The second of Angmering’s three SEGTO Championship events featured a very busy 39-race programme, including visits from the Pro-Grand and Minicup UK classes as well as all the SEGTO groups and a selection of the local non-contact classes, while the May Bank Holiday date meant that the rest of Angmering’s local formulae could have their own meeting in front of the track’s usual big holiday crowd on the Monday.

PRO-GRAND UK is the smaller of the two groups using the American “Baby Grand” type cars in the UK, running on a variety of independent tracks to give a lower-key alternative to Steve Stanford’s very successful “American Cup Car” series. Out of their 13 current registered drivers, seven of the Yamaha 1200-powered cars arrived on the Sussex coast to contest a 6-lap practice, two 15-lap heats and what should have been a 20-lap final. Local Hove-based driver Russ Best came out on top in both heats, after a close battle with Gloucestershire’s Robin Bath, with Cheshire’s Luke Carnwell third both times. The final came to an unfortunate end as Russ Best collected the unforgiving armco down Angmering’s back straight; with some thought needed as to how to move the car from where it landed in the middle of the track, the race was abandoned, giving Robin Bath the win from Luke Carnwell, Jack Shaw, Anthony Rogers (driving daughter Toni’s championship winning car as Toni had unfortunately broken down en route to the track), Rob Cordell and 16 year old Minicups graduate Cole Rogers. Fortunately Russ Best’s car stood up well to the heavy impact, so he was able to join the rest of the group as they headed for the second half of their weekend double-header, at Ringwood.

The Junior version, MINICUPS UK, fielded four of their miniature Honda 390cc engined cars, which certainly impressed onlookers, particularly with their cornering speed. Their first race was interrupted after Harry Robinson collected the armco as Harry Winyard challenged him for the lead just as they both came up to pass Kianna Amis. That sidelined Harry for the rest of the day. Ethan Bath held off Harry Winyard in the second heat and final, with Kianna Amis in third.

The SEGTO action started with the JUNIORS, with nine cars on track. Kyle Wells continued his very successful season by winning both heats after passing early leader Callum Penfold’s Corsa. In the final, though, Callum held on all the way, with Kyle only catching him on the last lap and not managing to get by. In the close battles behind, Archie Mucci ended up third from Francesca Ellis and James Kerr’s Nova, while Lacey Chance did her best to smoke out the closely following Riley Rogers and Cherie Wells. Frazer Denyer didn’t make the final after damage earlier in the day.

A couple of the local cars weren’t completely SEGTO compliant, so the ORC PREMIER RODS were given their own races, with five cars doubling up from the SEGTO class. Kyle Wells won both heats here as well but struggled to make progress in the final and eventually six races in the day got the better of his Micra. Callum Penfold again took a leading role, but this time he was fighting to fend off Archie Mucci, and Archie eventually got past to win from Riley Lawrence, Callum, Hayden Hill and James Kerr.

Continuing the Junior theme, the ORC JUNIOR NOVICES fielded 11 cars and provided some excellent close racing. George King won the first race after the chasing pack engulfed long time leader Riley Pentecost in the last couple of laps. The second race had a couple of stoppages, with Riley Murrell losing the lead to Justin Johnson, who held off until Joe Planson came round the outside of the last corner – the decision was quickly made to declare the race a dead heat between Justin and Joe. In the final Riley Murrell took the lead from Jake Wollven and then led all the way to a popular win, with George King just beating Joe Planson and Abigail Finney for second. Kayleigh Sewell came in fifth from Jake Wollven and Tyler Roberts. Justin Johnson retired and Riley Pentecost, Skye Plant, Riley Jordan and Brayden Dixon were non starters.

The fourth Junior group was the more basic JUNIOR PRODS, with 8 cars in action. Leading them away each time was Cherie Wells, in a “frogeye” type Micra, while from the back of the grid Albert-Lee Garrett was the quickest of the regular contenders. Cherie took a clear win in the first race but was caught and passed by Albert on the last lap of the second heat. In the final Cherie managed to just hold off Albert for the win. Taylor Huntley took third from Charlie Finney, with George Rumary and Bradley Lawrence completing the finishers. Alexia Bowden’s Fiesta failed to get away with what looked like clutch problems, while Ryan Barratt’s Micra seemed to overheat during the three restarts that caused.

PRODUCTION A ended up with a nine-car grid after Matt Gurr’s Micra and Taylor Lamb’s Nova had problems in practice. Local driver James Richards led the first heat all the way, with his Micra just holding off Aaron Hough’s Nova at the end. In the second heat James again led but slowed and pulled off, leaving Aaron battling with Graham Goddard’s Mini; Aaron just won from Graham as Thomas Connors and Lee Winter joined their battle. In the final Graham Goddard and Lee Winter raced for the lead on the first lap, with Graham getting in front and Lee dropping in behind James Richards. James then held off an ever-tighter pack of cars for lap after lap, as Graham drove off into the distance to score the first SEGTO final win for a Mini in many a year, making good use the car built by father Alan as a lockdown project! James Richards held off the pack for nine of the ten laps but was finally persuaded to move aside and Kyle Hough’s 106, in the first race it had finished, took second from Alan Goddard’s AX, Joe Brown’s Micra, Thomas Connors’ K10 Micra, James Richards, Lee Winter’s Nova and Aaron Hough, with Rory Bennetts’ Nova a lap down after earlier problems.

