HNMC GP2020 – Race report

The HNMC GP2020 took place over the recent bank holiday weekend with the club able to host the race during the Covid-19 closures having worked closely with the BRCA on safety solutions to make it happen. The format has remained the same for last three years with Saturday having controlled practice, Sunday is for qualifying with finals on Monday. Saturday was a damp day with drivers in heat 9 and 10 deciding not to run as it was so wet. On to qualifying and in Nitro Buggy Callum Niblett took the top spot with Jamie Clancy and Simon Reeves taking rounds 3 and 5 to end up 2nd and 3rd. Truggy would see James Baxter from Richard Cousins and John Niall in 3rd, while in E-buggy it was Michael Lightfoot from Darren Hayden-Ball with Mike Cradock. Evening fun was had with the longest distance travelled with one full tank of fuel. The winner was Glenn Smith, 2nd went to Toby Nicoll, while Craig Russell was 3rd, the top 2 completing 16 laps each, well off the record held by Karl Jackson of 18 laps back in 2018.

Just before main event would be the Junior final and this was won by Dylan Saunders ahead of Erik Lykke in 2nd and Mathew Peters 3rd.

The Nitro Buggy final would see Callum Niblett lead for 25 minutes before Jamie Clancy would reel him in to take the lead with 8 minutes to go and take a hard-fought win, while Simon Reeves completed the podium in 3rd.

E-Buggy was hard fought over three legs and only decided in the last one with Michael Lightfoot 1st, Darren Hayden-Ball second and Mike Cradock in 3rd

Truggy lastly battled between James and Richard with James Baxter 1st Richard Cousins 2nd and John Niall 3rd.

Source: HNMC [hnmc.co.uk]