SBD Motorsport MSA British Sprint Championship - Round 3 & 4: Pembrey - 6/7 June

After a very damp week-end in Wales the British Sprint Championship standings have a very different look about them.

On Saturday in appalling conditions it was the old guard to the fore. Stewart Robb Snr used all his experience and skill to short-shift his way to victory. Terry Holmes finished a close second whilst young Stewart Robb was more than pleased with third in his first wet outing in the family Pilbeam. The fighting two litres filled the next three places in another blanket finish. Mark Smith, on home soil, put in a superb display to overhaul Steve Broughton whilst Kevin Lealan rose through the order to grab a well deserved sixth. The big loser was Nick Algar; the championship leader suffered a litany of problems with the NME engine and stuttered to seventh but then the following day the engine gave up the ghost completely.

Sunday started damp then dried out but another shower during the run-off put paid to any thoughts of new records. Robb Jnr was starting to enjoy driving the car in the wet and not only qualified fastest but also took the win with ease. Terry Holmes had a massive spin on his first Top 12 run and ended up hitting the barrier at Honda Curve. The Chichester chippy was unhurt but the Lola was out with a bent front suspension. Steve Broughton was delighted to take second and move into the lead of the championship in his supercharged OMS, whilst Mark Smith again was on-form taking a fine third. Graham Porrett, who co-drives with Holmes, finished a creditable sixth as he pushed up the championship standings.

With the next two rounds at Anglesey on Saturday and Sunday there will be a lot of midnight oil burnt as several cars return to the garages in need to some TLC.

Round 3

1 Stewart Robb Snr (4.0 Pilbeam-Judd MP88) 113.74 secs;

2 Terry Holmes (3.5 Lola-Judd T90/50 ERH) 114.14 secs;

3 Stewart Robb Jnr (4.0 Pilbeam-Judd MP88) 114.62 secs;

4 Mark Smith (2.0 Reynard-Vauxhall 903) 122.34 secs;

5 Steve Broughton (1.3s OMS-Suzuki CF08) 122.79 secs;

6 Kevin Lealan (2.0 Pilbeam-Vauxhall MP62) 123.01 secs;

7 Nick Algar (3.5 Gould-NME GR55) 124.61 secs;

8 Simon Bainbridge (4.2t Audi TT 4-w-d Replica) 129.53 secs;

9 Phil Lynch (3.2 Ralt-Judd RT37) 131.84 secs;

10 Graham Porrett (3.5 Lola-Judd T90/50 ERH) 134.74 secs;

11 Roy Napier (3.5 Gould-Cosworth DFR GR37) 136.50 secs;

12 Jonathan Toulmin (1.0 Marengo-Suzuki 2) 138.30 secs.

Round 4

1 Stewart Robb Jnr 93.82 secs;

2 Steve Broughton 96.20 secs;

3 Mark Smith 96.50 secs;

4 Stewart Robb Snr 98.34 secs;

5 Kevin Lealan 99.09 secs;

6 Graham Porrett 99.82 secs;

7 Phil Lynch 100.65 secs;

8 Glyn Sketchley (1.5 Force-Suzuki PT1600) 101.90 secs;

9 Steve Miles (2.0 Van Diemen-Zetec RF96SM) 102.56 secs;

10 Jonathan Toulmin 103.23 secs;

11 Roy Napier 104.00 secs;

Terry Holmes - DNF.