MAX EDMUNDSON BATTLES TO VICTORY IN DRAMATIC KNOCKHILL FINALE

Max Edmundson produced a fine drive in the final Vertu MINI CHALLENGE race of the weekend at Knockhill as he battled his way from seventh on the grid to snare a second win of the campaign.

In a dramatic final race of the weekend in Scotland, Edmundson emerged on top following a chaotic encounter in which points leader Jamie Osborne ran into trouble and saw his advantage at the top of the standings cut as a result.

Having won race one of the weekend, Nathan Edwards lined up on pole at the start but was beaten into turn one by Osborne from alongside on the front row of the grid.

Edwards then tried to reclaim the lead at McIntyre’s but contact saw Osborne forced off across the grass, dropping him down to seventh spot as Edwards led Lewis Selby and Harry Hickton – with the latter having made up two places on the opening lap.

Selby set about trying to find a way ahead to grab the lead but as he sized up Edwards going into turn one at the start of lap three, it instead opened the door for Hickton to sweep through and overhaul both drivers and grab the lead.

Outside the top three, Owen Hillman was holding into fourth ahead of Tom Ovenden and an ailing Osborne, with Edmundson the quickest man on track in seventh.

As Osborne was forced to then pit with a puncture, Hickton continued to lead the race from Edwards until a move for position at the hairpin on lap ten went wrong – with Hickton tipped into a half spin and Edwards sustaining damage that would force him back into the pits to retire.

Selby now found himself out front ahead of Hillman and Edmundson, with the Pro Alloys Racing pair swapping positions to allow Edmundson to launch an attack for the lead.

The rookie saw his chance to strike as the pair found themselves in traffic and having set up a move, he swept ahead into turn one on lap 23 before edging clear to take the win.

“We found an issue with the rear brakes on my car last night which impacted my race yesterday and then this morning was unfortunate, but we have fought back well,” he said.

“It wasn’t easy in the heat and we had to just stay strong and try not to overcook the tyres early on. You had to just keep your head and when there was a chance to take the lead, I took it.”

Behind Selby in second, Hillman scored his first overall podium finish in third despite a late scare when he picked up a five second penalty for exceeding track limits.

Hillman had enough in hand however to stay ahead of Ovenden, with Hickton taking the flag in fifth – being left to wonder what might have been without the earlier contact.

Jacob Hodgkiss took sixth spot after a huge fight with Alex Solley and Charlie Hand but was penalised post-race for a clash with Solley at turn one in the final stages of the race as the they fought for the position.

It allowed Hand – who had split the pair on the result – to take sixth ahead of Solley, with Hodgkiss demoted back down to eighth.

Harry Campey and Cameron Richardson then rounded out the top ten, just ahead of the fuel development car in the hands of Brent Bowie.

With Osborne finishing at the back a lap down, his gap to Ovenden in the standings has been reduced to 40 points with six races left to run at Silverstone and Brands Hatch.