THE first race meeting of the 2021 season took place at Croft Circuit at the weekend when the British Racing and Sports Car Club kicked off their various championships, but the main winner was the changeable weather conditions which affected many races.

Held behind closed doors and without spectators due to the easing of government restrictions not happening until Monday, there was a healthy entry list for the 16-race programme over the two days with a heavy emphasis on the Mazda MX-5, Ford Fiesta and BMW Compact marques.

Saturday’s action kicked off under leaden skies with Harry Storer taking an easy victory in the Mazda MX-5 Clubman race before a hectic 32-car grid saw Oliver Faller narrowly win the opening Nankang Tyre BMW Compact Cup race from defending champion Steven Dailly.

An even bigger grid of 39 cars contested the first showcase Mazda MX-5 SuperCup race, which saw Patrick Fletcher emerge victorious, whilst a full 40-car field of the more standard Mazda MX-5s saw Jack Brewer take the win in his rainbow-liveried car.

Despite rain hanging in the air, it remained dry for John Cooper to win the ten-lap Fiesta Championship race before Chris Jones did likewise in the ETSL ST-XR Challenge in his Ford Fiesta ST. Storer rattled off his second win of the day in the MX-5 Clubman’s final outing as Dailly got the better of Faller in the second BMW Compact Cup race to end the opening day’s action.

Sunday started off dry, with Deagan Fairclough winning an entertaining race in the Fiesta Junior Championship for drivers aged 14 to 17 before Fletcher made it two wins out of two in the MX-5 SuperCup in another blanket finish. The rains arrived just in time for Jones to clinch his second win of the weekend in the ST-XR Challenge as Brewer continued the trend of double winners as he added a wet race victory to the dry on of the previous day in the MX-5 Championship.

Cooper added a second Fiesta Championship win on a soaking track before the third MX-5 SuperCup race produced a different winner, this time James Cossins took the flag in the treacherous conditions. Jack Brewer made it a hat-trick of victories in another close finish of the MX-5s before Fairclough took a second win in the Juniors to mark an impressive debut for the teenager.

The final race of the weekend saw a 25-lapper for the BRSCC Clubsport Trophy where the weather again tried to disrupt proceedings, but 45 minutes after the start, Jamie Going took a 7.5 second victory in his Ford Fiesta ST ahead of the BMW Z4 Coupe of Liam Crilly with the Fiesta ST180 Turbo of Marco Ricci completing the podium.

The next action at Croft takes place next weekend, May 29 and 30, when the 750 Motor Club will visit the North Yorkshire track with action for sports and saloon cars as well as single seaters. In line with the current regulations, a limited number of spectators will be allowed, and tickets are on sale now with adult admission priced at £15 each day with accompanied children aged 15 and under admitted free. Further details at www.croftcircuit.co.uk or by calling 01325 721815.