Super Touring race cancelled after first lap incident

The HSCC Super Touring Car series first race at the Brands Hatch Masters Historic Festival lasted only one lap after an incident between Paul Smith and Dave Jarman at Surtees Bend.

The drama started before the race had even begun with Patrick Watts failing to get off the grid for the formation lap with a clutch problem.

As a result, the clock began to tick after the formation lap, effectively starting the race under safety car conditions. The race went green the following lap, with Stewart Whyte getting the jump and pulling away from the chasing pack, led by Paul Smith and Tom Gladdis.

Just four corners in to the race, Smith and Gladdis had an almighty sideways moment, with the former coming off worse and ending up facing the wrong way in the middle of Surtees corner. While most cars were able to avoid the stricken Audi, Dave Jarman was unable to avoid an impact, colliding so hard that it spun the Audi back around the correct way.

Smith was out of the car almost immediately, heading straight over to Jarman’s Nissan to ensure that his fellow racer was okay. Unfortunately Jarman was unable to get out of the car unassisted, being removed from the car by the safety crews. The series organiser was carried away on a stretcher from the scene, talking to the marshals throughout and taken to hospital with suspected back injuries.

John Cleland was also involved in the incident, suffering some damage on both the right hand side and underneath the rear of his Vauxhall Vectra.

The race was put under safety car conditions, but before the cars came back around the track the red flag was out and the drivers were taken back down the pitlane. Owing to the amount of time lost in clearing up the incident, the race was cancelled and will not be rerun.

The series will be back in action tomorrow, however, with a second qualifying session and a race taking place on the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit.