As the Ginetta Junior Championship moved to Croft for rounds 9 & 10, Douglas Motorsport driver Niall Murray was brimming with confidence coming from a superb double victory weekend at Oulton Park some 2 weeks earlier. Now leading the championship, Murray was keen to build on this lead before the championship takes a 6-week mid-season break.
Free practice and qualifying were reasonably positive for the young Dubliner finishing 3rd in free practice before his qualifying run earned him 3rd on the grid for race 1 and 2nd for race
2. Crucially Niall’s main championship rival Sennan Fielding was the man setting the pace netting pole for both races, however Murray who is now well known for impeccable starts was not phased by his placing as it still left him in an strong position to challenge for the top spot.
A good start off the line put Murray right behind Pepe Massot as they approached Hawthorn bend, however Harry Woodhead tried an optimistic move around the outside of Murray leaving the Irishman will little choice but to dive to the right effectively straight lining the chicane to avoid a nasty impact with the tyres. Luckily Murray didn’t loose too much time and slotted back in behind Massot. Charlie Robertson was now putting Niall under pressure for 3rd and managed to find a way past at Barcroft. Murray slotted himself right on Robertson’s bumper to try and keep in his tow to stay with the leaders and this allowed him to set the fastest lap of the race on lap 4 and with it a new class lap record. On lap 5 Massot, Robertson and Murray were now all in a 3-way battle for 2nd and it was Murray who managed to briefly slip into 2nd but Massot was able to get a run on Murray to move back up to 2nd. Now running 3rd, Robertson was back to pressure Murray with the pair running side-by-side at the Jim Clarke Esses before Robertson managed to slip back into 3rd. Murray however wasn’t done yet and in a superb final corner move Murray passed Robertson at the infamous Croft Hairpin to take 3rd as they crossed the line. Controversially the Stewards awarded the place back to Robertson in a post- race investigation leaving Niall in 4th but with the bonus of fastest lap and class lap record.
With the disappointment of having a podium finish taken away in race 1, Niall was even more determined not to leave the Yorkshire venue without at least 1 podium finish. Yet again Murray was superb off the line to hold 2nd behind leader Sennan Fielding at the end of lap
1. Once again Niall was feeling the heat from the 2nd of his main championship rivals Charlie Robertson. Despite defending well for the first part of the race, Charlie found a way past on lap 5. As in race 1, Niall did his best to stay in Robertson’s tow to try and reel in run away leader
Sennan Fielding but Murray’s car was struggling slightly for rear-end grip. A testament to the young Dubliner’s skill, Niall managed to stay within striking distance of 2nd placed Robertson right to the line netting another podium finish in 3rd to add to his amazing tally of 8 podium finishes from 10 races this season. Even more impressive was setting another fastest lap to grab
1 more all important championship point.
Speaking after the race, Niall commented on a weekend of mixed fortunes, “naturally I am very disappointed to have my 3rd place taken away from me in race 1, we had a good clean battle right throughout the race which I was pleased with. Having said that I am glad to finish the weekend on the podium and 2 fastest laps and a lap record is still a good weekend overall. We have just slipped to 2nd in the championship as a result of Sennan’s double win this weekend however its still very much to play for and I’m really looking forward to getting back in action when the championship resumes at Snetterton. Once again a great job by my team Douglas Motorsport, my sponsors Murray Motorsport, KENNETT, P1 Digital and all my supporters at home and online via Twitter and Motorsport.ie, it means a lot and is a great confidence boost when I’m out on track”.
The Ginetta Junior Championship resumes at Snetterton on Saturday August 11th August for
Rounds 11 & 12.