[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.17.0″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ header_font=”|||on|||||” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” module_alignment=”left” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ header_font=”|||on|||||” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” module_alignment=”left” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Gabe Fairbrother emerged on top of a typically tight Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy qualifying session at Thruxton to secure pole position for the third meeting of the campaign.<\/strong><\/p>\n In a session where track position would ultimately prove to be key, Fairbrother was able to get his best time late on when running on track alongside Ashley Gregory – enabling the EXCELR8 man to benefit from getting a tow up Woodham Hill.<\/p>\n Fairbrother would not only take pole for race three – and the extra six bonus points – but also scored pole for race one thanks to his second quickest time.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good to be on pole as its a tough circuit to do it on, and even better when we\u2019re also on pole for race one,\u201d he said. \u201cHowever, scoring the bonus points for pole is probably the only bonus that comes from being fastest as you don\u2019t always want to be at the front here.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou can easily go from first to last, or last to first, so we just need to keep our fingers crossed and push as hard as we can to go for the win. With the potential for rain, it could be the luck of the draw\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Fairbrother\u2019s quick lap allowed him to outpace Olivier Algieri as the Westbourne Motorsport driver was left to settle for second on the grid for both race one and race three, with Harry Smith bagging third on the timesheets for Chandler Motorsport.<\/p>\n That marked the best qualifying performance yet for the Junior Saloon Car Championship title winner as he looks to now fight for silverware for the first time.<\/p>\n \u201cWe struggled a bit at the start of the session as you really need the tow round here and it took me a while to find the right train of cars,\u201d he said. \u201cOnce I got that, I was able to get the lap in and P3 is really good.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI won here last year and was on the podium in every race, so the goal is to try and repeat that – although the level of competition here is much higher than it was in JSCC.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Current championship leader Josh Wilby was fourth quickest on the times for Team Avago ahead of Gregory, who took a spell at the front earlier in the session before being shuffled back down to fifth.<\/p>\n Rhys Hurd rounded out the top six, with them leading half dozen drivers lapping within a quarter of a second of the pace. Hurd\u2019s second fastest lap however will see him line up on the second row of the grid for race one.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, James Sherrington took seventh spot from Alex Keens, with the top ten being completed by series newcomer Kieran Roberts and reigning Rookie Cup champion Ronnie Smith.<\/p>\n The top 17 drivers in the session would be covered by under a second, giving the prospect of plenty of action in race one – where the forecast suggests rain could be an issue\u2026<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”center_left” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.minichallenge.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MINI-CHALLENGE.jpg” title_text=”MINI CHALLENGE” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.minichallenge.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MC2-1.jpg” title_text=”MC2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.minichallenge.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MC3.jpg” title_text=”MC3″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Gabe Fairbrother emerged on top of a typically tight Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy qualifying session at Thruxton to secure pole position for the third meeting of the campaign.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":28782,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1462,1466],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-cooper"],"yoast_head":"\n