Max Hart, Jenson O’Neill-Going share Snetterton successes

Max Hart and Jenson O’Neill-Going scored a win apiece in the latest rounds of the TCR UK season at Snetterton.

Hart emerged victorious in the opening race with a lights-to-flag performance before O’Neill-Going held on against late pressure to take the honours in race two.

Having topped the times in qualifying it was Callum Newsham who lined up on pole for the opening race ahead of Hart, with Harry Bloor leading the second row of the grid having outpaced O’Neill-Going.

Hart made the best start to grab the lead from Newsham going into turn one, with O’Neill-Going grabbing third thanks to the fact that Bloor was slow off the line and then clashed with Carl Boardley – delaying both drivers.

As Hart and Newsham diced for the lead in the early stages, O’Neill-Going found himself under pressure from Hutchison, who grabbed third before setting off after the leading pair.

As Hutchison started to put pressure on Newsham, Hart was able to break away at the front and extend his lead out to nearly a second, with O’Neill-Going having dropped away from the podium battle. Behind him, Max Hall and Bloor were going wheel-to-wheel for position, with Bloor finally grabbing fifth from his rival on lap seven.

Boardley immediately followed through into sixth at Agostini, despite Hall trying – forcefully – to reclaim the place, and all three drivers then over-hauled O’Neill-Going when Bloor opened the door and both Boardley and Hall followed through.

At the front, Hart was clear of the pack behind as he took victory, with Hutchison taking second having made a late move on Newsham at Agostini in the Cupra.

Bloor took the flag in fourth but two ten second penalties dropped him down the order, and it was Hall who instead took the place ahead of Boardley and O’Neill-Going – with Boardley having also picked up a five second penalty for track limits.

Mark Smith lined up on pole for the reverse grid second race and should have had Ricky Kerry alongside, although the Hyundai failed to make it round the green flag lap to leave the pole-sitter alone at the head of the pack.

Smith got away well from the line but those behind were quicker, with McGovern going round the outside into turn one to grab the lead and O’Neill-Going following into second.

As Smith faded through the opening half a lap, Hall moved up into third with Boardley fourth before the lead changed hands as O’Neill-Going barged his way through ahead of McGovern to hit the front.

By the end of lap one, O’Neill-Going had a lead of 1.5 secs over Hall, who had managed to grab second from McGovern going into the final corner, with the Irish driver finding himself forced to defend from Boardley behind.

The former champion quickly overhauled McGovern to make it a Honda 1-2-3, with Hart the next man to make a move as he grabbed fourth.

Out front, Hall was on a charge and raced up to the rear of the leader to leave the two youngsters nose-to-tail on the fourth lap, with Hall having a look into Coram but finding the door slammed firmly shut.

Hall then tried again at Agostini on lap five but went too deep into the hairpin and ran onto the grass, with O’Neill-Going reclaiming the lead immediately and Hall dropping down to third behind Boardley.

Hart was on the rear of the pair and dived down the inside of Hall into Montreal to move third, but Hall wasn’t ready to give up on a podium place and by the end of the lap, had retaken his place in the queue behind Boardley.

With O’Neill-Going being the slowest of the lad pack, Boardley, Hall, Hart and Brad Hutchinson all chased down the teenager at the front as the clock ticked down.

On the final lap, O’Neill-Going ran wide at Agostini which allowed Boardley to get alongside, with the pair making contact as the leader looked to retain his position. Hall tried to grab second but couldn’t make a move stick as O’Neill-Going was able to break away from the pack behind to take the win.

Boardley took second from Hall and Hart, with Hutchison in fifth and Bloor rounding out the top six. Newsham could only take seventh having run off track more than once in the Hyundai, with McGovern slipping to eighth by the flag.