RACE REPORT OULTON PARK

It was another great day of racing at Oulton Park on Saturday, seven entertaining races on the challenging Cheshire parkland circuit. As ever, we were delighted to see so many of you enjoying your racing and our friendly paddock atmosphere, while the on track action was close and exciting. Who can ask for more?

It was the MG Midget of Ian Staines that came through from the second row of the grid to lead into the first corner in the opening Equipe MG Cup race, Rhys Higginbotham second with the also fast-starting Cal Moore heading a group of cars in third. On lap two the lead pair were somehow side-by-side all the way through the Knickerbrook chicane, and a lap later Higginbotham’s ZR190 had the lead, James Blake now third having set the pole time earlier in the day.

Blake was past Staines on lap five and set about closing down Higginbotham, while the battle for fourth and Class B honours was a highlight, Archie Styant passing Moore only for the pair to lose out to Peter Bramble’s MGB. A lap later Blake used his pace to take the lead, the front two clear and crossing the line just over a second apart, Blake claiming the Invitation class while Higginbotham headed class D.

Staines was a fine third with Bramble next up, Styant retiring as Moore claimed fifth and class B. A fine drive was that of Stuart Tranter in his 220 Turbo Tomcat, a winner at Oulton Park last season, who finished sixth from the back of the grid, the ZS180 of Peter Burchill was eighth and class C winner while Terry Loxton headed up class A.

In the second MG Cup race of the day Staines again got away well to take the early lead with Blake second, Bramble third but hit early on with a false start time penalty. Jack Chapman had his ZR170 into fourth with class B rival Moore next up in a fight for class dominance that would last most of the race.

At the front it was great action, Staines and Blake seldom less than a second apart across the line at the end of each lap with the gap usually much less. With a lap to go they were side-by-side down the pit straight, Blake able to claim the inside line into Old Hall and then the lead, staying clear on the final lap for the win.

Bramble was third across the line with enough in hand to claim that position in the result, Moore fourth and taking a class B double, Chapaman less than a second behind. Also taking double class wins were Burchill, seventh overall, and Loxton in his ZR160.