AND THE WINNERS ARE... CAR UPGRADES HELP GENT GRAB WINS

THRUXTON: BARC BY TOM ERRINGTON A mammoth entry from the Classic Touring Cars was split into three grids and provided a trio of dominant showings at Thruxton.

Dale Gent would be the most impressive winner of the touring car events, taking a commanding brace in the Thunder Saloons and Pre 2003 Volkswagen events.

Gent’s Subaru Impreza had the grunt required at the high-speed circuit, but a new, bigger spoiler pushed him to another level ahead of his competitors.

In each race, Gent would hold his lead through the opening corners before pulling away into the distance.

“This is only my second time at Thruxton, but it suits the car so well,” he said. “We added a bigger spoiler as it could be twitchy through Church, but I was absolutely planted this time.”

It meant that his nearest rivals Vaughan Fletcher and Tom Hibbert would run to second and third respectively both times with little chance of a race win.

Ray West joined in on the touring car control with two wins in the combined Pre ’93 Touring Cars and the Blue Oval Saloons, but had to overcome a backmarker error and a safety car restart to take his brace.

In the opener West pulled clear, but was quickly reined in by a safety car after Andrew Smith’s Honda went off on the second lap.

West survived the restart to win ahead