Martin Depper and James Blyth both fell one short of a hopeful hat trick of wins at Brands Hatch, in an incident packed weekend of Mini Challenge racing.

Ollie Mortimer qualified on pole, from Depper, Jason Richardson and Phil House, but only four tenths covered the top 11 such is the competiveness of the S class.

The returning Keith Issatt topped the Club Class, but only a whisker ahead of Blyth and Joey Powis, with last years Club champion Graham Parsons 4th.

Race 1

At the start of the first race Mortimer headed a five car break, from, Depper, Jack Stanford, House and Arthur Forster. But Depper dived alongside Mortimer through Clark Curve and had the lead into Paddock for the fourth time. Stanford pushed the erstwhile leader down to third at Druids, but as Depper started to build a lead, Mortimer and Forster both charged past Stanford and House tried to follow.

As Stanford fought back it became a three car battle for third, which allowed Mortimer to tighten his grip on second place.

Depper eased his way to a fairly comfortable win, “I was happy with my pace, once I settled and made a race of it,” he said. Forster managed to catch Mortimer and snatched second through Clark Curve on lap 20, but Mortimer claimed it back for keeps a lap later when Forster ran wide. “I had a good start, but knew when I had the lead it was going to be hard, just to stay in the top three. I thought I had held Martin, but he still got by, then it became a fight to keep second, good and close though,” Mortimer explained. “Cracking fun, it was an excellent race with Ollie, Jack and Phil and no damage,” Forster replied.

House had got the better of Stanford for fourth from lap seven, “I was glad to be in the lead group but still seem to be losing out on power,” House reckoned. “I had fun but my cars suspension is getting tired,” Stanford added. Lee Allen completed the top six, having brought an end to Shaun King’s charge through the field.

Issatt led the way in the Club Class, heading Blyth and returnee Graham Parsons in a nose to tail battle. Blyth had the lead into Surtees on lap 11, but as Issatt reclaimed the place Parsons made it three abreast past the pits. But a couple of laps later Blyth hit the front again at Druids, but this time he stayed there. “I held my place until we got lapped by the S Class, and then used them as blockers,” he explained, proving it can work both ways

Parsons followed through for second and Luke Caudle and Joey Powis completed the top four, as Issatt slipped to fifth. “I gained and lost a bit through traffic, but lost a place near the end going off at Graham Hill Bend,” said Powis. “My car was just so good, it was an excellent race,” Caudle concluded.

Race 2

The finishing order formed the grid for race two, but with Steve Liquorish off in the gravel at Clark Curve on the first lap, the safety car was called on. Mortimer, headed House, Depper, Stanford, Allen and Forster for four laps before the green flag came out and the top three immediately broke away.

Forster was the first to make a move, taking Allen for fifth into Paddock on lap seven. But Allen’s response drew them both within striking distance of Stanford’s fourth place. As the lead trio continued to hold formation, Forster’s presence finally got the better of Stanford into Paddock for the ninth time. Allen bided his time until Clark Curve on the next lap, leaving Stanford to settle for sixth, but well clear of next man Jason Richardson.

But the race was cut short after House got caught up with the battle for third in the Club Class and the red flags flew with two minutes left on the clock.

Mortimer was a declared a lights to flag winner, “we changed things on the car set up wise and it worked well. A cracking start as well,” he said. House still held onto second, but sustained damage to a front corner. “I went into McLaren and Keith Issatt and Graham Parsons were battling. I went on the grass to try and avoid them, but caught Keith as he came back across,” he explained.

Depper retained third despite a late threat from his team principal. “I was robbed at the end, I was catching Martin and would have got him,” Forster reckoned.

While Blyth built up a decisive lead in the Club Class, Issatt kept the pressure on Caudle for second, which allowed Graham Parsons to challenge too. But as Caudle started to ease away to secure the place, Powis closed and made it three cars for third again. But it got a little too close through Clark Curve, when Issatt’s efforts to keep Parsons at bay, coincided with their lappery by the S Class leaders. Issatt’s race ended in the gravel at Clark Curve, leaving Parsons to clinch third on countback, despite Powis having gone by just before the red flags. An impressive Caudle had caught leader Blyth just as the race was halted.

Race 3

With the top six in each class reversed for the rolling start in race three, the opening laps were expected to be close.  Stanford grabbed the initial lead from pole, and was closely followed by Allen, Forster and Depper as they charged through Paddock. But Allen got alongside on the run up to Druids, briefly backed off but had the line as they arrived at McLaren. With Allen struggling for grip on cold tyres Stanford tried to hold on to the outside line but after contact he was left heading for the GP circuit.

Depper darted ahead of Forster into Druids for second on lap two, while Mortimer was beginning to close, after putting some daylight between himself and the chasing Richardson and House. But Forster rechallenged almost immediately and retook Depper, before closing down Allen’s options to lead into Paddock on lap five. Allen did his best to come back at Druids, but his efforts dropped him to third as Depper shot by. “No way was I giving up though,” said Allen,

But Allen wasn’t done yet and claimed his place back under tremendous pressure, only to lose it again at Druids a lap later. The duel had allowed Mortimer to close in and it nearly paid dividends for the Scot when Allen ran wide on the exit. He didn’t have to wait long though and third was his when they arrived at Paddock on the next lap.

Having started to pull clear of the third place fight, Depper got a run on Forster on lap 10 and emerged with the lead. A lap later Forster was badly delayed by backmarkers, taking to the grass at Graham Hill Bend, which allowed Mortimer to shoot past for second. But as they arrived at Surtees there was chaos, after Sarah Parsons Club Class was touched and came back across into both Forster and Mortimer. “It was hard to tell exactly what happened, Sarah suddenly appeared across the front of me and we hit, the car is pretty bad,” Mortimer explained. “I got hit by someone and sent back across the track,” Forster added.

After four laps behind the safety car it became a two lap sprint to the finish. Depper took his second win of the weekend, with a delighted Allen a close second. “It was fun with Arthur again, I saw the club cars tag and just missed it,” said Depper.

House was on the podium again in third, with a very happy Chris Panayiotou 4th, Carl Bennett and Shaun King from the back of the grid completing the top six. “It was obvious something was going to happen with the Club Class battle, so I backed off,” said House. “I just pushed hard after we struggled all weekend for set up until this race,” added Panayiotou. Bennett was equally pleased with his result. “A new car, we tried lots of things and got a good result in the end,” he said.

There was little between reining Club champion Graham Parsons and Caudle at the head of the Club Class, swopping the lead several times, but when the safety car gave them almost a lap on their rivals, Parsons was left to successfully defend his winning margin to the flag. For a while it was a seven car train for third, Blyth emerged to seal third from Kevin O’Connor forth and debutant Dave Nixon 5th.