JAMIE OSBORNE STORMS TO REVERSE GRID SUCCESS

Jamie Osborne produced a fine drive in the second race of the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE season at Donington Park as he battled his way from ninth on the grid to score victory.

The NAPA Racing UK driver had given himself plenty of work to do having made the reverse grid draw following his Saturday win, with Albert Webster instead taking his spot at the head of the field for JRW Motorsport.

Webster however was overhauled for the lead on the opening lap, with Max Edmundson finding a way ahead going into McLeans and Cameron Richardson following him through.

Osborne meanwhile had a rocket start further back, and by the end of lap one had already climbed up into fifth spot, and within a lap, had moved ahead of Jacob Hodgkiss to hit the top four.

Edmundson had built a small lead over Webster but the JCW Sport graduate was able to close back in on the leader until launching a move for the position going into the final chicane on lap five.

As the pair were delayed on the exit, Richardson made it a three-wide fight for the lead, with Osborne also getting involved having closed in on the front three – and he took full advantage to overhaul the three drivers across the line going into lap six; completing the move going into Redgate.

From that point on, Osborne was able to control the race from the front as he secured win number of two of the weekend to extend his early lead in the standings.

“To be honest I didn’t expect that,” he said. “I was told to pick up points by the team and make up moves when people made mistakes, but my goal was to prove our pace – which is what we did.

“The team certainly didn’t it so that is for the boys and we need to try and make it three in the final race of the weekend.”

Webster would hold on to second spot until he ran wide at the Old Hairpin on the tenth lap, which dropped him down the pack and moved Edmundson up into second spot at the wheel of his Pro Alloys Racing-run car.

Edmundson had Richardson running behind him but the NAPA Racing UK was out of position having been handed a penalty for exceeding track limits, which left Marlo Cordell in third spot.

The EXCELR8 man had gradually worked his way through from eighth at the end of the opening lap and was set to inherit third spot before Edmundson was handed a five second penalty right at the death – which moved Cordell up into second for a second podium finish of the weekend.

Tom Ovenden also benefitted from Edmundson’s issue to take third spot and the final place one the podium after a chaotic race in which he had found himself in the heart of the action in the midfield.

“I can’t tell you how many people I overtook and how many overtook me!” he said. “It was a tough race in the heat, especially when battling to keep tyres alive, so to take the flag in P4 and then get a podium is really good.

“It was a difficult race and it will be tough again later on in the longer race, but we’re all in the same boat.”

Outside the top four, Steven Chandler produced arguably the most impressive drive of his racing career to date in the Fuel Development car to come through from P10 on the grid to take fourth, with Edmundson taking fifth after his penalty.

With Chandler not eligible for points and trophies, Edmundson therefore grabbed the Rookie Cup win.

After his trip off track, Webster had to settle for sixth place ahead of Harry Hickton, who recovered well from his incident in race one to climb nine spots into seventh – with Josh Porter following him through the field in eighth.

Jacob Hodgkiss – who lost ground when forced off by contact with Lewis Selby at turn one – ended up back in ninth, with the top ten completed by Harry Campey.

With 15 seconds added to his race time, Richardson ended up outside the top ten in an unrepresentative twelfth place.