It was a sensational debut motorsport weekend for Epperstone’s Harry Gamble as he took three podium places in the Ginetta GT Academy Championship at Oulton Park, writes Paul Horton.
It was celebrations all round for the Gamble family, as their rookie racer — brother to seasoned race drivers Tom and George Gamble wrote the record books bt getting a second, third and final race of the day first place.
Both newcomer Harry and brother Tom were racing at Oulton Park over the weekend in different championships.
25-year-old Harry entered the series with no previous motorsport experience but recently posted the sixth overall fastest combined time in testing at Oulton Park recently at the wheel of Elite Motorsport’s Ginetta G56 GTA.
Gamble got off to a flying start as he was the fastest driver in the first session and set several fast laps in the second.
He qualified in third place, as he pushed the Ginetta to its limits.
As the first race started, Gamble moved straight up into the second position.
He remained there from virtually a lights to flag finish over the 11 lap race and a fantastic battle with rookie W2R driver James Nicholas who took the flag only half-a-second ahead of Gamble.
Bank Holiday Monday saw two races, the first on a still wet but drying track with plenty of rubber been laid from several races earlier, the conditions very different from Saturdays race.
He started fourth on the grid on the second row, as the lights went out he dropped down to ninth in the order.
By lap four, he had rose in the ranks to fourth and was rapidly catching the others.
A safety car was deployed at the end of lap 4 for a lap bunching the group together.
By lap five they were racing again and Gamble moved into third place where he remained to take another podium spot.
The last race of the weekend, saw drier conditions for the seven lap race.
Gamble started in third on the second row of the grid and after another great start, he moved up into first.
Multiple safety car appearances slowed the race down but it didn’t bother Gamble who took it in his stride and raced past the chequered flag with the lead intact to secure the win.
