With titles in both classes up for grabs and the overall crown, there was plenty of action throughout the field in all three races. Oli Mortimer secured the S class title, by following his second place in race one with a double win, but it was Luke Caudle that took the overall title with another clean sweep.

Phil House led from pole in Saturday’s race, but there was midfield chaos on the approach to Riches, which delayed a number of the club class runners. But both House and Mortimer had sprinted clear on the opening lap, as Lee Allen, returnee Jason Greatrex, Martin Depper, Arthur Forster and Jason Richardson headed the next chase, running line astern until Richardson started to tail off on the fifth lap. While newcomer Chris Smith shared numerous exchanges with Shaun King in the fight for eighth.

Depper was the first to make a move, taking Greatrex for fourth on lap seven, with Forster poised to follow his team mate. Allen was next in line but catching was one thing and passing another, as the whole of the top four suddenly closed up. House successfully held off Mortimer’s challenge to record his first win of the season, “fantastic to get this as it’s been a long time in coming. It was perfect and I had an amazing start, pushed hard for the first few laps until it felt comfortable,” said House. “I was happy with that, if I had got him at the start it may have been different. I missed second gear and spun the wheels, so just stayed there and kept him in sight. I tried at the Esses on one occasion, but backed off for a safe second,” Mortimer replied.

Depper snatched third on the run to the flag, “I had a great start and got Jason early on into Sear as Arthur gave me the hurry up. He jinked one side and I got him the other and then snatched third from Lee at the very end,” said the outgoing champion. Allen was still a solid if not disappointed third on his first visit to the circuit for 15 years he was keen to point out. Despite almost pushing Greatrex over the closing laps, Forster still had to settle for sixth behind the Welshman.  “I just had to hold Arthur off, he got me twice and I got him back. I tried to hold them both back as long as I could, but then Martin got me,” Greatrex replied.

King was seventh, “disappointed, I got onto the back of Arthur and co but too late,” he said. Richardson fell back towards the end, “I had bogged down at the start, but had a great scrap with Arthur for a while, but then I had a balljoint and driveshaft break, so was lucky to finish at all.  Smith was ninth, “quite pleased but damaged the steering rack on a kerb,” he explained. Steve Liquorish, Roger Grimshaw, Chris James and Michael Cullen completed the S class finishers.

Caudle got a decisive break from the start in Club Class after a start line melee, “I watched it all unfold in my mirror and got away,” he said.  James Blyth, who had been spun at the start, was clear in pursuit too after a three car sort at Russell on lap five sent Nick Booth pitwards after his bonnet flew up. “I got hit by O’Connor at the start, I thought I was clear but he was still spinning and pitched me into the air. I landed on Sarah Parsons,” said Joey Powis who was forced straight into the pits to retire. “Me, Tim Crighton, Joey and Kevin O’Connor were on the grass at the start, my back wheel was hit and I had terrible vibration,” Blyth added, but still held onto second. Crighton was just behind in third from lap six, with Parsons, Justina Williams, Craig Freeman and Roger Bates completing the finishers.

Race Two

Mortimer just had the advantage over House and Depper at the start of the second race, but the safety car was scrambled after Grimshaw, Smith and Liquorish collided at Riches,

It was follow my leader for the next three laps. From the green flag House pressed hard to get ahead, but Mortimer had him covered, as Depper was about a length back before a growing gap to Allen in fourth. But Depper surged back into contention snatching second into the Esses on lap six, before pushing hard for the lead as it became three cars line astern again, with Allen closing too.

They continued to run in a tight pack until an 11th lap sort out gave Mortimer a slight break.  Exiting Russell House was alongside Depper again, “I knew I had the pace but Oli drove well. |I missed third gear at Russell and let Phil alongside, but just held onto to second still,” said Depper. “I lost out because after going side by side with Martin it let Lee back in and he took me at the Esses,” House replied. “I think Phil and I were fairly even paced but I outbraked him at the Esses,” said Allen after securing third.

House also lost out to Forster on the last lap for fourth. I thought I had a good start but into Sear on the first lap I had a run over the bumps at the back of a gaggle, but Oli backed them up and I hit Jason,” Forster explained. King and Richardson both headed the recovering Greatrex, with Cullen, Laurance Sait and James rounding off the S class. But Mortimer’s victory had netted him the S Class title, “I really wanted that one so I can have fun in the last race, I was deliberately backing them up especially at Russell so Phil could keep challenging Martin,” said Mortimer.

Caudle had Blyth as a racelong shadow in the club class, absolutely nothing between them, but it still didn’t change the order. O’Connor slipped from an early third, which gave Booth the final podium place. Powis had to work hard but could get no further than fourth, after Crighton was an early pit visitor with a damaged wheel. O’Connor just held off debutant Justina Williams for fifth, and she was followed by Parsons, Bates and Freeman.

Race Three

Phil House thought he had secured a second win of the weekend when race three was red flagged, “I didn’t realise it had only been four laps as it seemed a lot more,” he said. They had done a couple of laps behind the safety, after Richardson and Sait had a touch at the Bombhole and Sait had a multiple roll.

The restart became an eight lap sprint, with Allen heading Mortimer and Greatrex after House was swamped.”I missed third gear and lost six places into the first corner. Exiting the chicane for the second time Mortimer was alongside Allen and won the drag into Riches. “I set myself the goal of a win, but missed a gear and Oli got me,” said Allen.  Depper ousted Greatrex for third and Forster was right on his tail within a lap.

As the lead began to grow, second to fifth could barely be parted until Depper missed a gear and left Allen clear. “At the Esses I tried for second gear, couldn’t get it so tried third and couldn’t get that either, and got hit by Jason,” Depper explained. “Yes I hit him and couldn’t get back,” Greatrex added.

Forster was up to third, “when Martin got whacked they were on the grass, so I picked my way through the mayhem,” he explained, King also followed after initially being taken out at the start. “I finally had a car that worked was third at the restart, missed a gear nowhere to go and got hit,” he said.

But Mortimer sailed through to end his season on another win, “that was the best I could do, just kept my nose clean,” he said. Forster kept the pressure on Allen to the end, and was rewarded with second place after taking the outside at Coram to move ahead. Depper recovered fourth from King and Greatrex held onto sixth from House, Cullen, Liquorish, Grimshaw and James.

Powis led the Club Class for the first three laps, but dropped to fourth on lap four. Luke just drove past me into Riches and James and Tim did the same at Sear, I just couldn’t respond,” said Powis. “I am relieved it’s all over now,” said Caudle who was also crowned overall champion. “I started to get the vibration again as it was sitting down on the rear corner, “said second placed Blyth. Creighton retained third over Powis, and Booth held off the determined Williams. Parsons, Freeman, Bates and O’Connor were the final finishers.

Laurence Sait was released from the medical centre a little shaken after his roll, but vowing to return in 2010.

Peter Scherer