The PRODUCTION B regulars were joined by Dave Lamb’s Starlet, which still looked every bit as quick as it had in the Arena Essex days. Starting from the back in the first heat, Dave was in the lead by half distance and finished a third of a lap clear. In the next race he started half a lap down, taking three laps to catch up with the red tops and finally taking the lead with two to go. The Starlet was again flying in the final but then slowed with what sounded like transmission problems and eventually finished two laps down. That left a close duel for the lead between Kodi Page’s Micra and Rob Salter’s Peugeot, with Kodi just hanging on to win, and the Novas of Tom Chance and Barney Hayhoe chasing them home. After leading the early stages of each race, Dave Blackburn, who’d replaced his Tigra with a Corsa, slowed with a misfire to take fifth, while Peter Barber’s Corsa blew its engine early in the first heat.

The 1450 HOT RODS were headed in the first heat by circuit boss Jim Stuart in a very nicely prepared Micra (which to be honest we’d like to see up against the bigger engined FWD Hot Rods at Swaffham!). Jason Woodgate’s RWD Mini chased Jim home, followed by the Micras of Sam Harriss, who’d dominated the previous round, and Ben Stockley, and Perry Lovegrove’s Nova. Second time out there were red flags on the first lap after a problem for Jim; he then led the restarted race all the way but decided to take himself out of the result as, under SEGTO rules, he probably shouldn’t have been included in the restart. Jim again led the final all the way, chased by Jason and Sam, with Ben Stockley fourth in front of the superb new Micra of Paul Boot which, once sorted, we’d expect to see up there battling with “The Boss”!

Five cars signed on for the SUPER SALOONS but Peter Dell’s Fiesta was redirected towards the Thunder Rods and Richard Mackley’s ex-Trevor Harvey Clio expired in practice. This left Jody Withers’ Nova up against the Outlaw Hot Rods of Graeme Taylor, having his first SEGTO outing for a while, and Laurence Connors, opting to try his Hot Rod 205 rather than the “Growler”. Graeme won all three races, chased by Jody and Laurence, although there was an interesting moment in the second heat when Jody cheekily passed both the bigger cars into the first corner!

It looked as though there’d only be three SPECIALS racing as Graham Baker couldn’t get his ex-Danny Stafford car going, but they were joined at the last moment by Poppy Carter in her ex-Adam Reynolds Junior Special. Having initially been told she’d have to race with the novice Juniors, it was decided it would be safer for Poppy to go in with the adult specials, and it proved a good decision when she barely lost a lap on the leaders in the first two races. Both times it was her dad Chris leading the way with his recently acquired ARD-Hayabusa, chased by Ashley Lock’s Blackbird-powered ARD and Terry Mellish in the good old “traditional” SEGTO Special. For the final it was decided to give Poppy a extra lap’s handicap at the start, and she responded by leading the race all the way! Maybe helped a little when Chris contrived to get side by side with Ashley when they came up behind Poppy for the first time, slowing them both down! Anyway, Chris’ three-wheeling car was soon through and away, only to be caught again as the tread on Chris’ outside rear Sarek remould hurled itself in large chunks over the spectator banking! Chris just held on to claim second from Ashley and Terry, but the winner’s trophy (if not the points) went to Poppy!

After the confusing split in the THUNDER RODS at the last meeting, this time there was just one class for the SEGTO registered cars, with 9 starters. Peter Dell’s Fiesta (not racing in the Super Saloons this time) led the first heat all the way, chased by Danny Brett’s MG and Jim Dell’s Puma, while the third Dell car, Jordan’s Puma, dropped out for the day. Second time out it was Jim Dell who led virtually all the way, but into the last corner Danny Brett dived for the inside, Aaron Coomber’s BMW went for the inside of Danny and Peter Dell caught the lot of them! They all made it out of the corner with Danny winning from Aaron, Jim and Peter. The final saw Peter Dell lead all the way again, chased by Aaron Coomber’s nicely drifting BMW and Danny Brett. Leeann Holmes, in the second of the BMWs, came in fourth from Jim Dell, Shaun Maynard’s MG, Kim Holmes’ BMW and Billy Mellish’s Fiesta.

The local favourite PRODSTOX class completed the programme, with a slightly smaller field than usual although plenty more would be joining them on Monday. 13 cars started the day, with Liam Jordan and Peter Wood dropping out after the first race. Chris Tullett’s Micra came through to relieve Danny Brett’s MG of the lead in the closing stages of the first race, but Danny managed to stay ahead in the second. Danny again led all the way in the final, with Chris just catching him on the last lap, also bringing Jason Terry and Paul Brett’s MGs with him for a close finish. Behind these came Willow King, Dan Smith, Steven Criddle and Gemma Mitchell, all chased in by Dean Archer’s Metropolitan Police Astra, complete with sirens and blue lights! David Ware and Craig Walker completed the finishers.