Author: Chris Ashby

Mark Higgins wins British Rallycross Championship title at sensational Silverstone finale

The Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship went down to the wire at Silverstone on Sunday (November 4) with Mark Higgins emerging victorious from a three-way title tussle to be crowned champion.

Arriving at the Northamptonshire venue sitting third in the drivers standings, all eyes were on Higgins to see if he could overhaul Ollie O’Donovan and Julian Godfrey to lift the coveted title.

With a deficit of six points to make up to series leader O’Donovan, the Albatec Racing driver kicked his pursuit of championship glory off in emphatic style as he charged from sixth on the grid to take victory in the first round of qualifying heats, setting the fastest time along the way too.

Oliver Bennett was the benchmark driver in Q2 and Q3 but he saw his hopes of victory extinguished in the first semi-final when his Ford Fiesta caught fire. Former champion Dan Rooke, on his return to the championship since lifting the crown in 2016, claimed his place in the final by taking the win whilst Higgins led the way in the second semi-final.

Starting from pole position in the final race of the season, Higgins served up a flawless drive to pilot his Peugeot 208 to take a third win of the year and with it, the 2018 title – writing his name into the history books as the 20th British Rallycross champion.

“It’s been a highly emotional year with big highs, and very big lows but that’s motorsport as we know,” Higgins said. “We’ve been a strong team all season, and I’ve had great support from Albatec Racing. To have the support too from Eddie Stobart has been really important.

“Of course, working with the students from the University of Bolton has been a big challenge but they’ve all performed really well. It’s great to come away from a race that was clean and fair and to win that and the title, well, I’m over the moon.”

Elsewhere, Tom Constantine got the better of brother Luke to win the final round of the MSA Junior Rallycross Championship and with it, the title too.

Dave Bellerby proved to be the benchmark driver in the MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship as he scored victory in daughter Paige’s Lotus Exige.

Rounding out the list of winners was Tom Llewellin, Martin Hawkes, Chrissy Palmer and Ray Morgan who took the spoils in the Swift Sport Championship, BMW Mini Championship, RX150 Championship and Retro Rallycross Championship respectively.

For the full classification of results from all sessions at Silverstone, click here.

Knockhill awaits for latest chapter of enthralling BTCC title fight

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is set to produce more twists and turns this weekend (August 25/26) as the series makes its annual trip north of the border to Knockhill for rounds 22, 23 and 24.

With nine races remaining and a total of 201 points up for grabs, the BTCC is set for an exciting climax to its 60th season and the landscape of the title picture could well change at the picturesque Fife venue.

Famed for producing plenty of two-wheeled, close-quarter action around its undulating 1.2 mile layout, Knockhill has traditionally played a pivotal role in the destiny of the championship and is firm favourite with drivers and fans alike.

Colin Turkington arrives in Scotland at the top of the standings however the double champion has found himself in a back-and-forth battle with Speedworks Motorsport’s Tom Ingram in recent rounds. Separated by just four points, the pair traded top spot on countless occasions at Snetterton and Rockingham, with Turkington currently edging out the incumbent Independent champion.

At a circuit which in the past has been well-suited to rear-wheel-drive machinery, the title pendulum could swing further between the pair as they enter the weekend ladened with success ballast.

Having been the epitome of consistency thus far, all eyes will be on the top two to see how their fortunes fair in the latest chapter of what is proving to be an enthralling 2018 campaign.

Hot on the heels of Turkington and Ingram and not to be counted out of contention is reigning champion Ashley Sutton, who sits third in the points. Four wins from the past nine races have ignited the Adrian Flux Subaru Racing drivers title defence and Sutton could propel himself further into the mix at Knockhill.

Were it not for two non-scoring finishes in race three at both Snetterton and Rockingham, Sutton could well be closer to the top two, but instead he has a 32-point deficit to make up.

Jack Goff and Matt Neal both endured tough weekends at Rockingham and the Honda duo will be keen to get back amongst the front runners to bring themselves the title fight further.

Adam Morgan’s third victory of the season in his Mercedes Benz A-Class last time out has brought him into play in sixth as he sits level on points with Motorbase Performance’s Tom Chilton. The Ford Focus RS driver has scored a handful of podiums however that first win is yet to fall his way.

