Ben Winrow made an assertive start in the inaugural Fiat 500 Abarth Trofeo outing at Oulton Park on Saturday, swooping to pole position. The 2008 Clio Cup champion was keen to make an impression, posting a time of 1m56.394s around the rapidly drying track. Close behind Winrow, ex-BTCC man Gareth Howell was also showing impressive form, with Benny Simonsen and Charlie Butler-Henderson in tow.

However, Winrow was not able to convert his blistering qualifying pace into points in race one. After just one lap, Winrow came off the track at Shell Oils corner to retire and gift the top spot to Howell. Howell proceeded to open up a sizeable gap between himself and second place man, James Blyth.

Charlie Butler-Henderson put on a gritty show of determination, slicing past Blyth into second on the tenth lap, pushed all the way by sixteen-year-old Benny Simonsen. The Danish novice qualified a fantastic third but fell to tenth position after contact in the opening lap before recovering to hassle Butler-Henderson for second. Blyth ended the race in fourth, a full twelve seconds down on race-winner, Howell.

Howell proved imperious, taking the win a full two seconds ahead of Butler-Henderson in second, who was a further two seconds ahead of Simonsen. Having started tenth, Cassey Watson headed a three-strong female assault and made her way to eighth. Fellow lady-racer and former BTCC participant, Fiona Leggate, had no such luck, lasting just one lap before retiring to the pit lane.

Someway ahead of Watson, Welshman Jason Greatrex came home in seventh position, unable to emulate his championship success in last-years Fiat Challenge.

Trofeo Abarth 500 GB Championship, Oulton Park, race one result:
1. Gareth Howell (Tech 9), 16 laps
2. Charlie Butler-Henderson (Advent Motorsport), +2.693s
3. Benny Simonsen (Pulce), +4.908s
4. James Blyth (Advent Motorsport), +12.113s
5. Josh Wakefield (Advent Motorsport), +22.934s
6. Paul Smith (Mardi Gras), +33.217s
7. Jason Greatrex (Redline Racing), +47.136s
8. Cassey Watson (Lunar Racing), +50.886s
9. Matt Shead (CMS), +1m16.037s
10. Tony Dron (Tech 9), +1m20.984s

For more information on the Trofeo Abarth 500 GB Championship click on the MSVR logo below.