McCaughan and Granfors battle to victories as Burgoyne leaves Oulton Park with championship lead
KMR Sport’s Brandon McCaughan and Fortec’s Linus Granfors were victorious on Monday at Oulton Park, as McCaughan’s teammate Harry Burgoyne completed a podium clean sweep in Cheshire to leave the event as the early championship leader.
McCaughan was triumphant in the first race of the day, which came to an early conclusion with a red flag, while Granfors battled back from a first-lap spin to take the win in a thrilling final race. Burgoyne’s weekend featured two second places and then a nine place gain to third in race three and has an 18-point lead heading to Silverstone.
Race two
In a very wet first race of the day, pole sitter Brandon McCaughan controlled the contest after making a good start. The Irish driver, winner of the GB4 Shootout, led every lap of the race but came under pressure from a charging Finn Harrison who had spectacularly moved past Burgoyne.
Harrison’s off at Druids though, brought out the red flag with under five minutes remaining, meaning a result was declared, with McCaughan classified as the winner, three seconds ahead of Burgoyne, while Fox Motorsport’s Branden Templeton claimed his first podium in car racing with third. Arden’s Leon Wilson and Fortec’s Granfors were next up, while Elite’s race one winner Alisha Palmowski completed the top-six despite a slow start.
Race three
In one of the more dramatic GB4 races yet seen, Granfors somehow recovered from being spun around on the first lap, to victory after 18 minutes of racing. The reverse grid put Dan Hickey on pole, and he led the early stages, but the race was almost immediately neutralised after McCaughan left the road at Island Bend. Upon the restart, Hickey led the field away, but was under pressure from Graham Brunton Racing’s Mayer Deonarine.
The Canadian challenged for the lead, but that brought KMR’s Chloe Grant into play, and she moved into second, which shortly became first when Hickey locked up at the last corner. Crossing the line to start lap five, eight cars were separated by a second, as Grant completed the move for the lead at Old Hall.
Moments later and three cars were out; with Harrison off at Shell and then Palmowski and Deonarine colliding at Cascades. This was all of benefit to Granfors, who was recovering anyway, and had passed Burgoyne for second place at Old Hall on lap seven.
Grant’s lead at the front had extended to two seconds amidst the drama, but Granfors still had time to hunt her down, repeating his Burgoyne move at the start of the last lap, and claimed the win by over a second. An emotional Grant still savoured her maiden single-seater podium with second place, ahead of Burgoyne who extended his championship lead. Callum Baxter, Templeton and Wilson completed the top-six.
Race two winner McCaughan said: "Unreal, I'm so happy, I can‘t describe it. The amount of hard work, sacrifice, just sleepless nights to get here. What a feeling. Those last few laps, driving around. No other feeling like that in the world, it makes everything worth it.
"I just drove it like a big Formula Ford, I was quick in testing in the wet, only had two sessions in the wet in this car, so used what I learnt from them, found my footing on the warm up laps and got away good at the start. In the last few laps I was nursing a bit of an issue so just kept it on the road, and brought it home.”
Race three winner Granfors said: "It was a difficult race but I’m super happy to take my first victory here at Oulton Park.
"I spun on the first lap, so I was last on the grid. When it was the Safety Car restart, I took three places on the first corner. So then I thought maybe P5 but then they didn’t pass the one that was leading who was blocking the field. Then I was catching up but I was behind everybody. I was just trying to do some good overtakes and then I did the last overtake with a few minutes left and went first over the line.”
Championship leader Burgoyne said: "It’s been really good points this weekend, over the whole the weekend has been really good for me. If it wasn’t for KMR Sport, I don’t think I’d be able to do it. I’m really excited for Silverstone and the next rounds."
GB4 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Oulton Park race two top-six:
1. Brandon McCaughan, KMR Sport, 6 laps
2. Harry Burgoyne, KMR Sport, +3.766s
3. Branden Templeton, Fox Motorsport, +8.262s
4. Leon Wilson, Arden Motorsport, +10.216s
5. Linus Granfors, Fortec Motorsports, +16.970s
6. Alisha Palmowski, Elite Motorsport, +18.425s
Click here for full result.
GB4 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Oulton Park race three top-six:
1. Linus Granfors, Fortec Motorsport, 9 laps
2. Chloe Grant, KMR Sport, +1.215s
3. Harry Burgoyne, KMR Sport, +1.414s
4. Callum Baxter, Graham Brunton Racing, +1.842s
5. Branden Templeton, Fox Motorsport, +2.126s
6. Leon Wilson, Arden Motorsport, +4.932s
Click here for full result.
GB4 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, driver's standings after race three of 21:
1. Harry Burgoyne, KMR Sport, 82pts
2. Linus Granfors, Fortec Motorsport, 64pts
3. Brandon McCaughan, KMR Sport, 59pts
4. Branden Templeton, Fox Motorsport, 57pts
5. Alisha Palmowski, Elite Motorsport, 54pts
6. Callum Baxter, Graham Brunton Racing, 51pts
Click here for full standings
GB4 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, team's standings after race three of 21:
1. KMR Sport, 162pts
2. Fortec Motorsport, 100pts
3. Fox Motorsport, 88pts
4. Graham Brunton Racing, 78pts
5. Elite Motorsport, 54pts
6. Arden Motorsport, 38pts
Click here for full standings
For more championship information, visit www.gb-4.net