Crowds flock to Mallory on Boxing Day

After a year off in 2013, the Plum Pudding meeting returned to Mallory Park for the 40th annual meeting on Boxing Day. Eight races greeted a huge crowd; four contests for cars and four for bikes.

Rob Spencer (Stuart Taylor Locosaki) took a double helping of wins in the Sports Car races. He stormed to the lead in the opening encounter and beat the slow starting Radical SR3 of David Porter. David Fuller (Locosaki) took third after Ray Rowan (Porsche 996) spun out of the action. The Toyota MR2s of Miles Hogdson and Tim Heron completed the top five after a race-long scrap.

Spencer and Rowan flew through the field in the second race which saw the usual reverse grid. They hit the front of the field on lap two with Rowan ahead. Spencer took over that position when Rowan slid wide at the hairpin in worsening conditions. Spencer was caught out in the closing stages at the Esses as Mallory got gloomier and wetter. This allowed Rowan to win ahead of Spencer and Porter, who also spun.

Darren Johnson (Renault Clio) took the early advantage of the first Saloon car race. Andy Thompson (Seat Toledo) made his way circumspectly through the field which was gridded traditionally with the first entry lining up at the front of the grid. Thompson, who was using an ex-BTCC shell, eventually caught Johnson and passed him on the final lap in an enthralling race. Rich Hockley (Honda Civic) took third ahead of Ian Smyth (Ford Fiesta) and John Morris (Vauxhall Tigra).

Andrew Deviny (Mini Se7en) drove around half of the field at Gerrards on the opening lap of the reverse grid race but was caught by Johnson and Thompson relatively quickly. Thompson passed the Clio which then broke and had to retire. This allowed Hockley to take second ahead of the remarkable Deviny. George Young (Ford Escort XR3) took fourth ahead of Carl Swan (Civic) and Oli Hood (Rover 100).

Motorstar rider Arnie Shelton (Honda) won the first lightweight Motorcycle race when dominant leader and former Ducati 848 Challenge rider Dean Brown (KTM SMR) crashed at the Devil’s Elbow. Phil Munday (Honda VFR) and Doug Edmondson (Yamaha) completed the podium. Brown won the second race from Shelton and Munday. Gordon Scott (Suzuki) and Richard Blunt (Honda CB) shared the victories in the closely contested open solo races. Brown took third on both occasions.