SAM SMITH HEADS HYBRID TUNE LOCK OUT

Sam Smith made it two wins from two at Brands Hatch as Hybrid Tune locked out the podium in the second Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE race of the weekend at Brands Hatch.

The first attempt at the start of the race would last a matter of yards as a clash involving Oliver Meadows, Jamie Osborne and Joe Tanner resulted in the red flag being thrown.

Meadows was slow away from the grid with Osborne moving to the left to move ahead of the EXCELR8 driver just as Tanner moved to the right from his position on the opposite side of the track.

The resultant contact turned Tanner into the pitwall, causing heavy damage to his Hybrid Tune-run car and forcing officials to halt the action.

After a mechanical issue for Max Hall then forced the restart to be delayed, a shortened ten-minute race kicked off with Smith on pole, although he was jumped off the start by newly-crowed champion Dan Zelos going into turn one.

Zelos however had an issue with fluid leaking onto the windscreen of his car and after Smith swept round the outside to reclaim the lead and Will Orton moved into second, Zelos dived into the pits for repairs – dropping him out of the lead battle.

From that point on, Smith was able to control proceedings from the front with Orton briefly dropping behind outgoing champion Sam Weller before reclaiming the position late on – with Weller chasing him home to complete the podium.

That result also ensured that Orton wrapped up the Rookie Cup.

Nathan Harrison took fourth spot and has been drawn on pole for race three, with Meadows and Nelson King rounding out the top six. King now sits third in the overall standings with Meadows up into fourth as a result of Tanner’s failure to finish.

Lydia Walmsley battled to seventh, with Spencer Stevenson, Bradley Gravett and Osborne rounding out the top ten, whilst Simon Reed took a first win in the Directors Cup.

Osborne is now 28 points clear in the Graduate Cup after title rival Dominic Wheatley retired after contact with Thomas Jack Lee on the opening lap of the restart.

Josh Porter would also retire early after a clash with a spinning Marlo Cordell as Paddock Hill Bend.