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Southport Team Gough Racing wins Champion of Oulton Title in dramatic final round - 01/10/10
Stuart Gough was crowned with the Champion of Oulton title on Saturday (4th September) after a season long battle with up and coming Australian racer, Jordan Skinner.
The championship, based at Oulton Park (Cheshire), is one the most prestigious in British Motorsport.
Stuart in his Gough Racing Formula Ford, supported by Southport's Oldfields Autos and Teng Tools entered the final round with a narrow four point lead.
With bonus points for pole position and fastest laps, qualifying would be crucial. Stuart faced a stern test in the 20 minute qualifying as the car had only been finished the day before after sustaining accident damage the previous race. This left no time to test or shakedown the car at all. However with a fantastic final lap, Stuart grabbed pole by a quarter of a second.
Up first was race one and in a thrilling battle with several lead changes, it was the Australian Skinner who came out on top, with Stuart a close second, albeit with bonus points for fastest race lap.
The final race of the season therefore started with the two protagonists sharing the front row, now separated by just three points in the favour of Stuart. With 20 points for victory and 15 points for second, victory was the only way for either driver to win the championship. Knowing that leading from the front would be key, Stuart dived up the inside of the leader Skinner at the start of the second lap. Then in an ironic twist, Skinner crashed out in identical circumstances to those Stuart suffered only three weeks beforehand. Stuart was immediately the champion, going on to enjoy an unchallenged fourth victory of the season.
"To win the championship is a fantastic feeling", commented Stuart from the podium. "All year Jordan and I have been separated by hundredths of a second and had some of the best battles seen in Formula Ford. He has pushed me hard all year and certainly brought the best out of our whole team.
"This is a big result for everyone and I owe a lot to Southport's Oldfields Autos and Teng Tools. Without their support throughout the last few years, none of this would have been possible".
Stuart now aims to compete for the victory in the prestigious Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone in November.
