EDGE driver Tom Gamble and team mate Mark Ratcliffe overcame a spin in the 3 hour race at Donington Park to later stand on the second step of the overall podium in Sunday’s race.
An uncharacteristically dry bank holiday Saturday flipped on it’s head come Sunday, where the race, which started out dry, was later aborted and slicks were swapped for wets due to a heavy downpour. Officially starting behind the Safety Car, circulating for two laps before pitting, many others followed suit, whereas Optimum’s GT3 car stayed put on track.
Mark started the race but slipped down the order to eleventh (from fifth).
Once the field had boxed for slicks less than an hour into the race, Gamble made his race debut… light drizzle began to settle in the pits. Light rain had suddenly turned to a heavy downpour prompting many, including Gamble, to make their second pitstops to once again, replace the slicks to wets.
Cars that didn’t found themselves, upon entry at Redgate, in the gravel trap which resulted in a prolonged red flag period whilst recovery took place. #27 of Gamble appeared to be in the net lead when they boxed just as the race was suspended but Race Control corrected that by ordering Radcliffe – who’d taken over from Gamble – to concede positions just before racing resumed 45 minutes later.
The time lost under red flag had been reinstated thus, just under two hours of racing still remained. The second hour featured yet more FCY and Safety Car periods, prompting many to pit and capitalise on the neutralised race. The next caution period, triggered by the 2 Seas Merc and the Simon Orange McLaren prompted the final round of mandatory pitstops, seeing #27 taking full advantaged of others Compensation Times.
The #27 of Gamble found himself in a three-way battle for the win. Gamble chased and passed Collard, however it was the Lamborghini of Mitchell that pipped the McLaren to the line by a mere 0.6s when the chequered flag dropped.