Mini Challenge UK: Mohammed Nalwalla scores Top 20 finish in Race 2

Mohammed Nalwalla in his #21 Mini in the JCW category qualified 20th out of the 31 entrants for the season-opener in the Mini Challenge UK at Oulton Park.

His ExcelR8 teammates Max Bladon and Mark Wakefield locked the front-row, with the former edging out the latter for pole by a mere 0.011s. Its fourth team member Reece Barr completed the Top 3, a further 0.056s away.

The shortened opening race of the weekend on a damp Monday saw Wakefield claim a win from Brett Smith and Charlie Butler-Henderson – the trio separated by just 0.997s after seven laps of running.

After a poor start, pole-sitter Bladon had to settle in for fourth, while the young Mumbai-born driver in his first race could only manage a 27th place finish as he slowly finds his feet in the cars, as well as the championship.

Race 2

The second race of the weekend saw Butler-Henderson taking a win from the front-row after a battle with pole-sitter Bladon, who finished 0.889s behind the winner.

Rob Smith, who started from seventh, made up four places to complete the podium positions, comfortably beating fourth-placed Brett Smith.

Meanwhile, Nalwalla had a better outing starting from 27th on the grid. The Indian made a sound start to make up positions and continued the upward trend in the 8-lap race.

Having made up eight places, Nalwalla finished a solid 19th to register his first Top 20 finish in his first-ever weekend racing in the UK.

[Image courtesy: Mini Challenge UK]