Jamie Chadwick’s season moved to Croft in North Yorkshire last weekend as the BTCC support Ginetta Junior championship had its latest rounds. All season Jamie has shown she has the pace but she rarely gets the luck to go with it. Would this weekend be any different?
Things got off to a good start in practice where she was fourth only three tenths of a second off the leader Lando Norris. Qualifying went similarly well later that morning with Jamie lining up in fourth on the outside of the second row for both races.
She got a great start in race one and had a number of attempts at snatching third place but at the same time she had to hold off Ryan Hadfield behind her trying to take fourth. Although she was unable to get third she successfully held off her other rivals and took fourth across the line. Jamie was pleased;
“A solid 4th place today. Good championship points and I’m confident for more tomorrow!”
The race on Sunday was live on ITV 4 and Jamie got a stunning start to take second place on the first lap, her promise of more to come seemed to be coming true! Just in front Lando Norris started edging away and so it looked like trying to stay in second might be Jamie’s best plan. Sadly disaster was to strike once again. Going into Clervaux, Jamie took a bit too much of the kerb and the car spun dropping her to the rear of the field. With her chance of a podium gone, Jamie fought back but with a short race and a lot of places to make up she was never going to get far. As the chequered flag fell she crossed the line in thirteenth place. She drops to eighth in the championship and although becoming champion looks unlikely now, (Leader jack Mitchell has nearly double her points.) third place would be a realistic target if things go well and maybe even the runner’s up spot.
A very rare mistake from Jamie had cost her a great result but Jamie will bounce back at Snetterton at the beginning of August aiming to get a podium.
In fact she already put the disappointment behind her in the week that followed when Jamie was part of the Ginetta team that won the Henry Surtees Karting challenge. She will be hoping to keep up that winning streak at Snetterton where a first win would be an amazing way of putting her season back on a high. By Marc Waller
