Easter Weekend – Trucks and Legends At Brands

The Trucks and Legends wowed the crowds over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend with some fantastic close action racing, large grids and with the added bonus of the glorious Easter holiday weather with temperatures up into the mid twenty degrees C.

The newly sponsored MV Commercial BTRA Championship got underway with a four race weekend each for both the Class One’s and the Class Two trucks.

Defending champion Ryan Smith took the first Class One win of the weekend. David Jenkins in his MAN TGX started from pole position with the 2018 champion Ryan Smith there beside him. Continuous pressure from Smith from the start forced an error, causing Jenkins to loose the lead at Paddock Hill on lap four leaving Smith to bring his MAN TGA home to take the top step of the podium. Stuart Oliver finished third.

Defending Champion Ryan Smith

Mondays first outing for the Class One trucks got of to a thrilling start with the win going to ten time champion Stuart Oliver in his Volvo VNL. From the back of the reversed grid, weaving his way through the field, and a full on dash to the chequered flag putting a twelve second gap between himself and defending champion Ryan Smith who brought his MAN TGA home in 2nd.

Smith went on to win the second of Mondays races keeping the pack behind him from start to flag. Jenkins gave his all, taking the fight to Smith only to cross the line just under two and a half seconds behind leaving Stuart Oliver taking the 3rd step of the podium.

The final outing for the Class One’s, victory went to David Jenkins who broght his MAN TGX home with a ten second gap over John Newell. From the back of the grid passing all those who ‘stood’ in his way, Jenkins took the lead during the oping lap before reaching Druids. Ray Coleman filled the the 3rd step while Smith could only manage 5th.

10 Times British Champ Stuart Oliver

In the first Class two race, with two races on Sunday, the Class Two 2018 Champion Luke Garrett got of to a flyer in the MAN TGX, maintaining the lead over Finnish driver Erik Forsstrom in the Sisu RSM. A loose turbo pipe would cost Garrett the lead leaving the way open for Frosstrom to steel the win. John Bowler finished third.

Sundays second Class two outing, Steven Powell in his MAN TGX battled it out with Garrett to take a well deserved win. Garrett went on to finish 2nd while ex Renault Clio Cup racer Paul Rivett, on his debut, piloting the Tachosy MAN TGA home in 3rd place.

Luke Garrett

Two more Class Two races thrilled the crowed on Monday. Luke Garrett took victory over Steven Powell in the days first who brought his MAN home in 2nd place crossing the finish line sixteen seconds behind Garrett. Paul Rivett took the last podium position taking a last lap lung to take 3rd away from John Bowler.

Garrett took his 2nd win during the days final Class Two race of the weekend. An early red flag left Garrett seeing red, forcing his way from 4th to 1st at the restart. Paul Rivett fought his way into 2nd place finishing just under ten seconds behind Garrett. Brad Smith in the DAF CF finished 3rd.

Top driver award I award to Paul Rivett who on debut finished the weekend with three podiums under his belt.

Celebrating their twenty-fifth Anniversary, the Legends Cars UK National Championship with MRF Tyres was back with a bang, with it’s usual door handle to door handle, bumper to bumper style of racing.

With three races on Sunday, Sy Harraway took the weekends first Legends win, Connor Mills and Thomas Granger brought their cars home 2nd and 3rd. Connor Mills took the second victory of the day in his Legends 34 Ford Coupe with James Hall-Morton less than a second behind in a 32 Chevy. Sean Smith completed the podium. James Hall-Morton won the third outing of the weekend while Robin Fountain came home in a photo finish 2nd place just 0.083 of a second behind. Defending champion John Mickel finally got a foot on the podium taking a deserved 3rd.

Monday’s first of the remaining three races, victory went the way of Connor Mills with nearly four seconds between himself and 2nd place Sy Harraway. Jack Parker snatched 1st place from Miles Rudman in the second of the days races by 0.040 of a second. Mills once again on the podium with a 3rd place finish. The weekends final Legends Cars race went the way of Connor Mills and Sy Harraway, in that order, and Robin Fountain in 3rd.