By a few laps in, the lead trio had become a quartet of Strudwick, Whatley, Brian Hart and pole position man Cook as the four looked set to fight it out for the podium – but disaster struck soon after for Cook as he was a casualty of the tricky conditions, crashing out of contention. That left Strudwick remaining steadfast in the lead, with Whatley’s charge taking him up into second – and Seabright at the head of the second group and pushing to catch up.