3 DAYS AT ROCKINGHAM


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The fight for the Ma5da MX5 title hots up this weekend at Rockingham. Photo: Lewis Craik

The BRSCC Midland Centre have their work cut out this Bank Holiday weekend running two different meetings over three days at the Rockingham Motor Speedway in Corby.

First up on Saturday is a one day BRITCAR meeting, the main feature of which is the two and half hours endurance race for the Britcar GT & Production championships. Three cars are currently tied for the lead in the Production series; the BMW M3 of Gino Ussi, the ING Sport BMW 320i of Ian Lawson and the Ford Escort Turbo piloted by alternating members of the Cox family. In the GT Championship the pairing of Witt Gamski and Keith Robinson will be out to add the overall title to the Class 1 success which is already sewn-up.

Rockingham regulars will be delighted to see the Pickups at what is their home circuit. Nic Grindrod will be aiming to complete a hat-trick of wins this season on the oval while Steve Dance will be hoping to shore up his overall championship lead.

Completing the first of the three days is some single-seater action in the shape of Formula Palmer Audi. The man to watch is Frenchman Maime Jousse who leads the championship at the halfway stage with 6 wins from 9 starts.

Sunday and Monday brings a whole different meeting packed with 18 races that will go along way to deciding the destination of various championship honours. That is certainly the case in the Ma5da MX5 Championship as this will be the penultimate meeting of the season. With five rounds to go Rob Boston is the man in possession but close on his heels is current champion Tom Roche with Jonathan Greensmith still very much in the frame. With 100 points on offer for a race win and only 56 separating Paul Sheard in 4th form Boston, Sheard cannot be discounted just yet.

The inaugural OSS Championship, backed by Itchy Feet, is also coming to the boil. Tony Sinclair leads the way in the ‘Big Banger’ class (over 2001cc) and the championship overall in his Jade 3. However Simon Tilling’s Radical SR3 is within striking distance and if he can return a good points haul from the double header he will be very confident of reeling in Sinclair.

Double points are also at stake in the BRSCC Porsche Championship which is enjoying something of a renaissance this season. The addition of the Boxster class has actually encouraged more 924’s to get back out on the track. Dave Clark has dominated the Boxsters but it is Alastair Kirkham who tops the points table in his 924.

Races nine and ten of the 2010 BRSCC F3 Series take place at Rockingham this weekend with 2009 Champion Chris Needham in his DST Group Ltd Dallara F302 looking to add to his five wins and one second place so far this year. Alex Craven has been in contention all season, but has only managed the one win, suffering a lot of bad luck in his Lanan Racing Dallara F304.

This weekend’s two Dunlop TVR Challenge races signals the start of the championship run-in with just another double header meeting at Oulton Park in October left on the schedule. As the anticipation grows one thing is for certain – the championship is definitely getting stronger across all classes.

The Sports 2000 Duratec Championship will have a 30 minute race on Saturday afternoon. Neil Burroughs is the class of the field but with Mike Jenvey in his Gunn TS6 and 4 times champion Rick Johnson in his Van Diemen it will be very close at the front.

Joining us for an away-day meeting from the BARC South Eastern Centre are the Cannons Tin Tops & Tiger Series who have returned a very strong grid. Things could hardly be tighter at the top of the points table where Peugeot pilot Andy Mitchell has set the pace from the start of the campaign but Ken Angell, Gary Chappell, Dave Charlton and Nick Boon with all have a good chance to score points and put pressure on Mitchell.

Three of the BRSCC’s stalwart championships join the fray on Sunday with important single rounds in both the Mighty & Super Mighty Minis and the Euro Saloon & Sports Car Championship.

Following the double header at Combe, James May now leads the Euro Saloons from Nick Hayes, while Ilsa Cox heads Class B (3rd overall). Stewart Calder retains his lead in the Mark Fish Motorsport Clio Cup Challenge from David Pierce, while Seat extended their lead from Renault in the MSE-Performance.com Manufacturers Cup.

The competition is as fierce as ever in the Mighty Minis Championship. Matt Pinny established a lead early on and has since had it eroded race after race by not only front running lady driver Louise Inch but also by the resurgent Adrian Tuckley. Peter Tervet, a new driver, is still holding station in third.

In the Supers Scott Kendall has by far been the fastest at most of the circuits but has not always been able to convert these into race wins. However his consistency has given him a 12 point lead ahead of early pace-setter Neven Kirkpatrick. Also in the frame is Chris Morgan who moved up to Super Mighty Minis this year after winning the Standard Mighty Minis championship in 2009.


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