ARCHIE JOHNSON RETURNS TO TOP STEP WITH CROFT VICTORY

Archie Johnson returned to the top of the JCW Sport class podium with victory in the second race of the weekend at Croft.

Johnson had been the man to beat in terms of pace during the opening race in North Yorkshire but could only finish third behind Chris Mackenzie and team-mate Henry Howarth, with the Jamsport man eager to try and make amends in Sunday’s 25 minute long encounter.

Mackenzie would start from pole in his Bitcoin Racing car and was able to retain his advantage when the lights went out ahead of Johnson and Howarth, with Nicky Gauci able to fight his way ahead of Ben Crossley into fourth.

Johnson made a move for the lead at Tower on lap two to get ahead of Mackenzie before the race went under caution following an incident involving two of the JCW entrants on the exit of the chicane.

It would be lap eight before the action resumed, and Johnson took full advantage of the fact that his rivals started to squabble for position behind to ease clear at the front and take a comfortable win.

That marked his return to the top step for the first time since Donington Park and the opening meeting of the campaign.

“I had a shocking start and lost a place to Henry, but I got him back into Tower on lap one and then got the cut back on Chris at the same place the next lap to get ahead,” he said.

“We’ve had a good weekend with a third and a first, and it’s helped us to close in in the standings.”

The fight for second would be arguably the battle of the race, with Mackenzie coming under huge pressure from Howarth for the position.

Howarth made a move at the hairpin on eleven only for Mackenzie to fight back around the outside as the pair raced down to turn one, with Gauci closing onto the rear of the pair to make it a three-way fight for the position.

Howarth then managed to find a way to get ahead of Mackenzie at turn one but then suddenly slowed coming into the complex when the driveshaft let go on his car, just as Mackenzie tried to make a move to reclaim second spot.

As he sailed through along with Gauci, Howarth was forced to roll into the pits to retire as the fight for second become a two driver affair and on the final lap, Gauci managed to get ahead to make it a Jamsport 1-2, with Mackenzie having to settle for third.

“I feel amazing,” Gauci said. “I got a good start to make up a place and then it was a race of battling with position with Chris and Henry.

“Henry had a problem so I gained a spot there, and then managed to get Chris on the last lap for second which is a great result.”

Off the podium, Will Crooks grabbed fourth spot late on when Ben Crossley suffered a mechanical issue that forced him to slow, with Crossley having now slipped to third in the standings behind Johnson.

Howarth continues to lead the way, albeit by a reduced margin of 24 points heading to Knockhill next time out.