As autumn approaches, a suitably autumnal Bank Holiday weekend arrived this past Sunday, kicking off with the final Brisca F2 meetring of the year, in which the feature final was for the coveted Marion Bennett Trophy, we thank the Chalk family for their continued support hosting this fantastic trophy. It was a fast and furious day of racing, kicking off with a healthy 8 car field for the Whites and Yellows Championship, in greasy conditions, displayed with a ballerina – esque spin from the returning 895 Ben Goddard, who once back in his groove set fastest lap times of the race to recover well into 4th position. However, a 16 lap dog fight for the lead ensued at the front of the pack, with local driver, Nailsea’s 128 Jake Ralfs leading until caught by 605 Richie Andrews. The ever fast 405 Josh Hamstead was in hot pursuit as the lead pack were inseparable but it was 605 Richard Andrews who took a fantastic win, crowning the 2026 Whites and Yellows Champion. Heat 1 was a fast affair, with 185 Jessica Webb finally getting that pinch of luck, to be able to get away and show real pace, leading up until the lap boards, however 468 Sam Weston, fresh from a flurry of Final wins, made the pass to take heat 1. Heat 2 saw that man 405 Josh Hampstead take a comfortable win, getting to the front of the pack early doors with 8 Jimi Marshall and local superstar 935 Nathan Maidment making progress from red grade. It was the case for the final too, as again that trio of yellows, 128, 405 and 605 got too the front early doors and battle ensued, just allowing for the charging 8 Jimi Marshall too take the lead with 3 to go, followed by 935 chasing hard, however the new KMR Machine was just too fast, and 8 Jimi Marshall took home the coveted Marion Bennett Trophy for 2026. The final race of the year, again, 3was a lightning fast affair, with Andrews and Hamstead charging with the bumpers, but could not escape the wrath of Maidment who timed a last bend lunge to perfectio9n to finish the season off in style. The hard work of Cheddars 736 Josh Weare throughout the year paid off, as he took a very deserving Track Championship trophy for 2026, congratulations to our new points champion, 736 Josh Weare.
After a 6 week break, it was great too see the Junior Rods back in action, reenergised with a fresh set of grades, led to a fantastic days non contact racing. The (so far) unfortunate 107 Henry Chiplen, finally turned his luck around, after a yello9w flag in heat 1, made a fantastic restart to surge miles clear of the chasing pack too take the victory in heat 1, followed home by 49 Jenson Bevan in second and 120 Zack Stephens in 3rd from the red grade. Heat 2 was a busier affair, with the pack bunching up early on allowed the likes of 511 Archie Bryant and 99 Jenson Harris make early progress, however yellow grade 227 Leo Harding led the field for the majority of the race, it was 511 Bryant past the flag first, however a prior incident resulte din a black cross, meaning 227 Harding too home the win in heat 2. Heat 3, and again Superstars 620 Austin Latimer, 511 Bryant and red top 16 Gunfield ensued a battle for the early part of the race, until being met by traffic. 334 Poppy Norton with a welcome lead until the halfway point, until the superstar lights were upon here, resulting in 620 and 511 side by side with 511 Archie Bryant, just earning the advantage in the last couple of laps too take home a hard earned heat win. Final time, and again 334 Norton stormed into an early lead, showing the boys how its done in the early stages of the race. Further back, a car park of 2 lines of traffic formed, meaning the fast chargers at the back couldn’t make the progress they would have hoped early doors. However, that man again 107 Chiplen earned a gap between himself and the rest of the pack, soon catching 334 and taking the lead, after negating their way through traffic 620 Latimer and 16 Gunfield led a shoot out for second, with 511 Bryant in hot pursuit. Further back 49 Bevan and young gun 198 Bobby Norman were engaged in a fantastic battle for 6th and 7th, however at the front, the grey Team Mental Micra of Chiplens took home the win followed by 620 Latimer and 16 Gunfield.