Josh Cook, Andrew Jordan and Senna Proctor round out the top ten in the championship standings, and like those above them, will need a big points scoring performance to ensure they come further into play.

Dan Cammish, Sam Tordoff, Jason Plato and Rockingham race-winner Chris Smiley will all be ones to watch over the course of the weekend too.

Local fans will have a trio of stars to cheer on too in the shape of Laser Tools Racing’s Aiden Moffat and the AmD with AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Racing duo of Glynn Geddie and Rory Butcher, the latter whose father in in charge at the venue.

With 12 different drivers having topped the podium this season and the championship battle entering a crucial stage of the year, this weekend’s triple-header at Knockhill is set to be an unmissable event.

Qualifying for the eighth meeting of the year is scheduled to begin at 15:25 on Saturday whilst Sunday’s three races will begin at 11:50, 14:25 and 17:20.

British Truck Racing headlines Brands Hatch blockbuster

Brands Hatch played host to a spectacular two days of British Automobile Racing Club action this past weekend (November 3/4) with yet more champions being crowned.

With a sensational firework display lighting up the sky to close out the weekend’s on-track entertainment, a bumper crowd descended on the Kent circuit to witness a feast of entertainment.

Topping the bill was the final round of the British Truck Racing Association Championship, which saw eight races run and two titles being decided.

In Division 1, Ryan Smith clinched his third title in succession as he pipped title rival David Jenkins in a pulsating opening race. Having been the benchmark driver all season, the MAN racer’s 21st victory of the season proved to be enough to see him join an elite list of champions.

Jamie Anderson, Stuart Oliver and John Newell scored a win apiece in the remaining Division 1 races to bring the curtain down on season that will live long in the memory.

Despite enduring his own share of bad luck towards the end of the season, two wins at Brands Hatch for Luke Garrett was enough for him to be crowned champion in Division 2.

Watching on as chief protagonist Brad Smith cantered to victory in the opening race, Garrett held his nerve to achieve a lifelong dream. Eric Forsstrom added his name to the long list of Division 2 winners by also triumphing.

John Mickel wrote his name into the history books of the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres by wrapping up his fourth consecutive title. Solid points across the trio of races on day one was enough for Mickel to be crowned champion for a fifth time in his career – adding to his ledger as one of the best Legends drivers in the world.

Whilst the championship battle between Mickel and Steve Whitelegg became the main focus for many, a hat-trick of wins fell the way of Miles Rudman. Marcus Pett scored his own brace of victories too with Martin Gibson rounding out the season on the top step of the podium as well.

In the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, Scott Bourne made it back-to-back titles as he successfully retained his crown, narrowly edging out season-long rival Lea Wood.

Entering the final event of the season with a slender points lead, a fifth, third and race win was more than enough to ensure Bourne lived up to the mantel of champion to defend his title. In the remaining two races

Lewis Saunders capped off his first season of racing in the Junior Saloon Car Championship in fine style as he clinched the inaugural Winter Cup title. Just a few weeks on from being crowned 2018 champion, the teenage sensation underlined his credentials as one to watch for the future around the Indy circuit.

Steven Chandler edged out Saunders and Ben Kasperczak in the opening encounter before the latter two produced a performance that will live long in the memory in race two. Going wheel-to-wheel race-long, Saunders grabbed victory at the final corner on the last lap to sign off a dream maiden year in the JSCC.

If you missed any of the action from day two of the BARC’s Truck Racing finale weekend, head to the BARC TV live stream and watch it back. Click here to view.

For the full classification of results from all sessions across the weekend, click here.

Lydden Hill set for Bank Holiday British Rallycross blockbuster

The three-way title fight for the 2018 Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship is set to further intensify at Lydden Hill on August 27 as the series stages its traditional August Bank Holiday Monday meeting.

In what has been a pulsating campaign so far, just a single point separates the top three in the standings heading into the seventh event of the season.

Five-time champion Julian Godfrey currently holds that slender one-point advantage after scoring victory at Croft last time out. Having been on the pace at every round, the Mitsubishi Mirage driver will be keen to bridge the gap to his rivals at this home round.

Tied on points for second and hot on the heels of Godfrey is former champion Ollie O’Donovan and Albatec Racing’s Mark Higgins.

Three wins on the bounce had propelled O’Donovan to the summit of the points earlier in the season however a low-scoring round last time out as seen him drop to second in table.

