Sealed with a double! Garness wins 2022 BTC title

RACE 1: Sealed with a win! Garness defeats Stephenson to take the crown at Snetterton

Johnny Garness is the 2022 Honda British Talent Cup Champion! The MLav VisionTrack Academy rider duelled Rhys Stephenson (Rocket Racing) at Snetterton and took another impressive victory to add to his campaign, with an earlier DNF for Carter Brown (MLav VisionTrack Academy) seeing the number 74 forced out of contention for the crown. Behind Garness and Stephenson, Harrison Crosby (Banks Racing) completed the podium on Saturday.

Off the line Garness and Stephenson slotted into an early 1-2, but there was some drama for Evan Belford (City Lifting by RS Racing) as the polesitter had jumped the start and was given a Ride Through. Taking it and dipping out of third, the number 52 then broke the pitlane speed limit and was given a second Ride Through, taking him well out of the fight.

With Belford dropping back, Garness and Stephenson were left with a gap and that only extended from there on out. Then, more drama at half distance: a retirement for Brown. The number 74 pulled up with a mechanical, and that was that. With 94 points in hand before the race, Garness was guaranteed the crown – but would he seal it with a win?

The duel at the front raged on, with Garness leading Stephenson and the two trading lap records. Picking their way through traffic and onto the final lap, it was a few tenths in hand for Garness as he faced down the final couple of miles to seal the crown in style, and that he did, taking the win by 0.195 from Stephenson.

Behind, Crosby had a lonelier ride to third ahead of Lucas Brown (SP125 Amphibian Scaffolding), who took fourth and was likewise in some clear air over the line. Filip Surowiak (MJL Racing) took fifth in a tight battle against Ryan Hitchcock (City Lifting by RS Racing) and Bailey Stuart-Campbell (Team 151s/Lextek).

Behind that trio was another closely-fought duel between MLav VisionTrack Academy teammates Daniel Goodman and Harley McCabe, with Ollie Walker (SP125) completing the top ten. Despite his two Ride Throughs, Belford stormed back to an impressive P12 – and only 0.010 off Luca Hopkins (SP125/Barnsdale Leisure) just ahead. 

That’s a wrap on Saturday and the crown is decided. Garness is the 2022 Honda British Talent Cup Champion and what a campaign it’s been already! The number 57 has 11 wins and two further podiums, and he’ll be back out trying to add more on Sunday as the lights go out for Race 2 at 12:00 (GMT +1).

RACE 2: Garness completes the double, Belford vs Crosby decides the podium

Johnny Garness (MLav VisionTrack Academy) only continued to extend his advantage on Sunday at Snetterton, with the newly crowned 2022 Honda British Talent Cup Champion coming home in clear air for a 12th win of the season as sparring partner Rhys Stephenson (Rocket Racing) slid out. The podium went down to Evan Belford (City Lifting by RS Racing) vs Harrison Crosby (Banks Racing) on the final lap and drag to the line, with Belford just coming out on top by 0.039.

Off the line, Garness got the jump and the holeshot as Stephenson lost out two positions, but the number 23 was able to quickly pick his way back through to tag back onto the race leader. The two, as we've seen several times already this season, then got down to building a gap as they once again pulled away to duel it out.

Behind, Crosby was in some clear air for much of the race, but Belford was closing him down. The number 52 took two Ride Throughs on Saturday for jumping the start and then breaking the pitlane speed limit, so was looking for some redemption as he closed in on the yellow machine ahead.

At the front though, it was an as you were for some time before suddenly drama hit for Stephenson. Garness' only recent challenger overcooked it and slid out from just behind the number 57, leaving Garness alone with a good gap in the lead and it seeming like more a formality to make it win number 12.

That it seemed in some ways. The newly crowned Champion kept it calm and carried on, coming home for another victory and to extend his lead even more ahead of the final races. Belford caught Crosby and the two exchanged positions before a tense final lap, with the number 52 just keeping it on the side-by-side drag to the line.

Behind, a big group fight saw Filip Surowiak (MJL Racing) come out on top for fourth, just ahead of Daniel Goodman (MLav VisionTrack Academy), Harrison Mackay (Wilson Racing(Super Soco), Ryan Hitchcock (City Lifting by RS Racing), Lucas Brown (SP125 Amphibian Scaffolding) and Ollie Walker (SP125) as they were covered by only nine tenths of a second. Bailey Stuart-Campbell (Team 151s/Lextek) completed the top ten, a little further back.

Carter Brown (MLav VisionTrack Academy) suffered another DNF after overcooking it early on and colliding with Sullivan Mounsey (Wilson Racing/J&S Accessories) and Harrison Dessoy (Microlise Cresswell Racing/Eastern Garage Racing).

That's a wrap on Snetterton, with one round and two races now remaining. Brown is still second overall despite 0 points from the penultimate round, and the closest battles are now Stephenson vs Crosby for third overall as they're equal on points, as are Kiyano Veijer (Microlise Cresswell Racing) and Dessoy in the fight for the top five. Join us for the finale from the 30th of September to the 2nd of October to see who finishes where in the fight behind Garness!