Ben Power in action in the Guttercrest Racing Legends Car (No 55) at Anglesey. Photo by Rodney Tietjen
Mid Wales racing driver Ben Power came back from illness to take his Legends car to victory in the final race at Anglesey circuit.
Power, aged 24, from Guilsfield, near Welshpool, had been ill for several weeks, but took part in the National Legends Car Championship meeting on Anglesey, as part of his bid to improve on his career-high third-place finish in last year’s UK championship.
In race one on the first day, he finished second and recorded the fastest lap, but a poor tyre-choice in race two led to him wrestling the car early on in the race, before a late charge in the drying conditions salvaged a third place finish.
A bad start in the final dropped him back down the pack, but he fought back and took the lead at one point, only to be pushed off the track accidentally, sending back to fourth where he finished, making him the second-highest points scorer on the day.
Day two was even more mixed – starting with a disappointing 11th place in race one. He led race two from the start, until, with a few laps to go, a spark plug lead fell off and he ended up 13th.
That fired him up for the final – he started 10th, was into the lead by lap two, and won the race by a massive 7.6 seconds, leaving him joint third on points for the day.
“I had been feeling really under the weather, so I was really glad I managed to find the energy to race,” said Power.
“It turned out to be a very successful weekend, and I was really on top form by the end.”
The championship continues at Rockingham, Leicestershire in August:
- 9-10 August – Rounds 7 and 8, Rockingham;
- 23-25 August – Rounds 9 and 10, Donington Park;
- 13-14 September – Rounds 11 and 12, Snetterton;
- 4-5 October – Rounds 13 and 14, Pembrey;
- 1-2 November – Rounds 15 and 16, Brands Hatch.
Legends racing originated on the US oval tracks, and the cars have an American look, being 5/8-scale replicas of classic US models. Guttercrest Racing runs a Ford Coupe 1934 replica, with a 1250cc Yamaha motorcycle engine.
With identical cars and the fastest drivers having to start at the back of the grid, there is said to be more overtaking in a single Legends race than in a whole season of Formula 1.
Guttercrest Racing is backed by the family-owned aluminium guttering company Guttercrest, based in Oswestry. The team has further support from award-winning Cardiff-based PR consultancy Weltch Media, and Ripla Designs.