Higgins meanwhile has been a revelation in his first full season of British Rallycross action, producing a string of eye-catching performances which have included a win at the corresponding Lydden Hill event earlier in the year.

Beyond the top three are a host of other drivers that will all be keen to get amongst the front runners and onto the podium. Former champion Kevin Proctor has endured a varied year whilst Steve Hill, Mad Mark, Andy Grant and Steve Mundy are all drivers to lookout for too.

Jake Harris will also make a welcome return to the series as he gets back behind the wheel of the LD Motorsport Citroen DS3.

In addition to the Supercar category, fans heading trackside for the day can expect to see plenty of high-octane thrills and spills from a stellar supporting cast too.

Action from the MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship, MSA Junior Rallycross Championship, Swift Sport Championship, BMW Mini Championship, Retro Rallycross Championship and the RX150 Championship will keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Eight round 2019 British Rallycross Championship schedule unveiled

The Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship will be contested across eight events over seven weekends in 2019 after series organisers unveiled the calendar for next year.

Coming off the back of a hugely successful 2018 campaign which saw Albatec Racing’s Mark Higgins crowned champion at the first attempt, the adrenaline-fuelled series is already looking ahead to another year of flat-out competition.

Silverstone will once again play host to the opening round of the season in late March before the championship heads to the spiritual home of rallycross, Lydden Hill, for its traditional Bank Holiday Monday meeting.

Pembrey will stage the only double-header of the year in June with rounds three and four taking place at the much-loved South Wales venue.

A second visit in August to Lydden Hill is then shortly followed up by the first of two trips to Croft. With the championship battle set to reach fever pitch, Pembrey will stage the penultimate round of the year before the curtain falls on the 2019 season at Croft.

Championship Manager, Tim Whittington, said: “I’m pleased to be able present a calendar that offers a full season of competition and makes use of the circuits available to us.

“Toyo Tires remains the title sponsor for the third year and the championship will continue to be covered by a mix of social media coverage and TV broadcasts.”

2019 Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship

Round 1 – Silverstone – March 24

Round 2 – Lydden Hill – April 22

Round 3 – Pembrey – June 22

Round 4 – Pembrey – June 23

Round 5 – Lydden Hill – August 26

Round 6 – Croft – September 8

Round 7 – Pembrey – September 22

Round 8 – Croft – October 27

Brian Roberts scores maiden Classic VW Cup podium finish

The Classic VW Cup saw a breakthrough podium fall the way of Brian Roberts last weekend (August 18/19) at Snetterton as the series’ 2018 campaign continued.

Having joined the Classic VW Cup this year, the disabled racer encountered a tough start to the season after being forced to sit out the opening rounds due to a delay in parts for his Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk5.

Making his debut at the Norfolk venue, the former Race of Remembrance racer finished third overall in the second race of the weekend – his highest finish in the series to-date.

Ian Fowler, Classic VW Cup Co-ordinator, said: “Brian has been getting faster all season. He is racing these circuits for the first time so its been a steep learning curve for him.”

Cadwell Park is next on the calendar for the Classic VW Cup contingent on September 8/9.

BARC stars at inaugural MotorsportDays.LIVE event

The British Automobile Racing Club enjoyed a productive two days at Silverstone this past weekend (November 2/3) after attending the inaugural MotorsportDays.LIVE event.

Aimed at giving enthusiasts, amateurs and professional drivers the opportunity to get on track, as well as providing ample opportunity to begin preparation for 2019, the two-day spectacle proved to be an overwhelming success.

Situated in the exhibition hall, the BARC presented a striking stand and welcomed a raft of fans, drivers, teams, championship organisers and marshals across both days.

Downstairs in the pit garages and on-track around the International layout of the Northamptonshire-based venue were a host of BARC categories, all of whom were a popular draw for those in attendance.

Headlining the BARC contingent was the all new BARC UK Sports Prototype Cup which unveiled the jaw-dropping Revolution race car. Bringing LMP technology and safety to the masses for an affordable price, the lightweight sportscar garnered plenty of attention ahead of its 2019 debut.

Elsewhere the brand new Series Elite Jaguar XE SV Project 8 car also broke cover with two machines taking to the track. Set to launch next year, the unique over 50 championship has proven to be a popular concept and that was further cemented as it attracted plenty of eyes over both days.

