MET Motorsport (Greater Brighton Metropolitan College) took their fourth class win and first overall podium when Richard Jepp brought the #65 Peugeot 107 home in an overall second place overall in the 40-car field, just over a second behind the overall winner, Elliot Lettis in the #3 Peugeot 107.
Second in class was the #38 OBU Student Challenge Citroen with Ben Creanor behind the wheel. The young Dunfermline driver finished in sixth overall, making up six places on his overall starting grid position. The leader in the Student Motorsport Challenge standings, Andy Burgess in the #57 East Surrey College Citroen finished third in class and 12th overall.
Jepp’s victory means that the gap has closed at the top of the provisional standings to ten points with East Surrey College on 172 points and MET Motorsport on 162 points. Creanor’s second place finish in class means that the OBU Student Challenge crew remain in third in the provisional standings on 144 points.
Richard Jepp started the 20-minute contest from the class pole and sixth on the overall grid but almost immediately made up places on the overall field and was running in second when the race was neutralised to retrieve the stricken #21 Citroen driven by Christopher Mackenzie.
When racing resumed with ten minutes remaining, Jepp came under pressure and dropped down the overall field before issues between the leaders allowed the #65 car to climb back up to second overall.
Richard Jepp was delighted with his first victory in the Student Motorsport Challenge.
“I had a really good start,” said Jepp. “The lights went out after two seconds and I think that caught some people out. I’d made two places up before the first corner and I was in a good position on the inside to make up another couple of places while the leaders were battling. On the Hanger Straight I was in a good bit of tow so it all worked out for me -It was really good!
“It was my win in the Student Motorsport Challenge and it’s been a long time coming. We’ve had the pace; I just don’t think we’ve had the luck. What a weekend for it to come – on the last weekend of the season! I’m really pleased for the team. They work really hard all the time and it’s good to give them the win.”
For Andy Burgess, it was a frustrating race but he retains a ten-point lead in the standings with two races remaining.
“I got caught up in the middle of the pack. We were going four-abreast into The Link. I got pushed and hit quite hard actually. I got pushed onto the grass.
“Hopefully we’ll have more luck in the next race but Richard Jepp will have the advantage on the grid.”
Race Two gets underway at 4.50pm on Saturday October the 15th