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Round 7 Brands Hatch, July 7/8th - Former British Ladies Rally champion Barbara Armstrong took to the sweeps and curves of the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit like the proverbial duck to water - only there probably wasn’t enough water for her tastes! As with every track this season she had never driven the Kent circuit before, yet she not only qualified an excellent fourth for the Sprint race, but came through to clinch yet another third-place podium.

Qualifying

In qualifying Barbara had, for a time, looked set for her best ever start. On her seventh flyer she popped in a very quick 1:35.641 to stand third, just behind Adrian Slater and Pete Chambers. Unfortunately, for Armstrong at least, Craig Rapp leaped up the order five minutes from the end to demote her to fourth. "It’s still an excellent performance," said Paul Robe. "That was three seconds faster than she’d gone in testing, so she really found the time today." Barbara was also pleased. "I’m going in the right direction. All I’ve got to do now is stay out of trouble in the early laps!" She hasn’t had the best of luck with first-lap incidents this season.

Sprint Race

True to her intentions, Barbara kept out of the way as the throng of cars headed towards Paddock for the first time. She kept wide, allowing those jostling for position to take the tighter line. It cost her a place but she emerged the other side unscathed, and she completed the first lap a close fifth.

As the leading pack rounded Druids for the second time it was all getting a little tight up front. Nigel Rice made heavy contact with the rear of Craig Rapp, who spun. Rice continued, but then pirouetted through Graham Hill Bend on the fluid escaping from his own damaged radiator. Rapp got going again, but well out of contention. Barbara had been forced to slow while all this was happening, but emerged in third, with Basil Demeroutis a little way back in fourth.

The two leaders, Adrian Slater and Pete Chambers, had been the obvious beneficiaries and now enjoyed an enormous lead over the chasing pack. Demeroutis initially closed on Barbara, but an error at Druids caused him to fall back, and with that any threat to Armstrong’s position faded. A coming-together between Slater and Chambers in the closing minutes brought her much closer to second, but she took the chequered flag a very satisfied third.

"I kept out of the way, let them sort themselves out, then went through the gaps," said Armstrong afterwards. "I’m really pleased with the way she held off Demeroutis," added Paul Robe. "She did a top job."

 

Brands Hatch photos HERE