Changeable weather conditions greeted The British Automobile Racing Club at the first event of Oulton Park’s 2017 season with blustery dry conditions in the morning giving way to a rain soaked afternoon.
No less than 46 cars qualified for the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Championship meaning two races were on the cards for the BARC North-West Series.
The first, for classes D,E & F, saw Garry Wardle from Macclesfield on pole in his Porsche 997.
He was into Old Hall corner in the lead, ahead of Oliver Thomas in his Subaru Impreza.
Although Thomas managed to close the gap at times, while lapping traffic, there was no way past Wardle’s 997, and they finished in that position.
After a poor start Ilsa Blair, in her Seat Leon, got back to third by the end of lap one – where she stayed until the car failed two laps from the end handing the final podium spot to Alistair Stenhouse in his BMW M3.
Paul Rose, at the wheel of his Saker RAPX S1-400, took pole for race two for classes A,B & C but had to give best to Joe Spencer in his Locosaki into the first corner.
Rose finally took the lead at the same place on lap two and that is how the two of them would finish.
A great scrap for third in the early stages finally went the way of Paul Woolfitt in his Lotus Exige.
Elsewhere there were wins for Lien Davies and Matthew Hollis, each taking a win in the 2CVparts.com Classic Championship
APL Health Caterham Graduates, Sigma & Classic,saw two wins for John Harmer in the Sigma class and one win each in the Classic for Graeme Smith and Robin Webb.
Oliver Gibson and James Russell claimed one win apiece in Caterham Graduates, Sigmax.
Caterham Graduates, Super & Mega, saw two Wins for Toby Briant in the Super class and one win each for Christopher (John) Benfield and Glenn Burtenshaw.