Luke Caudle kept his title defence well on track with two wins at Pembrey’s 20th anniversary meeting, as well as a second place to rival Chris Knox.

Having qualified on pole, Caudle made a good clean getaway, as Chris Knox slipped ahead of the fast starting Gavin Bristow at the crossing. Matt Pike made it a three car squabble for second on lap two, which allowed Caudle to increase his advantage.

Bristow reclaimed second on lap three, but the top five had all managed to make the break from the main field. Caudle continued to cruise into the distance and at the flag his lead had grown to a massive 8.5secs. “I was lucky, got a good start and just got on with it,” he explained. 

The battle for second took a turn after Knox was forced to pit with a problem after nine laps. He rejoined well down but then the car died on him. Pike still had Bristow under pressure and after losing ground earlier, Jason Richardson mounted a recovery too. Lee Allen had eased himself clear of guesting Autosport reporter Ben Anderson, who had Steve Liquorish trying to hunt him down for sixth.

But Bristow had contact under lappery and then a slight off at the Senna Esses after his ABS failed, which allowed both Pike and Richardson to go by. He rejoined with Allen inches from his tailgate, while down eighth Chris James, Craig Freeman and Chris Smith were battling with inches to spare.

With Caudle home and dry, Pike soon dealt with a brief challenge from Richardson as they retained second and third. “I just picked up the pieces as the others had problems,” said Pike. Class winner Allen took fourth overall from Bristow on lap 15, “I just kept it clean but did have a clip from Gavin,” said Allen.

Anderson and Liquorish retained sixth and seventh and Smith clinched a late eighth after James and Freeman made contact, both recovering however to complete the top ten. “I knew something was going to happen so I just waited,” said Smith.
David Ogden added to his Club Class victory tally, with Kevin O’Connor just holding off Justina Williams for second in class on the last lap. Sarah Parsons, Sam Osborne, Alan Wickenden and Roger Bates completed the finishers.

Race Two

Caudle and Knox both made clean getaways in race two, but Bristow, James and Freeman were all first lap casualties. Lee Allen changed lanes and had Richardson there too, Jason miss a gear change and I tried to avoid them, but it grabbed left and I spun out after contact with Ben Anderson,” said Bristow. Cardiff based Craig Freeman had a horrid time at his home circuit the car “just died” and he retired and Chris James had a big moment on cold rear tyres and spun out at Dibeni.

Richardson took Pike for third on lap two, but at the front Caudle’s lead continued to grow again, leaving Knox in solitary second. Allen started to close in too and by the end of lap five had Pike in his sights, while behind him it was nose to tail between Lee Sullivan, Liquorish and Anderson.

Knox kept up his pace to the end but it wasn’t enough to close to within five seconds of Caudle. “Another good start, brilliant getaway and could see things kicking off in my mirror at the Hairpin. So hot though,” said the defending champion. “I had a few dramas at the start, the car was fine mechanically but not the handling,” Knox replied.

A delighted Richardson clinched third again, “I had spent Friday afternoon in traction at the local hospital after my testing crash, so two third places is brilliant,” he said.

Pike re-established himself in fourth, after a threat from class winner Allen. “I got tagged on the first lap, ran wide and struggled with understeer for the rest of the race,” Pike explained. “Not as good as yesterday but we hadn’t changed anything,” said Allen.

Sullivan just kept the duelling Liquorish and Smith at bay for sixth, leaving Anderson and Ogden to complete the top ten. “It was easier than yesterday, don’t know why, but glad it was only 15 minutes in that heat,” said Ogden. Parsons was second in class, with Williams pipping O’Connor for third into Honda on the last lap. Wickenden, Bates and Osborne were the other finishers.

Race Three

The reversed front of the grid brought its customary first lap sort out. Anderson was on pole but Pike led into Hatchets. “He hit me and it knocked my steering out,” said Pike.

Anderson briefly regained the lead before departing the circuit almost hitting Knox and then taking Caudle’s splitter off on his return to the tarmac. He later retired after another off track excursion damaged his left front wheel rim resulting in a puncture and retirement, but not after he set 3rd fastest lap. “I got a good start and was second into Brooklands, but then Ben had a moment and I thought he would hit me, but he missed and lead and pulled away,” Knox explained.

Caudle sorted himself out in second place, “after Ben hit me it handled differently, then I felt I lost a little performance and just did my best to hang on,” Caudle replied.

Richardson had joined them in a three car break but soon settled into another solitary run in third place. “I still managed to get caught up with the Club Class cars though,” he said. “But to take three podiums after my crash on Friday is fantastic and my Mum reckons I should crash more often if I do this well after,” he added.

The top three were all well spread at the finish, with Bristow established in fourth, after a mammoth effort by his pit crew repairing the damage from race two, taking the fast improving Chris Smith on lap 8. Pike had to shake off Allen again before clinching sixth, while Liquorish finished eighth.

In the Club Class it was a whitewash for Ogden, who benefitted from a blindingly good rolling start and free passage through Hachetts hairpin to open an early gap, with Parsons wining her race long duel with Williams for second. Ogden was able to build a massive lead early on, after debutant Alan Wickenden proved difficult to pass. A thump in the side at Honda from O’Connor breached his defence however, but put them both on the grass. Osborne was fourth in class from Wickenden, Bates and O’Connor.