Report from final round British / BTRDA Rallycross Championship, courtesy of Chris Manning

WHILST one British racing driver by the name of Jenson Button was experiencing good luck in Brazil winning the Formula One world title last Sunday, another at the other end of the motorsport spectrum, was having more bad luck in one day at the Mallory Park circuit in Leicestershre than he has had all year.

Fifteen-year-old Brad Bailey, from Maldon, was competing in the final of the British rallycross championship and having recently been crowned the British Junior rallycross champion at the previous round in Pembrey, was attempting to seal the BTRDA (British Trials and Rally Drivers Association) Junior rallycross title as well.

But a catalogue of non-finishes in his 100cc Mini running in the Junior rallycross section for young drivers aged 14 to 16, saw him miss out on vital points scored in the heats in order to make the finals and score championship points.

Throughout the year Brad has travelled the length and breadth of the country including Ireland, competing in rounds of the championship and had built up a healthy points lead. But Mallory Park was to be his nemesis when in the second heat of the day his engine coil expired mid-race and in the next another electrical problem did not see him finish.

Worse was to come when after finishing one heat the head gasket blew, meaning a hurried engine strip for his pit already harassed pit crew and he duly made his next heat only for the throttle cable to break on his 1000cc Mini a lap before the chequered flag.

The team finally called it a day when a suspected holed piston drastically reduced the power of his engine and with no times set in the BTRDA championship heats meant he had no chance of making the final and scoring points to win the title.

All is not lost for Brad as on October 31 he travels to the Croft circuit near Darlington for another bite of the cherry to compete in the final round Open Junior rallycross championship, which has been running con-currently with the other two championships and with a good result should see him crowned champion in this Junior rallycross series.