The season opener at Mildenhall on Saturday 11th March attracted 51 cars for the first British qualifier of the year. The field was mostly dominated by the mondeo and cougar, with 26 Dan Holmes (vectra), 624 Jason Thurlow (vectra estate), 319 Shaun Clarke (vectra estate) and 787 (focus) being the exceptions. 209 Tom Waller impressed with a typically smart paint job.
Half car heats saw 28 cars assemble for Heat 1. 47 Archie Butts buried 444 Charlie Jackson early on. 258 met the spun 841 Charlie Daniels head on, as 449 Billy Critt set about 43 Luke Maynard. 47 Butty got spun and was duly collected by the pack. 624 JT followed in 246 Butty Jnr. 841 Daniels jacked 37 Dave Lewis big time. The lively 246 Butty Jnr backed across the track and was duly jacked. 841 Daniels blasted 246 Butty Jnr, as 10 Ben Collins got stacked on a concrete block on turn 1. 354 Josh Vowden to a strong victory ahead of 624 JT and 51 James Liquorice.
Heat 2 raised a slightly better 31 cars. 449 Critt was the first to show as he jacked 248 Jamie Blything, who ended up stuck on the former’s bonnet. 725 Stephen Cooper (cougar) followed in 800 (cougar), as the second placed 17 Kyle Overy was taken out on the home straight by 205 Gavin King. 316 Sam Dace stuffed in 157 Dom Hall, and was done in turn by 599 Matt Butcher, 898 Andy Battle and 107 Michael Seex. 209 Tombo drove to an impressive victory, over half a lap ahead of second place.
The consolation attracted 29 non qualifiers. The lively 449 Critt was again the first to show as he followed in 470, before later losing a wheel to bring the red flags out; not before 604 Ross Cooper dishing a large hit to 449. A lap sheet order placed 319 Clarkey in the lead ahead of 220 Tom Pavitt and 411 Matt Franklin. The restart was very quiet until 990 triggered the best action of the night, dishing a big head on to 187. 157 Dom tboned 990, before 187 delivered a vicious revenge tbone on 990. 157 Dom jacked 990 on oppo, as 246 Butty Jnr followed 785 Dominic Ambrose in big time to 157 Dom – 246 Butty Jnr rolling on impact to bring the reds out. The race being declared in favour of 220 Lurch.
28 cars were on track for the final. 319 Clarkey spun 411 Franklin, with 328 Danny Lathan jacking 319 Clarkey. 17 Chief buried consolation winner 220 Lurch into the growing pile up. 354 Subo spun 813 Brett Osborne (cougar). 51 James went in on 813 Osborne and was done in turn by 519 Knuckles. 623 Ricky Hutton went on oppo, but didn’t manage to connect with any one due to the reds coming out for a driver on the road bend. 107 Seexy leading the way from the restart from 27 Terry King (cougar) and 78 Lee Macey (cougar). The restart provided no action of note. 107 Seexy racing to the win ahead of 27 Telbert and 354 Subo.
The Alcomers saw 27 cars round off the night. 449 Critt continued his destructive mode with a head on to 519 Knuckles, who was jacked in turn by 623 Tricky. 316 Dace also weighed in on 519 Knuckles. 143 Dan Rose attacked 444 Chaz on oppo, as 726 Nathan Cooper leant 188 John Reeves (cougar) into the concrete blocks. 143 Rose done a lap, before doing 444 Chaz over the front wheel. 623 Tricky again jacked 519 Knuckles, with the leader stopped on the home straight, this triggered a bit of chaos. 841 Daniels jacked 143 Rose, 326 Ratty went in on 841 Daniels with 604 Cooper weighing in on 326 Ratty. The reds came out to assist a driver caught in the melee, with the race declared. 9 remaining cars made it to the DD, 17 Chief being let out from the pits to compete in just the DD. 813 Osborne picked up 303 Wayne Linsdale (cougar) who latched onto 17 Chief creating a big three car follow in, making 17 Chief’s DD a very short one. 204 Charlie King jacked 813 Osborne, as 469 blew up 246 Butty Jnr. 813 Osborne tboned 246 Butty Jnr and was jacked hard in turn by 469. 204 Charlie Boy ran 604 Cooper through the back of 469 rolling 813 Osborne on impact; the red flags coming out to allow 813 Osborne to exit safely. The DD resumed with 469 and 205 Gava sharing a head on. 316 Dace attacked 205 Gava, before they shared a head on. 469 attacked 205 Gava. 204 Charlie Boy and 246 Butty Jnr shared a head on, with the latter going round to blast 204 Charlie Boy over the front wheel. 246 Butty Jnr continued his assault by blasting 303 Linsdale, before dishing a few blows to the latter and 204 Charlie Boy to secure the DD win to conclude a solid session.
