Ozzy Ozanne lives up to his number as he secures the winter championship at Sunday’s meeting at Chouet. (Pictures by Steve Sarre, 0717105)
OZZY OZANNE sealed the winter championship with a meeting in hand after another maximum points haul.
Meanwhile, Rachel Bihet edged into a three-point lead for the women’s title, again finishing ahead of Marilyn Robillard.
Peter Rose outscored Leeroy Sebire to regain the lead in standard tyres.
When Martyn Lowe failed to score in his heat, the Honda driveshaft again letting go, Ozanne could cruise to victory in the race of firsts ahead of Peter Jory, the best scorer for the Starfish Patrollers, with Ian Robert in a closing third place.
The battle for championship runner-up spot is still being contested by five drivers.
Second place is currently held by Trevor Breton, with two second places on Sunday, one point behind are Callum Queripel (a third and a finals win) and Lowe with Robert a further point adrift following a win and third place.
He was a car length behind Jory on the last lap of the main race, but never got close enough to pass for an extra point.
With Jory’s teammate Dean Leaver also scoring points for the team, the result puts the Starfishers back to 10 points adrift of their closest rivals 2Fast 2Serious.
This title chase has five more meetings to count.
The 2F2S team outscored their rivals by three points this meeting thanks to wins for Sebire, Queripel and Ozanne.
Bihet was led for the first lap of the women’s championship race by closest rival Robilliard, but by lap two Bihet was at the front of the field, a position she held until the flag to gain a win.
The result now leaves her three points ahead with one more meeting from which she needs two points for her first winter title.
Rose went back to the head of the standard tyres title chase with a win and a second place.
Fellow challenger Sebire, who had been on equal points, now slips five points behind as he could manage only one point.
The title will be decided between those two as third-placed Dan Pinchemain has once again retired from racing.
The reverse track race proved a nightmare for the marshall’s on the slip corner as three rollovers stopped the race.
The first attempt was red flagged as Michael Bichard rolled his Audi on the corner. As the cars were slowing down on the straight, Justin Robilliard was launched onto the stones below the common.
Both drivers were unhurt and the race was restarted shortly afterwards.
When this second attempt was three laps old, Paul de Jersey (in a borrowed car) brought out the flags again as he upended his teammate’s car on the same corner.
None of the cars or drivers was allowed to take part in the five lap re-run, which was eventually won by Queripel from Nathan Pinchemain.Autocross: Overall winter title decided with one meeting left but other categories go down to wire
Article posted on 10th February, 2009 - 2.29pm
Most Commented: