Daniella Sutton battles changeable conditions, displays overtaking skills at Croft

BRSCC Fiesta Junior Championship scholarship winner Daniella Sutton showed good speed in treacherous conditions on her first visit to Croft, where she regularly displayed pace comparable to those inside the top-10 despite a best result of 14th among the MK7 class.

Photo credits: James Roberts

BRSCC Fiesta Junior Championship scholarship winner Daniella Sutton showed good speed in challenging conditions on her first visit to Croft. The 20Ten Racing driver qualified inside the top-10 of the MK7 class and developed her racecraft in three wet races, achieving a best result of 16th overall, 14th among the MK7 racers. Sutton’s results did not reflect her pace with the young driver regularly displaying pace comparable to those inside the top-10.

Sutton enjoyed a breakthrough event last time out at Oulton Park where the 20Ten Racing driver scored a career best result of sixth overall, fifth in the MK7 class. Displaying excellent racecraft throughout, Daniella showed great confidence at a challenging circuit which saw her make a last corner pass for position. After consistently running among the top-10 drivers last time out, Sutton was targeting further progress at Croft with three action-packed races set to take place in Yorkshire.

Conditions were challenging for the young racers as they took to the circuit for qualifying on Saturday morning. The track was damp and an early red flag disrupted the session as Sutton and her rivals were getting up to speed. Daniella built up her times slowly while adapting to conditions, before making significant improvements late in the session. It was a positive qualifying for the 20Ten Racing driver who set the 13th fastest time overall, tenth in the MK7 class.

Lining up on the seventh row of the grid for race one, conditions remained challenging with a damp and greasy track at Croft. Sutton made a good initial getaway and was on course to gain positions before three-wide contact into Clervaux corner saw her spin into the gravel trap. Despite retiring from race one, Daniella would have two further chances to battle for positions and challenge for a top-10 result.

Grid positions for race two were based on the finishing positions from race one and therefore Sutton would need to fight back from 21st on the overall grid. Conditions remained wet for the opening race on Sunday but Daniella showed great confidence on the first lap to gain two overall positions.

Misfortune then struck the young racer received contract from behind and was spun in the tricky conditions on lap two, falling to the rear of the field. Nonetheless, her lap times were strong and matched those around the top-10, including many of her fellow rookie drivers.

Sutton gained one position on lap four following the retirement of Jacob Hodgkiss and with his car stricken out on track, the safety car was called for. This was a good break for Daniella who could now catch the rear of the field and mount a late challenge to gain places. As the race restarted, two laps remained and the 20Ten Racing driver was immediately on the move, passing Bobby Holmes and Harry Lindley, while also benefiting from Thomas Merritt’s off-track moment.

Starting the final lap in 18th position, 15th among the MK7 racers, Sutton gained a further position by passing Hayden Grey to end race two in 17th position overall, later promoted to 16th following a penalty for a rival.

Photo credits: James Roberts

Daniella lined up 16th on the grid for the final race of the weekend following her result in race two. Conditions remained extremely treacherous and therefore the race began under the safety car. Sutton’s pace was strong once the green flag was displayed and on lap four, she overtook George Foxlow for a spot inside the top-15. Her lap times were now close to those of the race leaders as she ran confidently in the midfield, moving into 14th overall on lap five following a spin for Callie Clifford.

Due to difficulties faced by some of the frontrunning drivers in race two, they were keen to recover lost positions and began challenging Sutton in the closing stages. After Thomas Merritt moved ahead on lap six, Daniella was shuffled back to 18th as Foxlow, Jacob Hodgkiss and Alfie Garford found a way past. However, the 20Ten Racing driver kept pushing to the checkered flag and re-passed Foxlow to take the checkered flag in 16th overall, 14th among the MK7 runners.

It was a challenging weekend for Sutton on her first visit to Croft as she battled treacherous conditions at a new circuit. Nonetheless, her pace in the wet was commendable and often matched those running inside the top-10 despite a best result of 16th.

Daniella gained a significant amount of valuable experience while putting on a great show for her sponsors Opus Group and Burtonwood Coffee who were in attendance. Sutton will be looking to put this additional knowledge to good use when the BRSCC Fiesta Junior Championship drivers return to action at Silverstone on the weekend of 17th/18th August.