Fox finishes fifth in historic festival final

FESTIVAL CELEBRATIONS: Lewis Fox pictured during last weekend's 50th anniversary Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch

Whitchurch racer, Lewis Fox, was a busy man at Brands Hatch last weekend driving in five races during the 50th anniversary Formula Ford Festival event write Colin and James Beckett.

The annual race meeting received a boost in entries for its half century running, and Fox was pitched into battle against 97 other racers in an event that features heats and knockout races for all competitors. Driving a Van Diemen RF92, carrying the colours of 1992 Festival winner, Jan Magnussen, Fox was drawn in the second heat of racing.

Fourteenth in qualifying, Fox sadly lost his race result due to a collision at Druid's Hairpin with the 1980 Festival winner, Roberto Moreno, who was making a one-off return to FF1600 as part of the event's special celebrations.

As a result, the Team Fox Racing racer was forced to contest the second Progression race late on Saturday afternoon to maintain his position in the main competition. Safely negotiating the race to qualify for Sunday's semi-finals, where he finished nineteenth, Fox had one further chance to qualify for the all-important Grand Final through participation in the Last Chance Race.

A series of Safety Car delays, prevented Fox from having enough race time to progress further in the main event, but his hopes were high for a strong end to the Festival with participation in the Historic Final.

The Historic Final for the Brian Jones Trophy, was won by Matt Rivett (Van Diemen RF91), and Fox raced through to a well-deserved fifth at the chequered flag - chasing home Brandon McCaughan (Mondiale), Chris Goodwin (Van Diemen RF89) and Ryan Campbell (Reynard 89FF) to the line. Fox said afterwards, "I enjoyed the Festival, the weather threw everything at us at times, especially on Sunday, but it was a good weekend. I am now looking ahead to the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone, where I will drive a Ray car."

The Festival was won overall by Jamie Sharp (B-M Racing) from Team USA Scholarship duo, Max Esterson and Andre Castro.

* The 21st running of Silverstone's Walter Hayes Trophy takes place this weekend. The track's annual end-of-season event has attracted an entry of over 100 Formula Ford cars, with competitors arriving at the local venue from all over the world. Oliver White will carry the number one as the defending champion, and he will drive a Medina car for the Souley Motorsport team. Lewis Fox is set to be joined in the Team Fox Racing squad by Joe Watts, who will race the Van Diemen RF92 that Fox raced at Brands Hatch.