Lucas Blakeley claimed his second GB4 Championship partnered by the BRDC victory of the weekend at Snetterton with a storming charge from the back row of the grid in a drama fuelled final race of the event.
The KMR Sport driver’s performance completed a stellar weekend-long run of form at the Norfolk venue, but whilst his pace was clear to see, his path to victory in the closer was anything but.
Blakely wasn’t a factor during the opening phase of the 18-lap race, as those at the front of the reverse-grid made the best of the early running, with Fox Motorsport’s Megan Bruce leading from pole position as the field streamed into Riches for the first time. But her lead wasn’t to last long as third place starter Jack Taylor enjoyed a strong run down the Bentley Straight to take the lead into Brundle.
By the end of the first lap, Harry Burgoyne was the driver on the move, having steamed his way into third position from 10th on the grid. And he was up to second within moments, passing Bruce and launching a rapid pursuit of Taylor ahead.
As the pack launched onto lap four, Burgoyne made a first serious bid to pass Taylor, but the Fortec Motorsports driver fought back and held on to his advantage. And with the leading duo fighting hard, this allowed Elite Motorsport’s Finn Harrison and Fortec Motorsports’ Linus Granfors to edge closer.
Then, in a rapid flurry of activity, Granfors passed Harrison for third just prior to the Safety Car appearing following separate incidents involving Chloe Grant and Leon Wilson. Just as the race was neutralised, Burgoyne suffered front wing damage too, as he dropped out of the podium fight to sixth place.
The pack then circulated behind the Safety Car with Taylor leading from Granfors and Harrison before the race resumed for a final dash on lap nine. Granfors immediately made an attempt on Taylor for the lead at Riches but both went off onto the grass from the resulting contact.
Harrison, who would have been best placed to benefit also ran off the circuit just behind them, whilst Blakeley and fellow back row starter Alisha Palmowski jumped Branden Templeton, who had been fourth on the resumption, to move first and second. Callum Baxter launched past Templeton as well to seal third and the final place on the podium.
Templeton finished fourth with Burgoyne taking his damaged car to the line in fifth. Bruce ended up sixth after running towards the front early on whilst Harrison was the final classified finisher in seventh.
GB4 Championship, partnered by the BRDC, Snetterton race three provisional result:
1. Lucas Blakeley, KMR Sport, 9 lap
2. Alisha Palmowski, Elite Motorsport, +2.414s
3. Callum Baxter, Graham Brunton Racing, +4.593s
4. Branden Templeton, Fox Motorsport, +4.988s
5. Harry Burgoyne, KMR Sport, +8.037s
6. Megan Bruce, Fox Motorsport, +15.042s
7. Finn Harrison, Elite Motorsport, +19.161s
DNF. Jack Taylor, Fortec Motorsport
DNF. Linus Granfors, Fortec Motorsport
DNF. Leon Wilson, Arden Motorsport
DNF. Dan Hickey, Fortec Motorsport
DNF. Chloe Grant, KMR Sport
