The weekend began with an historic feat in qualifying. Adam Smalley secured a second pole position of the season ahead of team-mates Tom Emson and Josh Rattican, as Elite Motorsport became the first team to record a one-two-three finish since HHC Motorsport back in 2015.
Luke Reade (Rob Boston Racing) was fourth quickest ahead of team-mate Hibbert, while in the Pro Am ranks, Colin White (CWS Motorsport) scored a second consecutive pole position ahead of Stewart Lines (Rob Boston Racing) and Carl Garnett (AK Motorsport).
The opening race on Saturday afternoon began with Smalley leading the field through Old Hall corner for the first time, whilst a rocket start for Hibbert immediately launched him from fifth to second ahead of Emson, Reade and Rattican.
Following an early safety car period, Hibbert tucked under the rear wing of Smalley at the front and began to apply pressure. As the race developed, the leader was able to edge clear and eventually took the chequered flag just over a second clear of his adversary.
Unfortunately for Smalley, a pair of time penalties for track limits infringements dropped him down to 11th in the final classification though. Hibbert therefore took the win, while a last lap move by Rattican on Emson secured him a podium finish.
Emson was another to receive a track limits penalty, which opened the door for Reade to secure his first podium finish in the championship. Reece Somerfield (Breakell Racing) was hot on his heels through the race as he rose from eighth on the grid to an eventual result of fourth.
Steve Roberts (Rob Boston Racing) completed the top five ahead of Emson, while Carlito Miracco (Preptech UK), a race-winner last time out at Brands Hatch, posted the fastest lap of the race as he fought back to seventh after falling down the order to 14th on lap one.
After gaining no less than six places on the opening lap alone, White ended up taking the chequered flag in eighth overall as he recorded a dominant victory in Pro Am. That success means he has now won at least one race at Oulton Park for seven consecutive seasons.
A group of Pro contenders followed him across the line after some close action through the race, including Century Motorsport trio Henry Dawes, Andy Spencer and Blake Angliss, plus Joe Marshall (Team HARD) who was recovering from an opening lap incident.
Garnett overcame Lines in the early stages to finish second. Dan Morris (Simon Green Motorsport) ultimately joined him on the podium, with Nick Halstead (Fox Motorsport) finishing fourth on his first outing of the 2021 season ahead of Luke Warr (Race Car Consultants).
The second race of the weekend ended the day’s action on Sunday, with live television coverage on ITV4. With the race one result setting the grid, Hibbert started on pole position and took full advantage to sweep through Old Hall for the first time in the race lead.
As the pack behind started to battle for second position, the leader was able to pull clear at the front and make it two wins from two races in dominant fashion. That result means he has now won five races at Oulton Park, and ties him third in the all-time rankings for podium finishes.
Second place went the way of Somerfield in the early stages courtesy of a great launch off the line. Miracco filled his mirrors for a few laps, though in his efforts to get ahead, he ultimately lost out to Rattican at Druids on lap six.
Somerfield’s valiant defence of second was foiled soon after as Rattican got ahead through Cascades, with Miracco following him through at the hairpin. Those two went on to stay in the top three through to the finish, taking their fourth and third podiums of the season respectively.
A bold move into the hairpin on the final lap secured Marshall fourth place ahead of Somerfield, while a battling display from Smalley saw him climb through from 11th on the grid to sixth at the finish ahead of James Blake-Baldwin (AK Motorsport) and Emson.
In the Pro Am class, it was another supreme display from White as he led from start-to-finish for a 67th class victory in the championship. Morris jumped up to second ahead of Garnett on lap one meanwhile and they ran there to the finish; the latter continuing his 100% podium record for 2021.
Behind, Pro contenders Roberts and Seb Melrose (Team HARD) fought it out to a photo-finish for 12th, the former taking the place by 0.028s. Halstead was next up, finishing fourth in Pro Am, with Warr and Garry Townsend (AK Motorsport) rounding out the class top six.
The next round of the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 SuperCup is coming up in two weeks’ time, as the paddock heads north of the border to Knockhill in Scotland (14/15 August).
Full race results for the weekend can be found here: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/213003
Find out more about the championship’s title sponsor, Millers Oils, at https://www.millersoils.co.uk/
