It was a flying start to the season for Epperstone’s McLaren factory racing driver Tom Gamble for the first two rounds of the British GT Championship at Oulton Park, writes Paul Horton.
22-year-old Gamble finished the first round missing out on a podium by one place to take fourth and finished the second race coming in second over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
He raced in the GT3 Pro-Am Class with Wakefield based Optimum Motorsport partnering with Mark Radcliffe in the number 27 car.
After good qualifying sessions and a break on Sunday, Radcliffe started the pair off from fifth on the grid.
Horrendous weather meant that the safety car was soon out.
Gamble waiting patiently in the pits waiting for his stint to take over from Radcliffe.
Radcliffe took advantage of the conditions and pitted the car with Gamble stepping into the drivers seat.
At the halfway stage of the race, Gamble was up to fourth.
After another appearance from the safety car, Gamble realised he had more time to make up if he wanted to progress in the race.
With 10 minutes on the clock left, Gamble dropped to fifth briefly before retaining fourth place at the close of the race.
Race two saw blue skies and a damp but drying track as Gamble started on wet tyres.
However, the safety car was soon out again as a car went off the track.
With 47 minutes left Gamble was back racing in second position.
Gamble was under half-a-second off Sandy Mitchell and getting closer.
On the 29th minute, Gamble pitted and Radcliffe replaced him for the final stint.
Radcliffe pushed the replaced Barwell driver Alex Martin, but after more issued due to a gravel grounded Aston Martin he was unable to take the lead finishing just over a second behind the race leader.
Gamble is back in action next at Silverstone for the three-hour endurance race in round three of the British GT Championship, from April 26-28.
