Dempsey continues winning form in BRSCC Formula Ford
Jordan Dempsey’s performances in the UK FF1600 at the weekend – two wins, three podium finishes and three fastest laps – have extended his championship lead.
Racing in the 2022 Avon Tyres BRSCC National Formula Ford Championship, the Mullingar man is proving his class behind the wheel of his Kevin Mills Racing car.
He started the weekend as fastest in every session of testing on Friday, but in an age when race administrators are being ever more strict about drivers exceeding track limits, he qualified sixth due to that enforcement.
The speed was there though, and in race one, Jordan made up three positions on the first lap. He was sitting in third for most of the race, in the fight for the lead, but he couldn’t quite make a move as his engine was overheating because of a lengthly wait on the grid and a lack of cooling air coming through, as he was close behind other cars all race.
“I got the gut feeling that the leaders were going to come together with the way they were driving, so I kept station where I was, ready to pounce if anything happened,” Jordan told the Westmeath Examiner.
“Which it did with one lap to go, giving me the lead – but as the race was red-flagged the results went back a lap, leaving me in P2 - but after a steward’s enquiry I was given the win as the other driver got disqualified.”
The Mullingar man started race two from pole position, made a good getaway and kept the lead. “I was immediately able to start to build a gap, pulling out a tenth of a second a lap until I broke the slipstream and built up a gap of 4.5 seconds at the flag, along with the fastest lap – which also turned out to be the lap record!”
Race three had a reversed grid and Jordan started from seventh, as that was the number he pulled out of the hat. “It was hard to make progress as there was some erratic driving to keep me behind, which ended with me being on the grass more than once!
“Even so, I still managed to work my way up to P3 in the end, with another fastest lap. Another lap or two and I would’ve been fighting for the win!
“What a great weekend! I couldn’t have asked for any more from the Kevin Mills Racing Spectrum, it was on rails in all three races.
“We’ve put our heads down as a team since Knockhill, and it really showed with the performance over the weekend. Big thanks to Kevin and Jayde on the setup, MCP for a great engine, my dad, Ben and Chris on the spanners, and also to all of my sponsors, VS Digital, TBRM, Novitas, Rescu U Ltd, Kender Bearings, Sleator Kia and Canore Hygiene.”
The team are now looking forward to keeping the momentum going at Anglesey Circuit on June 18-19.