In stark contrast to the evening before, a busy afternoon’s race programme was contested in warm and sunny conditions, and the day produced plenty of close and exciting racing.

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

With a mid-50s entry there were sufficient cars to retain the proposed three heat format with each providing eight places to the BriSCA Supreme Championship.  A further eight drivers would join them from the consolation.  In the opening heat 126 Jamie Avery had broken free from his grade, only for mechanical woes to force his exit from the race as 24 Jon Palmer inherited the win.  Behind, there was a tremendous fight for the final qualifying spots involving 475 Leah Sealy, 542 Steven Gilbert and 27 Kieren Bradford.  Sealy deployed the front bumper on the pit bend to move into a qualifying spot, but the contact was repaid with interest on the final bend which meant she just missed out in ninth.  Heat two also saw the then leader, 895 Ben Goddard drop out of contention with the car going sick.  That saw 235 Alfie Brimble regain the lead until caught and passed by 315 Charlie Fisher who saw it home to the flag, leaving 676 Neil Hooper and 915 Jamie Jones to trade bumpers and swap places over multiple laps, with Hooper eventually getting clear to climb up to second place by the race’s conclusion.  The third heat brought a flag to flag victory for 501 Jason Ward.  The qualification hopes of 979 Paul Moss and 605 Ritchie Andrews were dashed when they tangled on turn four.  The consolation was well subscribed but 460 Adam Pearce and Andrews saw their hopes evaporate when they tangled on turn two.  509 Jordan Butcher was the early leader, but he was caught and passed by Goddard just before the lap boards came out, Goddard withstanding a late charge by 931 Rebecca Smith at the flag.  The Supreme Championship final got off to an explosive start with multiple incidents on the Honiton bend claiming Moss, 980 Charlie Lobb, 998 Graham Fegan, 286 Kasey Jones and 510 Matt Stone.  A caution period was required for Jones and 194 Luke Johnson whose tangle had created a partial track blockage.  On the resumption 458 Sam Weston broke free from the pack and whilst Palmer closed quickly, he was too far back to mount a challenge.  The chequered flag dropped on Weston, who also picked up the annual Mick Whittle Nostalgia Trophy for his efforts.  Palmer and 528 Shane Hector joined Weston on the rostrum.  The Grand National required a complete re-run after 161 Ben Bate found himself perched atop Hooper on the exit of the Honiton Bend at the first attempt.  Another complete re-run was required on the second attempt with 762 Mike Cocks and Butcher coming together hard on the pits bend.  Whilst the race did get underway at the third time of asking, another caution was called with Hooper again in a tangle, this time with Sealy.  Rebecca Smith gamely bustled her way to the front, showing an excellent turn of pace and she raced to the flag ahead of Bradford, 960 Adie Whitehead and Weston, who returned to fourth, taking full advantage of the myriad stoppages.

ORCi Ministox

12 cars gridded for the Last Chance Qualifying event for those who had not amassed sufficient points to join the ORC Championship grid automatically.  The field was made up entirely of local drivers and saw 550 Callum Herzig take the win after an assured drive with 870 Bertie Farrell climbing quickly through the field to take second.  505 Louis Herzig and 257 Kieran Hibberd filled the final qualifying spots with sole star grader 902 Caden Davies not able to make up the gap from the rear of the field.  When the Herzig twins opted out of the ORC Championship, Davies and 511 Lexi Crosbie came in as reserves for the 24-car grid.  The title race saw local star 475 Mason Sealy surrounded by visiting drivers with 88 Kyle Rogerson and 60 Bailey Millar on the front row of the grid.  Rogerson made the best of the starts, but Millar was quickly on his tail and moved through into the lead.  207 Alfie Flecken was making progress from second group of cars and as he closed in and then caught Millar, he made his move entering onto the home straight.  By now the race was moving into the second half, and Millar forced his way past again on the pit bend with Flecken then coming under pressure from 29 David Philp Jnr Jnr.  As Philp moved past Flecken, he then edged ahead of Millar to grab the lead which never looked under threat.  Flecken had followed Philp through into second as the main focus towards the flag was on the battle for third with Millar defending from Sealy.  The last bend challenge saw Millar lose out to both Sealy and Rogerson on the line to conclude a good race, which was contested fairly and with respect and determination by the young drivers.  The largest grid of the weekend had 29 starters for the BB Van Hire Trophy with an early yellow flag was required for 267 Robbie Batten in the pits bend fence.  Some poor discipline amongst one or two racers, notably 388 Cole Ford, saw a number of aborted starts but once the race did get back underway, Farrell briefly secured the lead before being spun out with Flecken taking over at the front and claiming the win.  Sealy and Philp battled over the runners-up spots, finishing in that order.  The final race of the weekend was led by 559 Aiden Philips, whilst five-way fight for second was developing.  A yellow flag stoppage was called with 511 Lexi Crosbie in the turn two fence.  On the restart, Sealy made the decisive move with two laps to go to head home Flecken and Hibberd who crossed the finish line almost side-by-side in that order.

Saloon Stock Cars

Good numbers were boosted by a debut outing for 114 Tom James and 828 John Ovenden, who raced the 00 Andy James and 28 Ian Govier cars respectively.  The opening race was for the Bill Batten Tribute Trophy which produced a superb battle for places in the opening half of the field with 677 Warren Darby, 720 Archie Brown, 902 Buster Compton-Sage, 277 Jack Grandon and 199 Phil Powell all trading bumper blows and swapping places in fantastic fashion.  It was Darby, however, who made the most of his return to the star grade having relinquished his UK title the weekend before.  He capitalised, and once he had hit the front, he eased to victory ahead of Brown and Buster Jnr.  The first of two Allcomers races saw 314 Bryn Finch spun in the Honiton bend finding himself knocked from pillar to post and that brought a caution period.  The leader, 84 Carl Boswell, was quickly overhauled by Brown whilst Darby and Grandon enjoyed a race long battle which allowed 577 Harry Darby to close.  His involvement led to Grandon and Harry Darby sending Warren Darby wide, with Grandon spinning around.  Harry was able to snatch third with Grandon eventually crossing the line backwards in seventh.  Boswell took a relatively straightforward win in the second Allcomers as again Warren Darby and Grandon renewed their battle, this time Grandon winning out for fourth, in a race which saw a fine display from 111 Thomas Ruby – his creditable eighth place scant reward for his efforts.

Back 2 Basics Bangers

Following requests during the closed season, a Teams of 3 event was the chosen format for this fixture so it was somewhat disappointing that the interest was tepid resulting in just five teams, a couple of which only fielded two members, or even less in one instance.  938 Ash Rice led for most of the opening heat until he got caught out when lapping 282 Matt Carpenter.  That slowed Rice sufficiently to allow 662 Jared Roe through for the win.  Heat two featured a thrilling battle at the front with Rice and 27 Trevor Disney swapping places and racing side by side over the closing laps.  Rice came out on top.  The Final saw Disney build what looked to be an unassailable lead until he tangled with a backmarking 756 Troy Hooper.  That allowed Carpenter through to take an unexpected win for his one-man-team.  When the points were tallied, The Jugglers (Rice and Disney) were declared the team competition winners.  With not a great deal of action in the races, it was case of saving the best until last, as an 8-car entry for the Destruction Derby brought some spectacular crashing.  756 Troy Hooper’s cars took a pounding as well as being at the centre of the most spectacular moment as he went in on the pit bend, the rear of the car pitching into the air, its boot lid aloft much to the delight of the crowd.  When he hits came to a finish, it was Jared Roe who landed the last telling blow to take the win.