GTS AND KARTS CONTRAST AT CASTLE COMBE

A packed weekend of top class motorsport, with the contrast of Superkarts and a long distance race for the super successful Britcars, are just two of the highlights of the Castle Combe Circuit's Summer Racing Carnival weekend on 8th and 9th August Despite their diminutive size, the 250cc karts are eye poppingly rapid, themagic 100mph lap achieved for the first time last year by Carl Hulme on his Anderson FPE.

This year's 250cc races are again for the MSA British Superkart championship, with a pair of 125cc races for the BSA National championship to compliment them. Gloucester pilots, Richard Sanders and Gavin Bennett appear in the 250s, Louise Colin from Swindon in the 125s. Intriguingly, some of the contenders in the Britcar 90 minute enduro will beno quicker than the karts, but impressive nonetheless.

The combined GT and Production race has some prestigious entries including former Grand Prix andLe Mans veteran, Mike Wilds, the reigning Britcar Production champion in aBMW 320 he shares with Ian Lawson.In the GT section, father and son British Touring Car drivers, Mike andAndrew Jordan share a Ginetta G50 GT, whilst 2007 Castle Combe Special GT champion, Duncan Cameron, is back with his Ferrari 430 GT3.

His is just oneof a number of mouth watering machines with delicious examples from Porsche,Venturi, Aston Martin and Marcos in contention for the two driver race onSunday afternoon.

The visiting National Formula Ford 1600 championship will be an opportunityfor the local drivers in the circuit's own version to gauge their performance. Amongst those entering both events is teenage star Marcus Allenin the Gloucester based Kevin Mills Racing Swift, fresh from his win at Castle Combe last month. Geoff James from Weston Super Mare and Langford's Roger Orgee are other local runners.

In the circuit's own Formula Ford Championship, Bratton's Ben Norton isstill in a relatively secure position at the head of the leader table despite Allen's win last time. Bridgwater's Felix Fisher lost his Class B lead to Allen after a mechanical retirement last time but is still clear of the rest of the field.Chippenham's Adam Higgins, son of former quadruple champion, Bob, is one driver who could match the Allen/Norton/Fisher pace having scored his best result at the last meeting after his family chipped in to buy a new set o ftyres for his birthday!

Another three local Class A drivers continue to slugit out with a virtually identical pace.

Castle Combe's Andrew Jones in theRay, Saltford's Steven Jensen in the Swift and Bradford on Avon's Ed Moore in the Van Diemen will no doubt circulate as one, In Class C, Cirencester's Tom Margetson is looking strong to take the class lead after a win last time.

In the Castle Combe Special GT Championship Mark Funnell from Trowbridge has lost the outright lead after his road going Lotus Exige retired with transmission problems last time. He is also under a class threat from the Mitsubishi Evo's of Gloucester's Laurence Kilby and Melksham's Simon Norris.Trowbridge's Andrew Shanley is still in contention for Class B honours in the rapid Radical Prosport, but outright victory may be more difficult withthe return of Bath's Guy Woodward in the 3.5 litre Jade 3 and Bridgwater'sJosh Fisher in the Juno, the latter a sure-fire bet for a win on Sunday afternoon.

The circuit's Saloon Car Championship has a round on both days, putting extra pressure on the often fragile Mitsubishi Evos, such as that of Kilby,who stretches his to the limit by entering the Special GT race too. His AJEC racing team mate, Guy Higgs, will be a crowd pleaser again in his flamboyantly driven BMW M3, with Bridgwater's Tony Dolley in the 206,Ditcheat's Kevin Bird in the SEAT Leon Cupra and Bristol's Mark Wyatt in theAstra his main rivals. Nailsworth's Keith Murray, a former Class A champion, is looking to debut his new Audi A3.

The ongoing battle between Jason Cooper from Yatton Keynell and Peasedown' s Olly Lewis will continue, Lewis's 106 able to clock up the quick laps but Cooper's Fiesta so difficult to beat on the track and looking good for the overall title too.

In Class C, it's a battle of the 106's, Will Di Claudio from Chippenham, andYate's Nick Charles neck and neck. The Dunlop TVR Challenge sees Cirencester's Hugh Marshall out in his Ashton Geo/MLPA Surveyors Tuscan, 30 years after he made his racing debut here in aRenault 5 in 1979, whilst the Drayton Manor Park MG Metro Cup has Bristol'sKate Constance and Stroud's Tony Dowler. Completing the 17 race programme are two rounds for each of the Ford Fiesta and BRSCC Formula 3 championships.

The weekend gets under way on Saturday with qualifying from 08.40, racingfrom 14.10. Sunday starts with qualifying at 08.45 with three races in themorning from 10.00, followed by further Superkart qualifying and a lunchbreak, featuring a public grid walk, ahead of the Britcar 90 minute racewhich starts at 12.45.

Admission prices on Saturday are £8 for adults, with OAPs £4 and childrenand Paddock Transfer free. Sunday's charges are £15 for adults, OAPs £7.50with children 'FOC'. Paddock Transfer is only £2.50, or free on all advancebookings.

An advance two day pass is available for £20, OAPs paying only£10.

More information available on-line at www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk  built by Racecar