Chris Knox celebrated his first Mini Challenge victory at Snetterton and was only robbed of a hattrick by reigning champion Luke Caudle on the last lap of the final race.

Chris Oakham converted pole in the first race into an early lead, with Caudle second and Knox just holding off Allen for third.

Caudle knuckled down straight away to challenge for the lead, with visibility at a premium in the pouring rain. But it was Allen first to make a move, taking Knox for third into riches for the third time

As Caudle couldn’t find his way to the front, he started to be caught by Allen. But their duel became the battle for the lead after Oakham ran wide at Coram and bounced through Russell on the grass. Both Caudle and Allen went through as he recovered and Knox followed into Riches. Oakham then headed pitwards loosing coolant, which sadly kept him out for rest of the weekend.

From Allen there was no surrender for Caudle and after seven laps the gap was only 0.539secs, while behind them Knox had Jason Richardson eager to challenge.

Allen made it to the front on lap eight into Riches, but the top four had all closed up and after 12 laps all four were covered by only 0.432secs. But Richardson slid off at Coram a lap later and Caudle almost made it back in front at Sear with a lap to go.

Knox had been relieved of pressure once Richardson had gone off and was just in the right place to snatch his maiden win on the last lap. “I knew I had reasonable wet pace and I just pounced when they made mistakes and they both seemed to slow at the Bombhole,”he said.

Caudle made one last effort to take Allen for second, “he had got me at Riches but it was terrible and I could only see when I was in front,” he said. But he went off exiting Coram, leaving Allen to seal second and a class win, with Caudle retaining third from the recovering Richardson.

“They were too quick for me at the start, so I just tried to keep it tidy. It was the hardest race I have ever done, so I chased, caught them and tried to pick them off,” said Allen.

Chris Vinall took second in the S class from Lee Sullivan and Dean Raymond, while David Ogden dominated the Club Class from Sam Osborne and Kevin O’Connor. “I was really on it when I could see. But I was aware of Sam in mirrors,” said Ogden.

Race Two

The sun was out and the track was drying for Sunday mornings second race. Knox made the most of pole to hold a tenuous lead through Riches, with Allen once again getting the better of Caudle for second, with Sullivan and Richardson tucked in behind.

Knox quickly began to stretch his lead. Caudle continued to shadow Allen and was alongside into Russell on a couple of occasions. Both Richardson and Sullivan had settled in a solitary fourth and fifth, before Dean Raymond headed a four car train for sixth, from Chris Smith, Vinall and Craig Freeman.

Freeman worked his way through to the head of the sixth placed scrap, aided by Raymond losing it into Russell, before rejoining and taking out the luckless Vinall.

Caudle’s efforts finally gained reward when he took Allen at Sear. “I had tried my hardest and just had to keep the pressure on Lee, before I could think of pushing for the lead,” he explained. Allen’s attempts to rechallenge at the Esses resulted in a spin. “I was following Luke and pulled out into the Esses onto the marbles, got sideways and off, before coming back across as Jason Richardson came through,” Allen explained.

While Caudle was left to chase Knox over the remaining laps, Richardson limped home in third, as Allen headed for the pits with damaged steering. Knox claimed his second win with only 0.748secs in hand, “I got away at the start as planned, held a steady gap and tried to manage my tyres,” said Knox.

After a stunning start Sullivan made it hard for himself before taking fourth overall and his first S class win. “I went off across the grass at Sear on the first lap, but got a lucky break when they all started battling behind, which gave me a break,” he said.

Smith had lost fifth to Freeman with a lap to go but claimed it back into Russell for the final time.” Great battle though,” said Freeman, after securing second class over Raymond and Chris James.

Ogden took the Club Class honours again from O’Connor, after Osborne took the scenic route through Russell and almost rolled. “I just have to make sure I get those straights right,” said Ogden. The returning Sarah Parsons completed the top three.

Race Three

It was Smith and Richardson on the front row for the final race of the weekend, but Knox was soon at the front again, with Richardson and Caudle joining him in an early break.

By lap four Knox had started to increase his lead, but Caudle had the duelling S class leaders Sullivan and Allen closing. But Caudle responded to challenge Richardson and took second on lap six.

Allen still hadn’t managed to find a way past Sullivan, which allowed Raymond and Smith to join them. Raymond briefly split the duo, but once Allen had reclaimed his place, he was even more determined to displace class leader Sullivan. They were side by side into Sear on lap ten, but Allen emerged in front after contact.  Sullivan charged down the Revetts straight and there was more contact. “I tapped Lee at the Esses, he seemed to brake earlier than I expected,” he explained.

Back at the front Knox was on his own as the duel for second continued to rage, Richardson nose back in front on lap 11, but pulled off at Coram on the next lap. Caudle then charged after Knox and snatched victory on the last lap into the Esses.  “I was disappointed not to win all three. We changed the settings, it was better for right handers but worse for left. My tyres were shot and Luke just appeared from nowhere,” said Knox.

“That battle for second with Jason nearly cost me the race. Chris seemed to brake early at the end, so I got him on the right hander out for Esses,” said the victorious Caudle.

Allen consolidated third and another class win over Sullivan.  Raymond and Smith both closed on Sullivan in the closing laps, after easing clear off Freeman and James.

O’Connor ended Ogden’s run of success in Club Class, but both were nose to tail at the flag. Parsons claimed third again after Osborne’s challenge ebbed.  “I got split up from Kevin a bit when we got lapped,” said Ogden.

Published by Peter Scherer for Mini Challenge, May 10th, 2010