British GT: Perfect start of the season for Keen and Minshaw

The 2017 British GT season kicked-off with a double program at Oulton Park. Barwell Motorsport’s drivers Phil Keen and Jon Minshaw scored the double.

Race 1

Team Parker Racing’s Bentley of Seb Morris and Rick Parfitt had a pole position in both races but in the first event of the day, Parfitt immediately lost to Jon Minshaw in Barwell Motorsport’s #33 Lamborghini. The conditions on wet track were quite tricky but Minshaw and Keen after him created an incredibly huge advantage and easily scored first win of the season.

Barwell Motorsport celebrated 1-2 finish in the first race after their car #6 of Liam Griffin and newcomer to the series Sam Tordoff were 2nd while the reigning champions Derek Johnston and Jonny Adam in TF Sport’s Aston Martin Vantage completed the podium.

Track Club’s McLaren won the race 1 at Oulton Park

In the GT4 class, surprising winners of the first race are Adam Balon and Adam MacKay, debutants in the Track Club’s McLaren 570S. They started from the 8th position but profited from the fact that many cars were penalized because of pit stop infringements. Other debutants Stuart Middleton and William Tregurtha in HHC Motorsport’s Ginetta G55 finished 2nd while the 3rd place went to Will Moore and Matt Nicoll-Jones in Academy Motorsport’s Aston Martin Vantage.

Race 2

In the second race, Team Parker’s Bentley easily and quickly lost the lead to Barwell’s winning car. Soon after Seb Morris was penalized with a drive-through penalty and it was clear that a good job done by #31 car’s crew in qualifying was ruined. Phil Keen held a strong lead to TF Sport’s Aston Martin #11 while Barwell’s second Lambo with Sam Tordoff retired while running 3rd, allowing Jonny Adam in the second TF Sport’s car to move into the top 3.

Detail from the 2017 British GT race at Oulton Park

When the mandatory pit stop and driver change was completed, nothing has changed at the top of the grid but the gaps decreased when the safety car was deployed after a big accident at Hilltop with Team Parker Racing’s #7 Bentley and Rollcentre Racing’s Mercedes. The barriers were damaged badly and the race finished under the safety car. Minshaw and Keen scored another victory, this time beating TF Sport’s Aston Martins.

In the GT4 class, race winner was decided after the race due to a time penalties, so Lanan Racing’s Ginetta #51 of Alex Reed and David Pittard was declared victorious. In2Racing’s McLaren #29 and Optimum Motorsport’s Ginetta #501 of reigning champions Graham Johnson and Mike Robinson completed the podium.