Easter weekend marked the start of the BPKC Summer series at Buckmore Park and for once the weather bucked the recent trend and was pleasantly spring like. A clash with other National events meant a few names were missing this month but the entry was big enough to ensure some top quality racing. The fabulous Europa’s paid us another visit but as this class is reported elsewhere I will merely include them in the results.

Jessica Hawkins won the Honda cadet class and by a decent couple of seconds over Callum Hardgrave. It has to be said that the latter would have been the favourite with two heat wins to his credit, Jessica taking the other, but he was playing catch up in the final when he lost the lead on lap three. Bobby Thompson raced well all day and finished a close third.

Sam Vanderpump had the upper hand after three heats of Comer cadet racing after three straight heat wins, each time chased to the line by James Raven. In the final it was a different matter as Ashlee Whiteman got ahead and made it stick to the line. Again we saw James Raven taking second place and Sam Vanderpump had to content himself with the points for third, but no trophy after all that hard work.

The Junior Max class was ‘dramatic’ all day and full of incidents that will not benefit from being re hashed here. A couple of red flags made take three of the final the one that mattered and on this attempt it was to b victory for Harry Drysdale by a tenth from Luciano Bacheta with Jack Saffery collecting the pot for third. The earlier heats had put Drysdale on top but there were good performances by Luke Hooper, Sam Hart, Dayle Matthews and Craig Crowther as well.

To my mind the Mini Max class was my favourite today and I admit to a certain bias as so many of my Kart School graduates have migrated to this class. The heats found James Doherty and Tom Ingram leading the proceedings but a pat on the back too for Oliver Varney, Joe Hilling, Jonny Gregory and Elliot Rice for fine races. In an exciting final it was victory for James Doherty who drove a blinder (ex kart school see!) to build a three second lead over Tom Ingram. Elliot Rice collected third, a smidge ahead of Oliver Varney. Commiserations to Jody Fannin who, on his first full plate final, held seventh for 11.5 laps before getting tipped out at hairpin two on the last lap.

There were also five ex Sisley Kart School pupils in the senior Max class and again it was one of these drivers who collected the class gold. Chris Matthews got home half a second clear of Lee Jenner while the far better looking Tamsin Chittenden just pipped Harry Somner for third. Daniel Pitchford took the novice award by a tenth from James Corpe. Earlier there had been heat wins for Tamsin Chittenden, Kit Brough and Lee Jenner. The novice trophy was earned by James Oppenheimer. A small 177 entry found Mark Goodwin dominant all day aboard his Alonso chassis.

The TKM class was a little under subscribed due to other commitments elsewhere but the seven competitors who were able to race produced some of the best races of the day. Damien Hickman was undoubtedly top dog with a win on every outing but the scrap for second was intense every time. Derek Morgan and Ashley Ruggles were always there or thereabouts but in the final it was Matthew Parr who secured the remaining trophy for second.

Trophy Winners today

Europa
1st Steven Martorana (Europa)
2nd Chris Panayiotou (Europa)

Honda Cadet
1st Jessica Hawkins (Project One)

Comer Cadet
1st Ashlee Whiteman (Zip)
2nd James Raven (Zip)

Junior Max UK
1st Harry Drysdale (Gillard)
2nd Luciano Bacheta (late entry, unknown)
Novice: James Oppenheimer (Gillard)

Mini Max
1st James Doherty (Intrepid)
2nd Tom Ingram (Tonykart)
3rd Elliot Rice (Gillard)

Rotax
1st Chris Matthews (Gillard)
2nd Lee Jenner (Tonykart)
3rd Tamsin Chittenden (Wildkart)
4th Harry Somner (Tonykart)
Novice: Daniel Pitchford (Tonykart)

Rotax 177
1st Mark Goodwin (Alonso)

TKM
1st Damian Hickman (Nimrod)
2nd Matthew Parr (Project One)

Courtesy of Alan Wood