Cross caps Championship win with Fittipaldi Trophy
By Barry Cregg
TALLAGHT’S Anthony Cross completed his march to the 2019 Selco.ie Formula Vee Champion-ship title in style with another victory in the closing round of the series in Kirkistown.
While the destination of the prize had effectively been decided at the previous round at Mondello Park two weeks ago, Cross was out to finish the year with another triumph and also lift the all-important Emerson Fittipaldi trophy, won last year by Dan Polley.
Newly crowned Formula Vee Championship title winner Anthony Cross from Tallaght with the Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy he won in Kirkistown last weekend (Photo by Barry Cregg)
A group of 15 cars lined up on the grid headed by Philip Sheane who dominated qualifying and took his maiden pole position by 0.787of a second from Cross.
Yet when the lights went out it was Cross who led the field towards Turn One, the infamous Debtors Dip. Cross, and he held his lead as they exited Turn Two, followed by Sheane, David O'Loughlin, Polley, and Jack Byrne.
His advantage was short lived as, by the second lap, Sheane had overtaken only to see Cross retake the lead on Lap Five.
The Number One spot would swap hands two more times by the close of the race with Cross grabbing and holding on to it over the closing two circuits, taking the chequered flag by 0.2 of a second
The win left him on a sound footing for the Emerson Fittipaldi Trophy race in which, at one point there were six cars battling for the lead.
By Turn One on Lap Four, Cross was in front after taking Sheane on the inside, but he could not shake off the pack behind from which Jack Byrne surged forward and into the race lead.
But on Lap 11 Cross edged back in front and slowed the pace to bring the pack back into play again in an effort to prevent Byrne getting passed.
It worked but only just, as Sheane’s last-corner attempt almost came off, but Cross held it to the line to win by 0.021 of a second with Byrne back in third and Jimmy Furlong in fourth, the top four all crossing the finish line within the same second.
TAGS Sport
