THERE was plenty for Wiltshire dads to smile about at Castle Combe’s Fathers’ Day meeting – with some playing an important part in the outcome.
Chippenham’s Bob Higgins, a former multiple champion, watched as sons Adam and Richard battled it out for valuable points in the Formula Ford championship, Richard making the podium and narrowly beating his brother.
Bob said: “It’s great to have both my sons doing well in the championship its a great Fathers’ Day present.
“Adam made fourth despite a loss of power with a suspected bent valve and Richard took a well-deserved third.”.
Richard, who worked his way up to third from seventh on the grid, added: “I’m really pleased with the way it’s going.
“We’re getting quicker all the time and my aim is to get an outright win by the end of the year.’’ Another Formula Ford contender, Ed Moore from Melksham, had lots to thank his father Ian for.
With his son suffering a mechanical problem, Ian rushed back to his Bradford on Avon workshop to turn a part on the lathe to enable Ed to take part and score points in the championship.
Coventry’s Nathan Ward pipped teammate and pole man Ashley Crossey, from Flax Bourton, to overall victory by two-hundredths of a second, earning the driver of the day award.
Promising young Trowbridge driver Josh Harvey also made his father Doug’s day as he also took a podium placing in the BMW compact national series.
Josh, a former Wiltshire College motor sport student qualified in third place, finishing fourth in the first championship race and then third in the second of the BMW Compact Cup qualifiers.
At one time he was second in the race that attracted 33 starters from all over the country in the fourth round of the national series.
The 22 year old has been racing since he was 13, first in karts, then for a time in Formula Ford, before racing the BMW series.
He said: “I am delighted at my progress in this series. I have added more points by taking a third place and it’s a tribute to my father, who has supported me in my racing.’’ Calne’s Tony Hutchings took another fine outright win in the Castle Combe Saloon Car championship, qualifying his Audi TT second to Bristol’s Mark Wyatt.
Hutchings led away and held the position for the first five laps, until running wide on the exit of Tower and handing the place to Wyatt Two laps later, the Astra retired with a smoking engine, leaving the Wiltshire driver to take a clear win from Charles Hyde-Andrews–Bird, from Shepton Mallet, in his Renault Megane.
Swindon’s Julian Ellison (Astra VXR Turbo) was third, ahead of the similar car of Keynsham’s John Barnard.
David Challenger, from Westbury on Trym, brought his SEAT Leon Cupra to fifth, whilst class C winner Carl Loader from Chard was sixth overall in his Citroen Saxo VTS.
Bath’s Dave Scaramanga was seventh in a new VW Scirocco borrowed from his teammate, with fellow Bath resident, Guy Parr, who was eighth overall and second in class B in his Fiesta.
Race sponsor Russell Poynter-Brown, from Compton Martin, won class D in his Vauxhall Corsa, which means the overall championship points lead moved to Hutchings.
The Sports & GT championship race saw Gary Prebble extend his record of outright victories at the circuit to 38.
After pole man Barry Squibb was unable to start his Evo 9 due to an engine problem, Prebble was left to his own devices in his similar car, which was suffering a broken exhaust manifold, finishing some 2.8 seconds ahead of Westbury on Trym’s Tim Woodman in his Caterham.
Bath’s Scaramanga took a somewhat hollow class win in his VW Bora, being the only entrant, his sixth overall a more impressive result.
In the Formula Vee races, Nailsea’s John Hughes took second in race one, dropping to fourth overall for race two. Both were won by Martin Farmer from Sutton Coldfield.
Chippenham’s Edward Cooper took third in class in the first Stock Hatch Classic race, repeating the feat in race two, driving his Nova GSi.
The Mazda MX5 Cup race saw Warminster’s Matt Short pick up two eighth place finishes.