Photo: PSP Images

James Dodd takes top spot from Brands Hatch Superprix

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James Dodd jumped to top of the HSCC Super Touring Championship standings as he kept Stewart Whyte behind in a close Honda battle at Brands Hatch.

It was a less than perfect start for Dodd, however, as he faltered at the rolling start, allowing his father Graeme to take second in his Nissan Primera. The Honda 1-2 was reinstated just a few corners later, however, with James Dodd chasing Whyte for the lead at the end of the first lap.

The two were even closer a lap later, with Dodd diving down the inside of the race one winner at Paddock Hill bend to take the lead he would hold for the remainder of the race. Whyte held on to the back of Dodd, with the gap between the two staying around the six tenth of a second mark for the majority of the twenty minute race.

“I had the third gear gremlin again,” Dodd told TouringCarTimes.com, an issue that plagued his car in the first race. “It was a fantastic battle with Stewart, and it’s great to get the win and to lead the championship going in to Silverstone. We’re going to have to sort out the gearbox in the next two weeks, but it should be OK and Silverstone should be a great weekend.”

It was only with two laps to go that Whyte began to drop back, shortly after receiving a black and white warning flag for track limits, a warning he received alongside Mark Wright in the Mk2 Escort, who was minding his own business at the back of the pack.

While the Hondas fought at the front of the field, the stage was set for the two BMW M3s of Harry Whale and Mark Smith to continue their scrap from race one. The first three laps saw the two battle nose-to-tail, with Smith passing Whale at Paddock Hill on the same lap as Dodd made his way past Whyte.

Unfortunately that would be the end of the BMW duel, as Whale dropped off pace and dived in the pits with a brake issue. He would return to the action four laps later to get some track time ahead of the Silverstone Classic. Richard Meins also made a visit to the pits in the closing stages of the race, using the race as a test session ahead of sharing his Ford Mondeo with Rob Huff at Silverstone.

“That was good, it could’ve been busier, but it was good,” said Smith, who took GA class honours. “I got past Harry at Surtees and managed to hold on through the outside at Hawthorns, so I’m pleased to have got the win on merit. A win’s a win, but it just feels better to have got past Harry before he had his brake issues.”