The penultimate meeting for the 2L bangers, and with an unfortunately low number of cars, it was a 7 car display, however a fantastic display at that. Heat 1 saw the Vectra of 154 Joe Odhams storm into the early lead, with 440 Macauley Mills playing catch up in the corners, however Odhams would regain the advantage with an impressive display of straight line speed. Further back though, the now familiar look of Blue and Gold was emerging, having disposed of 720 Gabriel, 76 Hodgkins, 205 Ganter and 549 Levy, 262 Rob Bugler was on the charge, and soon removed tem mate Mills and 154 Odhams, however leaving enough there for 154 too come back for what would be a deserved win, however Bugler showed to be too fast in Heat 1. A similar affair occurred in Heat 2, with Mills and Odhams again side by side battling for the early lead, with Gabriel and Ganter playing cat and mouse with Gabriel earning the advantage. However, that man again Bugler managed to surge pass the pair of them with well timed lunges into the corner, where he would find the Vectra of 154 and Mondeo of 440 still engaged in a battle for the lead. In one fine swoop Bugler was able to push past the pair to take home heat 2. Final time, and with this 440 Mills, made a superior start with 205 Ganter in hot pursuit, however early doors Hodgkins 76 would spin 549 Levy damaging his own car leaving the Jag boot wide open for 549 to deliver a length of the straight shot, ending their final early. Breaking away again were the blue Mondeos, bumper to bumper, lap after lap, this time however Bugler would struggle to beat Mills, resulting in a last bend lunge resulting in a dramatic spin for 440 Mills and 262 Bugler limping over the line, less one drive shaft. 205 Ganter took home a well raced 3rd. The allcomers, however, was the Bugler affair, with the World Champion stamping his authority on the rest of the field with a dominant win, following quoted saying ‘I could have had more of a race with Macauley, but with those Mills, you give an inch and they take a mile’, one thinks it may not have just been Macauley he was referring too.
A (late, very late) in the day fixture offering for B2B Bangers offered up 6 cars, but a fantastic display of Banger Racing, with 210 Ryan Brooks and 328 Mike Parry battling from the first green flag to the last chequered Flag, lap after lap in Heat 1, side by side, with 328 Parry unable to get his typically fantastically displayed 328 Bilge Brigade machine round the outside of the 210 silver fiesta, with 210 taking the win. 23 Broadhurst was an early casualty following a short battle with 227 Harding. Advantage Brooks I hear? Certainly not the case in Heat 2 with the Bilge Brigade man 328 Parry removing the Focus of 915 Nathan Higgins early doors sending him into a spin, allowing 227 Nick Harding to ensue in a a battle for second and third, before Brooks in the silver fiesta would catch and swiftly remove any hope of a second place, setting off on the heels of 328 Parry, who led home past the chequered in Heat 2. Normally, heat winners would start off the back, however, the decision was made to start… half a lap back! This resulted in 915 Nathan Higgins storming into an early lead, however with 328 Parry and 210 Brooks, the form drivers, needing a lot of work to do, they teamed together to soon swallow up and dispose of 165 meaning the Hunt for Higgins was on, and with two to go they would catch the silver focus. This time it was 328 barrelling into Higgins on the top bend, forcing him round, just allowing for 210 Brooks to narrow the gap. Last lap and this time it was 328 Parry on the receiving end of a 210 attack, who couldn’t quite pip Parry too the line as they crossed side by side with 328 Mike Parry taking the win, 210 Brooks in second and 165 3rd.
Monday was soon upon us, the busiest day of the year, with floods and floods of public making their way to our slice of heaven in the Mendips Hills, I wonder what too watch?
