Josh Rowledge held off Sonny Smith to win the opening round of the 2022 Ginetta Junior Championship.
After a dominant performance in the 2021 Ginetta Junior Winter Series, Rowledge started the season as he meant to go on at Donington Park.
The R Racing driver started from the second row of the grid and brought the fight to pole sitter Smith while Harri Reynolds snatched the race lead heading into the first corner. Rowledge followed Reynolds through then claimed the lead when Reynolds was shuffled back in the battle.
Once at the front of the order, he had six cars close behind him battling for position, led by Smith and Reynolds.
Reynolds briefly broke through to take second, but was shuffled back behind Smith and Luke Watts.
Rowledge and Smith were able to break away slightly in the closing stages of the race before a late safety car neutralised the race. AJ Rock had run into the gravel with four minutes left on the clock. By the time the incident was cleared, there was less than a minute remaining. Even though the safety car came into the pits, there was no time to restart the race and Rowledge took the chequered flag to earn his first win in the main series.
Smith picked up seconds ahead of Reynolds, who had managed to get back ahead of Watts before the safety car.
Joe Warhurst took the fastest lap of the race on his way to fifth ahead of Kanato Le, who climbed up from eighth on the grid and spent the second half of the race battling with Ian Aguilera. Aguilera had to settle for seventh.
William Macintyre, Liam McNeilly, and Zac Meakin completed the top 10.
Image credit: Ginetta/Jakob Ebrey Photography
PR available: Ginetta Junior Update writer Bethonie Waring is available to supply PR and communications services to Ginetta Junior drivers and racers in other selected series. Visit the PR Opportunities tab for more details
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