maiden triumph on Saturday. Keeping Hodgetts behind into the first corner, he led for almost the entire duration but had to work much harder this time around -- Hodgetts actually snatching the lead on lap eight at Sunny In before running wide and allowing Sharp back through.

From that point on, Sharp was always under pressure but he held on very impressively to take the win by just 0.5 seconds from Hodgetts. Breeze finished in third to take yet another podium, just managing to repel Moore who moved past Wrathall for fourth place at Tower on lap five.

Morgan was sixth, running nose-to-tail with team-mate Wrathall, while Mark Davies took seventh after passing Benji Hetherington with a superb move around the outside at Tower a couple of laps from the finish. Barnes and Freddie Hetherington rounded out the top 10 while Colin White won the Chairman's Cup, as he did in round 14, as the only competitor in the class this weekend.

Commenting on his round 13 success, Sharp said: "I still can't quite believe it, two wins is absolutely unbelievable. Stefan (Hodgetts) pushed me all the way to the end but everything ran like clockwork with the car, it's been a fantastic weekend for us -- I'm pretty speechless."

Championship leader Breeze added: "Although we haven't had the car quite as hooked-up as we'd have liked this weekend, we've still had good pace and to score so many points is fantastic. Heading into the summer break with a good lead in the championship is great, especially with my home event at Snetterton coming next -- I can't wait for that. We had a hat-trick of wins there last year, it'd be fantastic to try and repeat that this time around."

There is now a seven week break in the Michelin Ginetta G50 Cup race calendar with rounds 15, 16 and 17 of the 2010 season taking place at Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk on 7th/8th August.

-source: Ginetta Cars