Silverstone, UK – In a wheel-to-wheel battle producing one of the more memorable Walter Hayes Trophy Grand Finals, Irishman Wayne Boyd finished 2nd to Adrian Campfield with only .279 seconds between them. The two exchanged the lead several times during the 15-lap event held on Silverstone’s National Circuit, the first on Lap 6 with Campfield overtaking pole sitter Boyd. Boyd regained the lead on Lap 7 increasing his lead by as much as half a second. Campfield was slightly quicker than Boyd, forcing him to defend his position with each and every lap. On Lap 13 Campfield again got by Boyd and with two laps remaining, Boyd was closing in when the checkered flag fell on Lap 15. Boyd posted the fastest race lap of the event in the heat of the chase on Lap 14 with a lap time of 1.02.392. It was a climactic finish for an amazing weekend of racing.
Ninety-five competitors in six heat races took green flags on Saturday for the prestigious Walter Hayes Trophy event. Boyd was in Heat Race 2, where he qualified 2nd and then got the win to advance to the Semi-Final race held on Sunday. Boyd started 2nd in his Semi-final round, but an accident sending Boyd through the grass brought out the red flag. Boyd would re-start the race with some damage to his car, including a bent wishbone. The race restarted from the original grid positions and showcased Boyd’s ability to make the most out of his car. He took the lead early on with the damaged car, defended his position and won his Semi-Final race.
Boyd stated, “There was massive carnage in the Semi-Final race and having to win the event with damage to the car was just crazy. Probably one of the hardest races I’ve ever driven. The team did a brilliant job with only thirty-minutes prior to the final race getting the car ready.” He continued, “Starting from the pole in the final I got the lead straight-away and even pulled away a little, but was struggling with the car coming off the corners and Campfield just had a bit more pace than me. So I was pulling these crazy moves to keep him behind me. He got me once, I got him back, but ultimately it was going to be tough to stay in front of him. It was all I could do, driving the wheels off of it.”
For those watching the race, they couldn’t agree more. Boyd clearly put on a show and did everything he could do to keep the car in the lead. It was an impressive run for him and Medina Motorsports and an amazing race for the fans.
Boyd reiterated, “I cannot say thank you enough to Medina Motorsports for giving me this opportunity and for the brilliant job they did after the semi-finals in repairing the car and getting it as ready as possible for the finals. Big thanks to my friends at DHL as well, whose support helped make this race a reality. I really wanted the win for both of them, but a 2nd in the Walter Hayes Trophy is still an accomplishment and I’m proud of our effort here this weekend.”
Fans can follow Wayne Boyd from Templepatrick, N. Ireland on Facebook and on Twitter at Wayne Boyd Racing. He is currently working on plans for the 2012 season and hopes to continue his pursuit of a career in IndyCar on the Mazda Road to Indy Ladder series in the United States.