50 Years of Croix-en-Ternois Formula Ford Festival

On September 8-10 a special event, celebrating 50 years of the Croix-en-Ternois circuit in northern France saw a wide range of activities offered to a large number of spectators in summerlike conditions.  The HVM-organised event featured freestyle motocross (FMX), motorcycle stunts, drifting and single-seater parades up to historic Formula 1, as well as racing for the Trophée Lotus, Maxi 1300 and an over 2L race for sports and touring cars.  But at the heart of the track action was the European Formula Ford Festival with six hotly contested races and two dedicated grid-walks.  For the event, the Formula Ford Kent Trophy and the Formula Ford Historic Challenge jointly organised an elimination shootout.

Photos Hugues Laroche

On Friday, a field of 42 entries was divided into two, with the best time of the two sessions combined to form the next day’s starting grid.  After a total of six elimination, and consolation races for everyone over the next two days, Arnaud Dousse (Van Diemen RF 91) was declared the overall winner of the European Formula Ford Festival, sharing the podium with Matthieu Midy (Van Diemen RF 90) and Xavier Michel (Crosslé 32 F).  Other top contenders were François Belle and Swiss driver Gislain Genecand, both of whom had a busy weekend racing in both groups in different cars.