RHYS HURD HOLDS OFF THE PACK TO SCORE OPENING SILVERSTONE WIN

Rhys Hurd converted pole position into victory in the opening Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy race of the weekend at Silverstone, despite the best effort of a huge train of cars behind.

Hurd had lined up at the front having earned pole through second quickest times in qualifying, with the Westbourne Motorsport man nailing the start to take the lead into Copse for the first time.

Behind, Jenson Mason bogged down off the line to slip down to fourth, allowing Alfie Garford to jump into second and Gabe Fairbrother into third.

As Hurd led at the front, Fairbrother attacked for second on lap two to move into second spot, with a charging Louie Capozzoli working his way forwards to climb into third.

With a train of cars behind, the lead trio were running nose-to-tail, with Capozzoli getting ahead of Garford before launching a bid for the lead going into Maggotts. The EXCELR8 driver ran wide on the exit however which allowed Hurd to immediately reclaim the lead on the run down to Brooklands, with Fairbrother following through.

Through the closing laps, Fairbrother did his best to get ahead of Hurd but the Westbourne Motorsport man held on to secure the win in a race where the top 15 finishers took the flag covered by little over five seconds.

“I knew that if there was a train behind me, it was unlikely that second would make a push for the lead because they would be at risk from behind,” he said. “There was a moment when I saw Louie come flying up the inside but then he ran deep and I got the run down to Brooklands to reclaim the lead with Gabe behind me.

“It was all about stopping people getting a run on me as the tow here is so big but I placed the car in the right place and got the win.”

Second for Fairbrother – along with points leader Alex Keens finishing outside the top ten – means the gap at the top has now come down to 39 points going into Sunday’s reverse grid race, where the top nine drivers will be reversed.

“I didn’t get the win but it’s all about the points at this stage of the season and with Alex lower down the field, we’ve been able to close the gap,” he said. “A big thanks to EXCELR8 for sorting the limp mode issue we had in qualifying as it’s meant we have strengthened our position in the standings.”

Capozzoli would end up in third spot, with Garford ending up in fourth after a strong final lap that saw him battle his way ahead of both Josh Wilby and Ronnie Smith on the final lap of the race.

Wilby and Smith followed home in fifth and sixth, with Mason ending up in seventh having dropped down the order in the early stages of the race.

Olivier Algieri, James Sherrington and Leo Purches rounded out the top ten, with Keens taking the flag in twelfth spot.