NATHAN EDWARDS SIGNS OFF WITH FIFTH VICTORY

Nathan Edwards brought the curtain down on the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE season with a fifth victory of the campaign in the Brands Hatch season finale.

Edwards had started on pole having topped qualifying and was able to hold the lead of the race when the lights went out, helped by the fact that fellow front-row starter Max Hall was slow off the line – dropping down to fourth spot on the run to Paddock Hill Bend.

Josh Porter moved up into second spot with Dominic Wheatley taking third, only for Hall to then reclaim the spot.

Heading into lap two, Wheatley drew alongside Hall and dived down the inside into turn one, taking the place but also tagging Porter – who was topped sideways into a slide and ultimately then slipped down the order when he found himself off line.

That squabbling had allowed Edwards to build a small lead and, in a race shortened by five minutes for scheduling reasons, he was untroubled at the front as he scored the win, with Wheatley and Hall following him home to complete an EXCELR8 podium.

Jamie Osborne took fourth place having fought hard with the pair ahead for silverware throughout the race, with Tom Ovenden and Lydia Walmsley also part of the gaggle of cars running together.

Ovenden would take the flag in fifth, with Walmsley in sixth spot also bagging fastest lap in what is set to be her MINI CHALLENGE swansong.

Directors Cup champion Lewis Selby was able to hold off Porter for seventh with the top ten being completed by the two guest drivers from the Cooper class in the shape of Harry Hickton and Frankie Taylor.

Antony Sullivan rounded out the finishers, with Marlo Cordell being forced into the pits to retire with a mechanical issue.