The Mark Loader sponsored Special Rods Summer Series kicked off a magical days racing; those unfamiliar, the grid is pre drawn, with drivers starting race 1 in a random order, and heat 2 in the reverse grid, the final is drawn in points order scored during the heats and the Grand National in reverse order of the Final, a lot of admin, however fortunately a certain Cornish commentator isn’t involved allowing a smooth process. With this being the case, it was superstar graded driver 700 Les Brice starting in pole position…… where he would stay, fending off the hard charging challenges of 445 Nik Loader, 254 Nigel Manaton and points leader 66 Ben Bristow. Further back, 60 Tom Bristow and 303 Jason Oliver made their way through the field but couldn’t make their way past 517 Fast Scott Weldon. Heat 2, and it was another superstar driver on pole in 60 Tom Bristow who helped himself to a comfortable early lead, until disaster struck with an outside front puncture hampering all hope of a heat win, with current Series and Points champion 278 Andrew Bressington inheriting the lead with great pleasure, too which he would remain despite the mighty effort of 43 Andy Howard and Fast Scott 517 once again throwing the white BMW as hard as possible too the outside line, with 303 Oliver praying for the opening which just would not come. Final time, 66 Ben Bristow, the points leader, sat upon pole after earning himself a superior starting position thanks tto excellent heat results, would fly off into an early lead, with earlier heat winner 700 Les Brice sat in second chasing hard. The battle however, would be for 3rd position, a position in which 445 Nik Loader held, and 254 Manaton, 303 Oliver, 517 Weldon and 60 T Bristow would so desperately want. Despite challenge after challenge, lap after lap, the 4 behind Loader would not make their way past the flying grey and orange Sierra, who in determined fashion would take home the 3rd place trophy, behind 700 Brice and Winner, points leader 66 Bristow, extending his lead at the top over Brice in the points table. Disaster struck in the Grand National though as a spin and resulting yellow flag would leave Bristow with a Dnf, however keeping it in the family 60 Tom Bristow would take the win despite the nearly man in every race it felt, 303 Oliver not quite able to challenge enough to force an error or make the white and red car grip the outside line to get past. 517 Fast Scott Weldon would top off a good day in the points with 3rd, and 278 Bressington righting the wrong of a dnf in the Final too take fourth with son Alex rounding out the top 5.
Points and prizes are certainly online for the Rookie Bangers, with only one meeting left being the West of England Championship at Halloween Havoc. Heat 1 was underway in a field of 34 strong cars, with 138 Dan Rice on return storming to an early lead, chaos further back meant Rice could take an advantage with 775 Bradley Hunt also cashing in to surge into second, where the chase was on. Further back 601 Melksham had avoided the chaos, and Back to Basics King 210 Ryan Brooks had also broke free with the first of the reds, the familiar yellow and blu Vauxhall of 784 Henry Murray would sit in 5th from the reds. Heat 2 was a similarly chaotic display resulting in only 9 cars finish, it was however the red Honda of 49 Ash Harvey who had dominated the field from the back of the grid too take home the win in heat 2, joined by fellow red tops 198 Thomas Gumbleton and Points Leader 956 Harry Thompson. A very quiet consolation, of which 8 cars took the green, resulted in 3 finishing, 188 Leo Knox took 3rd, 366 Sweet Pete Warren in 2nd and the returning 358 Dean Hughes displayed a huge smile as he took the chequered flag. Final time, and the blue graded King of back to basics, enlisted his powers too the Rookie Bangers, resulting in a fast, smooth drive and a final win for local man 210 Ryan Brooks, 601 Melksham kept up his fine form too take home 2nd and evading the chasing fellow red top drivers 198 Gumbleton 3rd. The allcomers was another busy affair, dominating the field however the ever fast 775 Bradley Hunt returning back to the top step of the podium, 49 Ash Harvey secured more points too battle to 2nd with ‘Kevin’ 73 Sam Wilkinson taking 3rd place despite a cracked engine block. Finally, the one we were all waiting for! Caravandalism 2026! First corner. Utter Carnage. After what can only be described too anyone who frequents the M5 between Junction 18-23 on a Friday afternoon, as caravan obliteration heaven, two cars finished, with 220 Mike Stephens taking home the win and 154 Joe Odhams winning ‘The peoples Championship’ of simply annihilating absolutely anything, and everything in sight. A joy to behold!
