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Patrick O'Donovan starts British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy defence with victory double but Ashford's Terry Moore and Faversham's Max Weatherley enjoy class wins at Lydden Hill

05:00, 11 April 2023

Kent racers were in the thick of the Easter action in the British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy and its support races at Lydden Hill.

Adisham's Tristan Ovenden was among the drivers taking on last year's champion Patrick O'Donovan in the main event and although he was unable to stop the 18-year-old Peugeot racer from winning on Saturday and Bank Holiday Monday, the Citroen driver was sixth in the first race and fourth in race two.

Tristan Ovenden (No.72) battles his rivals for track position. Picture: British Rallycross
Tristan Ovenden (No.72) battles his rivals for track position. Picture: British Rallycross

The event saw electric-powered cars take on their internal combustion engine rivals for the first time in the UK, with Belgian star Viktor Vranckx and father-and-son team Steve and Jake Harris going green.

Vranckx saw some action at the front, too, finishing Saturday's race an impressive third in his RX2e machine before taking sixth spot on Monday.

Ovenden's son, Will, is a favourite for this year's Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross Championship. He finished fourth on Saturday before, like his father, improving on the Monday - this time for second place.

Tyler McAlpin held on to beat Ovenden for his second Junior Rallycross Championship career victory, following his round-one win on Saturday, but it was a close-fought Final.

Terry Moore (No.74) in Retro Rallycross action at Lydden Hill. Picture: British Rallycross
Terry Moore (No.74) in Retro Rallycross action at Lydden Hill. Picture: British Rallycross

Ovenden jokered first, then pushed hard to close the gap on the race leader, with McAlpin taking his extra route on the final lap and just edging ahead at the line.

Ashford's Terry Moore (Austin Mini) came out on top in a fantastic battle for victory during Saturday's Retro Rallycross Final.

Moore overtook Tony Lynch (Toyota MR2) on the opening lap, then defended the position before pulling a margin at the head of the field. Lynch finished second with Dan Swayland (Ford Escort) third.

Max Weatherley (No.23) was in winning form on Saturday and Monday. Picture: British Rallycross
Max Weatherley (No.23) was in winning form on Saturday and Monday. Picture: British Rallycross

Faversham's Max Weatherley was a double winner in the Swift Sport Rallycross Championship. Weatherley led Monday's race from the outset and was never headed en route to a repeat of his round-one win two days earlier.

Former Junior and Supernational Rallycross champion Paige Bellerby challenged Weatherley early on and finished second on Monday, while Chris O’Hara, runner-up to Weatherley on Saturday, was third.

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