REID’ S PERFECT MINI SEASON CONTINUE SAT FESTIVAL

Kyle Reid continued his clean sweep of this season’s Mini Challenge Cooper Pro races by taking all three wins at Snetterton’s Mini Festival.

Reid took the opening victory in wet conditions after a late pass on Robbie Dalgleish, who had started with wets all round compared to Reid having slicks on the front.

Despite gear selection problems Reid held off Dalgleish to win the second race, held in the dry. He then took the final win after a long fight with Simon Walton, who spun down to eighth on the last lap after contact with Richard Newman.

“It’s a long year, I just need to go out there and do my best, the team are doing an awesome job,” said Reid.

Alex Nevill likewise continued an unbeaten season with a trio of Cooper Am class victories.

Andrew Langley won the wet opening Cooper S class race from pole comfortably, but spun at Riches in the dry second race and finished seventh. That race was won by Jon Davis, who was third behind Rob Austin and Will Fairclough when a red flag was shown after Samantha Bowler crashed at the exit of Riches. The result was based on the lap before, when Davis led.

Austin was declared the race three winner after Stuart Lane, who won on the road, was disqualified as his car was taken to his garage after the race in error by his mechanic instead of to scrutineering.

Ryan Harper-ellam said it was a “big weight off the shoulders” to take both Radical SR1 Cup wins in his Gen 2 car, following a frustrating opening round at Oulton Park.

James Pinkerton, who won both Cheshire races, finished second in the opening Snetterton race after an early battle with Chris Preen allowed Harper-ellam to build a five-second lead that he maintained. In the wet second race, Pinkerton finished third after a “really bad idea” to use dry tyres.

Reigning Civic Cup champion Lee Deegan won both Mini Miglia races. In the first he rose from third on the grid to lead within a lap in sodden conditions, and won by seven seconds. He took the second after a long battle with Rupert Deeth, resolved on the final lap when Deeth slid at the Brundle-nelson chicane – Deeth attributed it to fluid on the track – allowing Deegan by.

Andrew Deviny won both Mini Se7en races, pipping a multi-car battle in the wet opener.

Daniel Budd and Joe Thompson led at the start of the final lap but touched at Riches, leaving them third and sixth respectively. Deviny’s race two victory in the dry was comfortable, winning by 10s.

Monoposto marked its 60th anniversary at Snetteron as Ben Cater and Tony Bishop took the honours across three F3/2000/FR200/MOTO 1400 races. Cater won the wet opener in his Dallara F306 as Bishop, shadowing him, spun his F304 out on the penultimate lap. Bishop took race two after passing Cater at mid-distance. Cater won the third after Bishop started from the pits with clutch problems.

Dax Ward took all three Monoposto Moto 1000/Classic/1800/1600 wins in his Jedi Mk6. He inherited the first after leader Tom Rawlings’ Speads bodywork flew off on the start-finish straight. In the second, he led all the way, although Dean Warren was close behind until retiring at half distance with a broken fuel pump fuse, while Ward won the third race comfortably after Rawlings retired.