The last one of the year for the 3 wheeled plastic pigs, however we love them. An unusually calm Heat 1 ensued with 3 Dan Tytheridge, after 10 years off, returning in the yellow robin storming too the win, 669 Immy Loader had laid her hopes of the entertainers award with a double roll on the bottom corner, however, as voted by the fans, and following a SEVEN (yes, seven!) car rolling finish the star of the show for heat 1 was ‘Rodder’ 100 Tom Weeks. More of the same please! As 100 Tom Weeks put in another dynamite display, alongside a war with team mate 10 Harvey Coles, completing not only a double rollover, but also the then slowest rollover entertaining the masses again too take home the entertainers award. A t the front however it was 154 Points Champion elect Joe Odhams and 3 Dan Tytheridge again battling hard for the lead, although it would be Tytherdige taking the win. Figure of 8 time, and with a few cars down, 227 Nick Harding, in his first figure of 8, assumed the roll of well.. rollover king! Not one, not two but three rollovers for Harding. As the tension rises during the middle of the 8, one man kept his cool too take home a clean sweep, 3 Tytheridge your Figure of 8 Champion for 2026. Then came the DD. One man sat out the Figure of 8 to do the DD, and boy did he! A simply stunning performance from 14 Macca Loader, rollover after rollover after rollover, with several attempted t bones too. With the damage to the obliterated Loader car it was former Points Champion 30 Joe Capelk taking another DD Win. However, the top of the table was as clear as day, as 154 Joe Odhams, after a fabulous year of crashing and racing, took home the 2026 Points Championship, congratulations, Joe.
Too those of you still reading, thank you, I tried too keep it relatively short and interesting, as I have only had one hour away from my children, however as most would agree, I am very good at waffling nonsense. Thank you too all those that raced, worked, watched and enjoyed a typically fabulous weekend of racing at Mendips Raceway. Our next event is held on the 19th and 20th September, featuring the Rebels World Championship, Special Rod Summer Series, B2B Bangers, 2L Bangers and much more!
White & Yellow – Rich Andrews 605, 128, 405, 895, 53, 509, 185, 130
Heat 1 – Sam Weston 468, 405, 185, 935, 8, 128, 736, 605, 895, 960
Heat 2 – Josh Hamstead 405, 8, 605, 128, 935, 979, 53, 960, 736, 185
Final – Jimi Marshall 8, 935, 605, 468, 960, 405, 736, 53, 979, 128
GN – Nathan Maidment 935, 605, 405, 979, 960, 736, 468, 53, 128, 8
Heat 1 – Harry Chiplen 107, 49, 120, 620, 99, 26, 187, 429, 149, 227
Heat 2 – Leo Harding 227, 149, 511, 768, 99, 16, 916, 184, 26, 198
Heat 3 – Archie Bryant 511, 107, 16, 620, 49, 198, 334, 120, 916, 184
Final – Henry Chiplen 107, 620, 16, 511, 334, 49, 198, 120, 26, 916
Heat 1 – Ryan Brooks 210, 328, 915, 165
Heat 2 – Mike Parry 328, 210, 915, 227, 23, 165
Final – Mike Parry 328, 210, 165, 915
Heat 1 – Roona 262, 440, 154, 205, 720, 76, 549
Heat 2 – Roona 262, 440, 154, 720, 205, 549, 76
Final – Roona 262, 440, 205, 154, 720
A/C – Roona 262, 440, 720, 205, 76
Heat 1 – Les Brice 700, 445, 254, 66, 270, 517, 60, 303, 278, 429
Heat 2 – Andy Bressington 278, 43, 517, 66, 303, 254, 445, 700, 270, 118
Final – Ben Bristow 66, 700, 445, 254, 303, 517, 60, 118, 270, 43
GN – Tom Bristow 60, 303, 517, 278, 270, 700, 254, 29, 43, 429
Heat 1 – Dan Rice 138, 775, 601, 210, 784, 220, 595, 301,154, 229
Heat 2 – Ash Harvey 49. 198, 956, 389, 743, 99, 271, 138, 617
Cons – Dean Hughes 358, 366, 188
Final – Ryan Brooks 210, 601, 198, 229, 743, 956, 154, 49, 784, 301
AC – Brad Hunt 775, 49, 73, 229, 743, 956, 308, 784, 87, 210
Caravans – Mike Stevens 220, 154
Heat 1 – Dan Tytheridge 3, 915, 509, 100, 154, 69, 114, 14, 916, 30
Heat 2 – Dan Tytheridge 3, 915, 509, 30, 10, 154, 616, 100
Final – Dan Tytheridge 3, 100, 30, 509, 154, 616
DD – Joe Capel 30
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