BRANDS RACE REPORT

The Equipe MG Cup field had the first race of the weekend and they didn’t disappoint with a close lead battle in the early laps and action all the way down the field. Rhys Higginbotham had his ZR190 on pole but it was Dan Ludlow who led across the line at the end of lap one, Higginbotham right with him.

The lead pair eased away and stayed close, Higginbotham looking inside at Paddock Hill Bend going into lap six but having to settle for second, while Ludlow was on the grass at Clearways later in the lap, Higginbotham going ahead. The front two finished in that order with James Blake coming through from sixth early on to claim third in an exciting race that pleasingly featured several drivers making their competition debuts.

“It’s my first race in a ZR190 and we weren’t expecting much but the car was spot on,” said Higginbotham. “We just came here and did the best we can and it paid off.”

Sunday’s race saw Higginbotham and Ludlow trading paces for the lead on the opening lap, Higginbotham leading until pulling off on his sixth lap. This put Ludlow ahead from the rapid MGB of Peter Bramble, but again Blake was on a charge in his ZR190, into third by seven which became second when Ludlow spun at Surtees.

Blake closed on Bramble, who went wide at Paddock allowing Blake past down the inside into Druids and into a lead he held until the end. The recovering Ludlow got past Bramble at Paddock right at the end for second, while a fine drive from Archie Styant saw him claim fourth and Class B.

Ludlow & Higginbotham

Styant, Blake, Woodward, Lowery

Bramble