The APL Caterham Graduates Championship, Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge, Dunlop Endurance Championship and the Hyundai Coupe Cup were all also present at Silverstone, all of them enjoying a positive presence with several drivers keen to race with them next year.

MotorsportDays.LIVE is set to return to Silverstone in 2019 with an official date set to be announced in due course.

Motorsport to come to an end at Rockingham after 2018

Following the venue’s sale to an unnamed investor, Rockingham Motor Speedway have confirmed that motorsport events will cease at the end of the 2018 season.

Rumours surrounding the circuits future have intensified in recent months with news in mid-August confirming that the Corby-based site would be sold.

Opened by the Queen in 2001, Rockingham has staged all manner of championships down the years, all of them utilising the raft of circuit configurations on offer. In recent years the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship has been one of the popular draws, serving up a feast of entertainment upon every visit.

The British Automobile Racing Club has also been regular visitor to Rockingham too, with a raft of championships battling it out. The Pickup Truck Racing Championship remains the only series to use the oval layout of the circuit whilst the Trade Team Citroen C1 Challenge made history earlier this year by staging its inaugural 24hr race at the track.

Commenting on the news that motorsport will cease, Rockingham Motor Speedway CEO Peter Hardman told the Northamptonshire Telegraph: “The team at Rockingham have done a tremendous job running the circuit and the facility over the last five years.

“However, it has been reluctantly concluded that motorsport activities are unlikely to produce an economic return for the new owners when set against the acquisition cost of the land.

“All events to the end of 2018 will be run with the professionalism and enthusiasm that are the hallmark of Rockingham, but circuit activities will cease from the beginning of 2019.”

Ian Watson, BARC General Manager, added: “The BARC is hugely disappointed to lose Rockingham from the limited number of venues available for use within the UK.

“This is further compounded by the fact that the BARC was involved in the initial development of the track from its inception, through the build process and the running of the first event so feels directly linked to the venue in a number of ways.”

The BARC’s final two visits to Rockingham takes place on August 31/September 2 and September 22/23 respectively

Three-way British Rallycross Championship title fight to be decided at Silverstone

The destiny of the Toyo Tires MSA British Rallycross Championship will be decided at Silverstone this Sunday (November 4) with three drivers all in contention to lift the coveted crown.

Mark Higgins, Julian Godfrey and Ollie O’Donovan enter the final round of the season with a mathematical shot of being crowned champion, and the home of British motorsport is set to provide a fitting backdrop for the impending battle.

Making history by staging the inaugural rallycross at Silverstone on a sub-zero day in March, the championship has since travelled the length and breadth of the country, with twists and turns taking place along the way.

O’Donovan heads to the home of British motorsport in the pound seat, sitting atop the drivers standings. At the wheel of his striking Ford Focus and at times Ford Fiesta, the Irishman has been a force to be reckoned with throughout the year, scoring three wins during the mid-point of the campaign.

Whilst O’Donovan finds himself as the leader of the pack, his advantage is a slim one with five-time champion Godfrey just five points back. Having switched to the Spencer Sport Mitsubishi Mirage for the season, the renowned racer has endured his own fair share of bad luck on his way to also notching a trio of triumphs.

Albatec Racing’s Higgins is the final contender in with a shout of lifting the title at Silverstone, and if he were to do so it would cap off a brilliant maiden season for him. Jumping across to the world of rallycross, Higgins has been a regular fixture towards the front of the field and sits just six points behind O’Donovan having scored two wins.

With a titanic three-way fight for supremacy brewing in the Supercar category, all eyes are set to be on O’Donovan, Godfrey and Higgins to see who walks away as 2018 champion come Sunday night.

Beyond the top three are a host of drivers that can all leave their mark on the title battle too. Dan Rooke, champion of 2016, makes a triumphant return to the series in the RX Racing Ford Fiesta – his first appearance since winning the title at Croft two years ago.

Series stalwarts Pat Doran, Mad Mark, Kevin Proctor, Steve Hill, Steve Mundy and a handful more will also be in action over the course of the day; all keen to sign off their season’s in style.

In addition to the Supercar category, spectators will also witness edge-of-the-seat thrills from the MSA Junior Rallycross Championship, MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship, Swift Sport Championship, BMW Mini Championship, Retro Rallycross and RX150 – all adding up to make it a day to remember.

