MORE than 120 drivers will take to the track at Wiscombe Park this weekend for the season’s first meeting which will highlight the skill and dexterity of the drivers on the demanding east Devon course and provide the characteristic smell and sound of fast cars being driven in competition.

The two-day meeting will see a variety of machinery in action including standard road cars, classic and modern cars as well as the rapid sports racers and single-seaters complete with individual marques such as Morgan (Sunday).

The Woolbridge Motor Club organised events will feature a number of championships including the Tillicoultry Quarries Wiscombe Park series and regional championships for drivers from the south west and central southern areas in addition to Wales.

The climax of both events will be the battle for the prestigious and coveted Fastest Time of the Day award which is usually fought out between the single-seater racers but on occasions a rapid well driven sports racers might join the ranks. If conditions are wet or slippery then we could see members of the four-wheel drive brigade getting in on the act with cars such as the Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, Porsche 911 or even the stunning Audi R8 V10 of David Cresswell who will be travelling from Rochester in Kent to compete.

There is good support from Dorset drivers including single-seater exponent Andrew Forsyth.

The Shillingstone OMS CF04 pilot will face a stern challenge in the single-seater racing car classes with the return, following a three-year absence contesting the British Championships, of Ed Hollier.

Hollier, multiple Wiscombe Park victor, will debut his new mount, a Pilbeam MP62 alongside another seasoned single-seater driver, Andrew Short, who will appear in an OMS CF07 having upgraded from an earlier design from Steve Owens’ drawing board.

Three previous Wiscombe Park champions will start their season-long campaigns to lift the trophy and the prize fund of this year’s contest come the autumn.

In addition to the above-mentioned Lee, reigning champion Ian Ingleheart will defend his title with his Cosworth-powered Westfield SEi. The Plymouth driver will be aware of the challenge from 2016 winner Anthony Wright who will be back at the wheel of his Audi.

Rod Thorne will campaign his Rover V8 powered Pilbeam MP43 sports racer in the large engine capacity Sports Libre class but the Frampton garage proprietor will be hoping that he can challenge the single-seaters for the prestigious Fastest Time of the Day.

The up to 1600cc Sports Libre class will see another driver from the chalk stream valley in action in the form of Maiden Newton’s Tim Pitfield who takes his Suzuki power DH Firecat up against the similarly motivated Radical SR4 of Stewart Lillington.

Local representation in the saloon and sports car classes includes Debbie Blake from behind the wheel of a Peugeot 106 Rallye whilst her father and brother, Graham and Geoff, will be in action in the sports car division in a Vauxhall-powered Westfield SEi.

Dorchester driver Graham Vingoe will be in action in the Downton Motor Club along with Weymouth’s John Kirby who has made an engine change in his Mini Clubman which now sports a 1380cc power unit.

Flying the flag for Dorchester in the Classic Marques category will be Merv Brake in his road-going Mazda MX5.

n Wiscombe Park provides a great motor-sporting day out with admission at only £8 (gates open at 10am) and accompanied children under 14 years of age are admitted free.

The scenic surroundings of Wiscombe Park are ideal for a picnic with catering and a licensed bar available. There are no additional charges to access the competitor’s paddock so spectators can inspect the cars at close quarters and talk to the drivers.

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