The second Bank Holiday weekend of the year meant another chance for the non-contact (or limited contact) classes at Angmering’s Oval Raceway to have the track to themselves for the day, before the big crowds descended on the Sussex track for the Bank Holiday Monday entertainment featuring Bangers, car jumping (featured on national TV!) and destruction derby. But Sunday was all about racing, with the SEGTO Championship already reaching its third round, after the Easter opener at Angmering and the April meeting at Arena Essex.

The Arena event had been somewhat hectic, with some of the SEGTO classes forced to race together, or to share the track with Rolling Thunder Show classes in order to fit everything into the evening, so it’s always a luxury to get back to Angmering and have every class given all the track time it needs.

After practice sessions, the SEGTO JUNIORS were the first class to hit the track, with an 11 car field. A bit of a tangle brought the red flags out on the first lap of the day but everyone then settled down with Laiton Disdle heading Thomas Connors in the first heat, although Alfie Bullimore had to retire for the day as his Micra got slower and slower after leading the early laps. Laiton won again in the second race with Thomas taking second from Oliver Adamson. The final was led away by Riley Diaper, but Laiton was in front by the third lap and pulled away to complete a perfect score for the day, while Oliver Adamson this time held off Thomas Connors’ older Micra for second. After some close racing, and one or two dodgy moments, Ben Sanders emerged in fourth from Kodi Page, Will Watson in the second of the K10 Micras, James Holmes and Riley Diaper. Harry Ovens was the last to finish while Bailey Turner got accidentally spun into the infield armco after being in the thick of the action.

There were three helpings of Junior action, with both the local classes joining in. The JUNIOR RODS had seven cars, including Laiton Disdle having a second helping. Kaylee Smith, always the one to beat in this class in her eye catching Micra, won the first heat with Laiton slowing. The second heat was red flagged when Laiton’s hard worked car arrived late at the gate; he then narrowly beat Kaylee for the win. The final was won by Max Jones’ beautifully prepared Micra, holding off Kaylee after Laiton pulled off. Caitlyn Brann’s Mini was third from TJ Joliffe’s AX and Cam Croucher’s Fiesta, with Lennie Furminger’s Nova a non starter.

The JUNIOR PRODS tend to have a much more “used” look about them than the Rods, although this time they included an immaculate new Nova for Cherie Wells, the latest of her family to take to the track. The three races all had different winners with Jack Switzer’s Micra taking the first heat and Buster Joliffe, sharing the AX with his brother, winning the second. Blaine Disdle, not to be outdone by his brother, took his Micra to a good win in the final, chased by Jack Switzer, Buster Joliffe, Cherie Wells and Riley Murrell’s Micra.

The SEGTO action resumed with a field of five PRODUCTION Bs all looking potential winners. After much success in the local Hot Rods, Paul Boot had his first SEGTO outing with his smart Micra and won both heats, chased by the RWD Starlets of Stuart Orford and Ian Heffernan, although a troubled Stuart missed the second heat. Stuart was back for the final but it was Ian Heffernan who quickly mastered the Angmering track to take the win, chased by Paul Boot, Stuart, Barney Hayhoe’s Nova and Rob Salter’s 106 unusually at the back.

The THUNDER RODS were on next with three local racers taking on two Tongham based cars – this class attracts massive fields at Tongham but we can’t understand why so few of them are willing to try the hard surfaced tracks. It was a battle of the MGs with Jamie Sayers’ ZR taking on Jim Hazelgrove’s bigger ZT model. Jamie won the first heat and the final, but track owner Jim showed him the way home in the second heat. David Francis’ Impreza was next up ahead of the closely matched Tongham pair, Shaun Maynard’s BMW beating John Burt’s MR2.

PRODUCTION A brought out ten cars and after the antics last time here they all more or less behaved! Adrian Treagus made rapid progress through the field in all three races to take a hat trick of wins, chased home in the final by James Simmons and Brad Wells. Josh Simmons, after a couple of mishaps in the heats, got it together for fourth, holding off Alan Goddard’s AX, again the only non-Micra in the race although Martyn Tullett’s Mini had appeared in the first heat before having problems. John Dye completed the finishers after Keith Simmons brushed the armco and punctured both inside tyres.

The local budget PRODSTOX class laid on its usual fraught action from a 16 car field. Dave Francis stayed ahead of the hordes of MGs to win all three races, surviving a destructive second heat in which Katie Bramwell’s MG blew up and several others piled up on the oily track, with Daniel Brand’s Citroen C2 and James Nutbrown’s MG seeming to come off worst. Danny Brett came through to second in the final from Paul Brett, Richard Sharples, Steven Criddle, Colin Voller’s Suzuki Swift, Carl Page, Richard Davis and Chris Francis’ Mitsubishi Colt.

The PRODSTOX NOVICES heats both featured a last lap move for the win as Charlie Ford beat Helen Hales, but in the final Helen just fended off Charlie to win, followed by Les and Simon Hales.

The 1450 HOT RODS produced three close fought wins for Mick Browne’s superb Fireblade Imp. First time out he held off Jason Johnsey’s Nova after Josie Johnsey’s similar car cut out while leading. The next race saw a four car battle to the line with Mick just heading off Nathan Loader’s AX, Josie and Jason. The final was a battle between Mick and Nathan, with the Imp eventually holding the upper hand over the FWD car. Into third came Stephen Stallwood in the ex-Neil Higgins Stock Rod Corsa, holding off Jason and Josie Johnsey, with Barney Hayhoe’s Nova and Ben Blyth’s sick sounding Micra completing the order.

The SUPER SALOONS saw the battles from the first round continue. Andy Goodman held off Chris Carter in their Outlaw Hot Rods in the first heat, but Chris’ Mercedes beat Andy’s Peugeot in the second heat and final. The fight for third between Laurence Connors in the Growler and Dave Bullen’s Starlet was joined by Angmering regular Les Croucher, swapping his regular Civic for a 2-litre Hot Rod Corsa. Les took third in the final from Laurence and Dave, with Michael Brooke’s FWD 205, Jamie Sayers’ Civic and Ian Stephens’ Zetec-powered Fiesta lapped by the flying Outlaws.

Ashley Lock again won all three races for the SPECIALS but there was a three way battle in the final, with Ashley being closely followed in by Ryan Stafford in the vintage Crossflow and Shaun Page’s Yamaha.

Last to perform were the MICRA STOX, where Jack Brann headed the eight car field in the first heat. Second time out Dan Smith set the pace, but lost out in the end to Chris Tullett. In the final Dan again hit the front, and tried even harder to keep Chris behind him, but with a lap to go Dan’s car slowed and Chris got past much more easily than he’d expected, winning from Jack Brann, with Dan third and Richard Mackley also part of the lead battle. Ian Withers recovered from a shunt in the first race to take fifth ahead of Paul Adsett, Craig Cobb and Graham Goddard.

As at Easter, the SEGTO contenders and the local classes had all enjoyed a relaxed but well run day’s racing, with everyone ready to load up soon after 4 pm.