Former British, Irish and European Rallycross Champion Derek Tohill claimed maximum Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy points in his home double-header at Mondello Park [May 24-25] to move into a joint championship lead.

It was three-time 5 Nations BRX champion and double Lydden Hill winner Patrick O’Donovan who qualified on pole for the final in round three with his Team RX Racing Proton Iriz, but it was Irish Rallycross Championship-registered driver Michael Leonard and Tohill who made the best starts, and ran out front throughout the race. While Leonard crossed the finish line first with his Ford Fiesta ahead of Tohill’s recently-acquired Peugeot 208 WRX, with Leonard racing to Irish RX rules (outside of the 5 Nations BRX regulations), it was Tohill who claimed the 5 Nations BRX win, with O’Donovan classified second and six-time title-winner Julian Godfrey (Citroen DS3) third. MMS RX Team IRL team mates Gary Donoghue (Ford Fiesta) and John McCluskey (Ford Fiesta) finished fourth and fifth at their home event, while Godfrey’s JGE Team Goody Rallycross team mate Tristan Ovenden (Citroen DS3) endured technical issues and finished sixth.

In round four on Sunday, Tohill and his PFCRX team recovered from sustaining substantial damage to the rear of his 208 WRX in Q3 following contact that sent him into the barrier, to make the best start in the final from third on the grid and claim a lead he wouldn’t relinquish, to return to the top of the outright podium and complete a strong weekend. O’Donovan ran third early on behind qualifying pace setter Leonard, but with a strong joker strategy, climbed to second on the final lap, while McCluskey completed the 5 Nations BRX podium. Godfrey, Donoghue and Ovenden completed the top six.

After four rounds, O’Donovan and Tohill share the points lead while Team RX Racing leads the Teams' Championship.

Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross Championship

Cayden Harris continued his run in the Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross Championship on the opening day at Mondello Park with a clean sweep to secure his third straight victory of the campaign, but the result was far from clear-cut as once again Teddie Macpherson put up a valiant challenge for a maiden victory in the final until a spin in wet and slippery conditions dropped him out of contention for the win, although he was able to recover to finish second. David McAdams completed the podium. Harris again set the fastest time in all three qualifiers on Sunday, and led early on in the final, until being overtaken by Macpherson, who claimed a first-ever win. Harris was handed a penalty for contact, dropping him to sixth, while Tommy Brown and William Hands completed the podium. Harris and Macpherson share the championship lead.

Motorsport UK Cross Car Championship

The Motorsport UK Cross Car Championship delivered some of the closest racing of the weekend at Mondello Park, with little to choose between the 12 drivers in the category, and it was Richard Rees who took the top qualifier position on Saturday. However, having qualified seventh overall, former Swift Sport title-winner and points’ leader Max Weatherly turned his day around with an impressive drive to secure his third win of the campaign in the final, while Irish driver Liam McMullan lost out in a ultra-tight battle and had to settle for second. Rees was third. On Sunday, Weatherley again challenged at the front, but ultimately finished second to new winner Benjamin Bartlett, the Junior Rallycross graduate netting victory in his maiden Cross Car campaign, while McMullan again visited the rostrum, in third. Weatherley leads the standings after five rounds.

Swift Sport Rallycross Championship

Following back-to-back victories in the opening weekend of the season at Lydden Hill, Matt Cake continued his strong start to the campaign with a pair of wins at Mondello Park in the Swift Sport Rallycross Championship. But, while Cake dominated Saturday’s proceedings to take the win ahead of Samuel Petersen, Sunday was less straight forward. Having completed Q1, Cake suffered a sparkplug issue in Q2 that rendered him unable to start Q3. With the car temporarily repaired for the final, Cake delivered a strong performance to secure his fourth win on the bounce, with Petersen again second.

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