Even in retirement - the AMR Vantage GT3 is still very much a race winner

 

 

The opening race of the weekend on Saturday kicked off with Jonathon Mitchell and his #007 former TRG-AMR Vantage GT3 again beating the #47 Graham Davidson driven former Oman Racing AMR to the pole position at the start of that fifty-minute race.

For the large Aston Martin Racing powered entry, the former Massive Motorsport Vantage GT3 was sadly an early casualty at Copse on the first run through when another car caught its nose and tipped both into a spin, taking another with them and leaving the Sampson driven car with rear end damage as a red flag was called for the clean-up.

 

With the marshals again doing a sterling job, it was quickly back to racing within the tight track schedule with Davidson doing what he could to chase down the #007 up ahead. With nobody afraid to race these now historical listed cars, further incident and accident was inevitable with a Safety Car intervention again further delaying the racing with little over fifteen minutes remaining.

Eventually getting back to green with just four minutes remaining, it was another last two lap dash to the flag with Mitchell able to hold off a charging Davidson (and the two other cars close behind) to take the win with the #47 car in second. The Kyle Tilley/Christian Albrecht driven former #18 AMR works car was the next best finisher in sixth with the #13 ex. TF Sport AMR of Shaun Lynn and Scott Malvern rounding off the top ten.

 

Race two on Sunday started much the same way with the #007 and #47 Astons again locking out the front row although both the #52 DBRS9 and the #68 cars were sadly both missing from the grid after their respective race one incidents.

This time avoiding any opening lap incidents, Mitchell was soon stretching his legs out from as Davidson soon had his rear-view mirrors full of Chevrolet Camero but quickly the #007 car would suffer from technical issues as the previous lap’s gap to second was quickly overcome and surpassed as the car eventually stopped out on track.

That left both Davidson and Phil Keen to battle for the lead into the pit window with the #47 able to restore its lead thereafter. The #18 AMR Vantage GT3 was also coming into the mix this time around after Tilley had taken over from Albrecht to run in third overall with little over fifteen minutes remaining.

As the sunlight began to turn down, the #47 Oman Racing AMR of Davidson secured another race win within the series with the #18 car coming home in third with the #13 former T-Sport AMR of Lynn/Malvern rounding out the top five as the final Aston Martin across the line.

Photo credits – Teams / Series / social media