CASTLE Combe Circuit has a packed race programme at the Fathers’ Day meeting on Saturday There are 13 races in rapid fire succession throughout the afternoon plus the morning's qualifying sessions.

In the four-class Castle Combe Saloon Car Championship, the battle to be outright champion is currently between the Bristolians, Mark Wyatt and David Rose, at the top of classes B and D respectively.

Just two points behind is the man who has the experience of two championship titles behind him, Calne's Tony Hutchings.

Renault Megane pilot Charles Hyde-Andrews-Bird from Shepton Mallet is the closest in terms of speed, but has yet to develop the car to be a regular high points scorer.

This has elevated the class A Astra Turbo of Swindon's Julian Ellison to second place in the class, with Westbury on Trym's David Challenger third in his SEAT Leon Cupra.

Bath's Dave Scaramanga in his VW Bora and Keynsham's John Barnard in his Turbo Astra are among the other A class contenders.

The class C cars are headed by Stroud's Rodney Apperly in his Peugeot 106 Gti and Chard's Carl Loader in his Saxo VTS, with Bath's Guy Parr in the Fiesta.

The Gloucester-based 'Kevin Mills Racing Team' seems to have the Castle Combe Formula Ford 1600 championship pretty much under its control this year, with three of its drivers taking most of the big points on offer so far.

Wiping up most of them in the last two rounds has been Ashley Crossey, from Flax Bourton in a Spectrum 011B, some of his main opposition coming from his own teammates, Langford's Roger Orgee and Coventry's Nathan Ward.

Chippenham's Adam Higgins and his Riadro Racing teammate and brother, Richard, from Burnham on Sea, have joined in battle in class A this year, Richard currently outscoring his reigning champion brother.

Ed Moore, from Melksham, will be hoping for a clean run in his Van Diemen JL013K, while Plymouth's David Cobbold is in a class of his own in his Pre '90 Van Diemen RF89 and in a remarkable fourth place overall. Tewkesbury's Paul Barnes leads the class B cars built before 1996.

After breaking the circuit record for the most number of wins at the last meeting, Bournemouth's Gary Prebble is back in the circuit's Sports and GT Championship in an attempt to put it even further out of reach of anyone else.

His 37th victory was at the wheel of his Mitsubishi Evo, the second car he has won in this year at the circuit, having taken the saloon car race in May in his friend's SEAT.

Another south coast driver, Torquay's Barry Squibb, leads the standings in his 'Evo', with Droitwichs Keith Dunn second overall and the top of his class in his Caterham C400 and Tim Woodman from Westbury on Trym not far behind.

The rest of the programme is comprised of races for championships organised by the 750 motor club.

After a four-year break, the Formula Vee championship returns with its unique VW Beetle engined single seaters.

There's also a pair of races for the 5Club Racing Mazda MX5 Cup, which has local entries from Chippenham's Kelly Williams, Warminster's Matthew Short and Swindon's James Canfer.

The Stock Hatch & Classic Stock Hatch races include Swindon's Gordon Macmillan in his Peugeot 205 Gti and Chippenham's Edward Cooper in his Fiesta XR2i.

Trowbridge's Josh Harvey, Bristol's Mike Tovey and Westbury's Owen Hunter are the West Country participants in the BMW Compact Cup races and there are also two packed races for equally matched MR2s.

Saturday's action starts at 8.30am with qualifying, racing getting under way from 11.50am.

Admission prices are £15 for adults and £10 for seniors, while accompanied children under 17 years are admitted free. Paddock Transfer is free if the tickets are booked in advance.

For further information, visit castlecombecircuit.co.uk or telephone the circuit on 01249 782417 during normal office hours.

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