Rebellion Racing inherit 6 Hours of Silverstone victory following Toyota Gazoo Racing exclusion

The FIA World Endurance Championship’s annual visit to British shores wasn’t without its drama this past weekend (August 17/18/19) as Rebellion Racing scored a famous one-two finish at the 6 Hours of Silverstone, following the exclusion of both Toyota Gazoo Racing machines.

Marking the third stop on the calendar of the 2018-2019 Super Season, the series returned from a short break to produce an entertaining spectacle around the Northamptonshire venue in front of more than 60,000 spectators.

Having led the way since the opening practice session of the weekend, the two Toyota TS050 HYBRID machines appeared to be in a league of their own, and that was further cemented as they locked out the front row in qualifying.

As racing began around the flowing curves of Silverstone the #7 Toyota of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez stormed into an early lead whilst the sister #8 Toyota of Fernando Alonso, Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima gave chase.

With the hours ticking by, the battle for the lead went back-and-forth as both squads endured their own tribulations alongside some shining moments.

The decisive move for victory came in the final hour as Kobayashi and Buemi went wheel-to-wheel for the lead. Upon entry into Abbey corner, Kobayashi made a mistake and damaged the floor of his Toyota TS050, giving Buemi the lead and ultimately victory – their third in succession to maintain their unbeaten record for 2018.

Celebrations however were cut short in the Toyota Gazoo Racing camp as both cars were disqualified from the racing following the post-race technical checks. Found to have not conformed to the regulations regarding the deflection of the skid block, both cars were thrown of the result although a formal appeal has been lodged meaning the final classification remains currently provisional.

Following Toyota’s disqualification, Rebellion Racing – who had finished third – were promoted to the top step of the podium. The R13 Gibson of Gustavo Menezes, Thomas Laurent and Mathias Beche were declared the outright winners ahead of the No.1 sister Rebellion of Neel Jani and AndrĂ© Lotterer, who finished second.

Rounding out the podium was the SMP Racing BR Engineering BR1-AER duo of Stéphane Sarrazin and Egor Orudzhev.

In LMP2, Jackie Chan DC Racing also stormed to a dominant one-two finish as the #38 Oreca 07 Gibson shared by Ho-Pin Tung, Gabriel Aubry and Stephane Richelmi beat Nabil Jeffri, Weiron Tan and Jazeman Jaafar in the sister #37 Oreca.

AF Corse sprung a surprise in the GTE-Pro class as Pier Guidi and James Calado blended front-running pace and strategy at the wheel of their Ferrari 488 GTE Evo to score victory.

LMGTE Am saw a second consecutive victory for Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche as Christian Ried, Julien Andlauer and Matt Campbell took the spoils.

Alongside the FIA World Endurance Championship was the European Le Mans Series, which also took on a starring role over the course of the weekend at Silverstone.

The series’ 4 Hours of Silverstone proved to be a tense affair with the G-Drive Racing Oreca-Gibson of Roman Rusinov, Andrea Pizzitola and Jean-Eric Vergne scoring victory, one lap ahead of Dragonspeed Oreca of Nico Lapierre and the IDEC Sport Oreca of Paul Lafargue.

Rounding out the action from Silverstone were a trio of races from the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, with spoils were shared between home hero Dan Ticktum, Mick Schumacher and Juri Vips.

Fireworks set to fly at Brands Hatch spectacular

Fireworks are set to fly both on and off the track at Brands Hatch this weekend (November 3/4) as the British Automobile Racing Club descends on the Indy circuit for a blockbuster season finale for four categories.

Billed as one of the standout events on the 2018 calendar, the Kent venue will played host to a titanic two days of track action before lighting up the sky for fans with a spectacular firework display like no other.

Headlining the weekend’s action are eight races from the British Truck Racing Association Championship which has an entry list of 30+ machines. Returning to the scene of where their year began, the heavyweight behemoths have been in mesmerising form throughout the season, with titles in both Division 1 and Division 2 still to be decided.

Sitting on the cusp of a third consecutive crown in the top tier, Ryan Smith has at times been in a league of his own in Division 1 and could well be crowned champion in race one of the weekend. With David Jenkins being the only man to stop Smith, all eyes will be on the top two to see if Smith can write his name into the history books or whether Jenkins can produce a comeback for the ages.

