Julian Godfrey won the fourth round of the MSA British Rallycross Championship in association with the Shannon Group at Pembrey race circuit in South Wales yesterday. The Ford Fiesta driver had an easy win in the Supercar class in association with ODYSSEY® battery, to head home Simon Horton in the Subaru Impreza followed by Colin Anson in the Ford Ka. It was an eventful final, which Godfrey won on a restart.

On pole had been Ollie O’Donovan in the Ford Focus, with Andy Grant alongside, and Godfrey on the outside of the front row. Last minute entry, Pat Doran in the Citroen DS3 was on the second row, with Steve Harris for company.Horton and Anson were on row three with Steve Hill in the Mitsubishi. O’Donovan got a good start, as did Doran, but as the cars exited the first corner, it was Godfrey that led from Anson in second with Horton into third and Harris in the Ford Focus in fourth. A coming together between O’Donovan and Doran left both of them down the order as the cars headed to complete the opening lap. They held sway until a coming together between Harris and Hill at the start and finish line, eventually led to the race being stopped, Harris having lost a wheel and Hill suffering damage. With O’Donovan, Doran, Hill and Harris unable to continue it was left to Godfrey to take the win.

In the MSA Supernational it was Guy Corner that took the win in his Peugeot 206 GTi, but he was pushed all the way by Mike Howlin in the Ford Fiesta. A great drive by Alan Tapscott saw his Vauxhall Corsa take third following a battle with championship leader Stuart Emery who had engine management issues, which put him fourth on the grid for the final, but he dropped back to finish fifth just behind Gary Dixon who pipped him at the finish line.

In the MSA Junior Rallycross, Charlie Bean was on pole, courtesy of two heat wins, with Drew Bellerby alongside and Jake Taylor on the outside of the front row. At the start those three made a good start, but the race was immediately halted when Jennie Hawkes hit the barrier at the start. Although it was a heavy impact, she was uninjured and hopes to be back out again at Lydden Hill next month. The restart saw Bean take the win, but with Bellerby close behind just over a second behind. Taylor took third.

It was the Swiftsport Suzuki’s that once again provided some of the best races of the day, and with two heat wins, Tristan Ovenden lined up on pole for the final. Alongside was Graham Rodemark, who had been fastest in morning practice as well as taking a win in Heat One. Chris Mullen was on the outside of the front row, while returnee Darren Scott was on the second row alongside Rob Maynard. Mark Dodsworth, Jack Brown and David Ellis completed the grid for the final. By the end of lap one, Rodemark had got ahead of Ovenden, who had slipped behind Mullen, with Scott fourth, but on lap two Ovenden had got past Mullen and into second. Rodemark held on to win by a couple of car lengths, from Ovenden and Mullen who were battling for second, with Scott who had gearbox issues all day, taking fourth. Brown was fifth with Maynard sixth.

In the HotHatch, it was Championship leader Craig Lomax in the Citroen Saxo that lined up on pole, thanks to fastest times in heats One and Two.Fastest time in the third heat saw Tomasz Marciniak line up in his similar Saxo beside Lomax with Jeff Hope-Davies Saxo on the outside of the front row. David Bell in the Mini and Mariusz Mehlberg in the Peugeot completed the second row with Rebecca Ryder on the third row in the Mini. Hope-Davies led at the end of lap one with Lomax in second and Marciniak chasing hard. Lomax then took the lead, to head Hope-Davies and Marciniak but gearbox issues then hampered Lomax, and Marciniak got the better of Hope-Davies as Lomax dropped back down the field. Marciniak held on to win, with Hope-Davies a close second, and Mehlberg taking third with Lomax fourth. Bell was fifth and Ryder sixth. Bell and Ryder would take first and second in the BMW Mini Class.

In the RX150’s, once again Marc Scott took the win, but he had been pushed in the heats by James Grint who had been fastest in Heat two to put him on the front row with Scott. Clutch issues though just before the final meant Grint started from the back of the grid. Jake Harris was on the outside of the front row, with Kevin Feeney and Tejas Hirani on the second row, the South African enjoying his first run in the RX150’s.Adam and Larry Sargent, and newcomer Tom O’Rourke, who admitted to enjoying his day at Pembrey, completed the third row. Scott took a dominant win in the end, but the battle for second was a great battle between Harris and Hirani all the way to the flag, just half a second splitting them in the end. Feeney was fourth, with Adam and Larry Sargent fifth and sixth respectively. Grint completed the race to finish behind Tom O’Rourke.

In the Ripla Retro Rallycross, once again there was entertainment and some superb heats through the day. Lance Foster in the Mini was on pole, with Marc Griffin in the Fiesta alongside, while Barry Stewarts Porsche 911 completed the front row. Ray Morgan was on row two in the Escort BDA with Paul Smith in the VW Polo. Ray Morgan went on to win a close battle with Barry Stewart, barely a second separating them at the finish, with Marc Griffin claiming the final podium place.

The Super1600 class was won by Phil Chicken.

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