Division 2 will also see a two-horse race for the title unfold with Luke Garrett and Brad Smith set to go head-to-head. Garrett has been the leading figure to emerge from the more production-based class this year with countless victories placing him at the summit of points.

Smith meanwhile has been somewhat under the radar, keeping his head down to tally the points week-by-week. With the pair set to be joined by a host of race-winning contenders, this weekend’s battle for the Division 2 is not to be missed at all.

The theme of two drivers battling it out for title supremacy continues in the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres, with John Mickel and Steve Whitelegg bidding to walk away as the victor.

Aiming to clinch his fourth successive Legends title, Mickel has been in superlative form – notching 13 wins along the way. Sitting in the box seat, Mickel heads into the finale as the favourite although with 1200 points on offer and Whitelegg a man on a mission, anything could happen.

In addition to the title battle, Legends will write a notable piece in their own history at Brands Hatch with the opening heat on Sunday being the championship’s 250th in its near 25-year lineage.

Scott Bourne and Lea Wood will bring the curtain down on their season-long battle by fighting it out for the Pickup Truck Racing Championship. Bidding to defend the title he won last year, Bourne has been at his brilliant best throughout the season but has come under constant threat from Wood.

With the two having sharing top spot as each round has passed, the culmination of a years racing will come down to the boil across three high-octane races around the 1.2 mile Indy layout.

Capping off the weekend will be a pair of races from the Junior Saloon Car Championship as it stages its inaugural Winter Cup. Just a few weeks ago the curtain fell on the 2018 season for the 14 to 17-year-old category with Lewis Saunders being crowned champion, and he makes up the 15-car entry list.

Running as a standalone one-off event, the highest points scorer over the two races will be declared the maiden victor in the JSCC Winter Cup.

Snetterton delivers blockbuster BARC weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club underlined that variety is the spice of life at Snetterton this past weekend (August 18/19) as a raft of categories battled it out around its shorter 1.98 mile circuit.

In what was the third visit to the Norfolk venue in the past month, spectators were treated to all-out action across both days as the 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship took centre stage as it drew its 2018 campaign to a close.

As has become a tradition in recent years, the Liqui Moly 24-hour race provided the footnote to five-event campaign that was with plenty of high-octane drama taking place along the way.

After a full day’s racing, BNLL 1/GT Racing emerged as the victors after completing a mind-boggling 788 laps around the Snetterton 200 circuit. The team of Thierry de Bonhome, Laurent Jossiaux, Rudy Coppieters and Philippe Courtois proved to be in a league of their own as they underlined their domiance, finishing 24 laps ahead of their nearest challengers.

Second place went the way of Bernard Crispin, Claude Crispin, Andre Blaise and Jean-Marc Louys in the BNLL 2 – BMR whilst Team Misfits rounded off the podium with Steve Rideout, Dave Rees, Connor O’Brien and Paul Ogborn all sharing driving duties.

There was to be another twist in the tail of the Junior Saloon Car Championship at the weekend too as Lewis Saunders and Joel Wren shared the spoils.

Despite rolling his car in practice and having to get behind the wheel of a spare, Saunders took a lights-to-flag victory in the opener – despite coming under constant pressure from Ben Kasperczak and Thomas Ward.

In race two, Wren bounced back from narrowly missing out on the podium earlier in the day to score his latest triumph, little under five seconds ahead of Scott McIntyre whilst Saunders made it a day to remember with a third place finish to add to his race one win.

Benn Tilley was at the double in the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship, however he didn’t have things his own way. Having entered the weekend as the form driver, Tilley showcased his front-running credentials to narrowly pip Rick Morris by little under two seconds in the opening encounter.

Things were to get even closer between the pair in race two as Tilley fended off the advances of Morris all the way to line, emerging as the winner by just 0.047. Mark Armstrong and Stuart Kestenbaum each notched a podium finish apiece too.

Ken Lark proved to be a tour-de-force in the Classic VW Cup as he powered his Volkswagen Corrado to a pair of wins. Elsewhere, Steve Sawley and Robert Burkinshaw scored a victory each in the amalgamated BARC Saloon Series and Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge duels.

For the full classification of results from all sessions and championships, click here.