100 points from a single meeting. Hmmm… Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

No doubt most people have a mental shortlist of those most likely to achieve such a feat, and it’s likely that Virgin Atlantic’s Julian Berry features on most (if not all) of those lists. And after a couple of (by his standards) indifferent results this year, the Lad from Leeds evidently felt that today was the day to stop mucking about and get on with it.

Julian took this event by the scruff of the neck and utterly dominated it. Fastest in practice (by almost half a second), fastest in races 1 and 2, only driver to set a laptime below the 50-second mark… nobody could get near him. Fate placed him 8th on the grid for race 1, and he won it by 2 seconds from Nick Pascoe’s mate Rob Sanderson.

Race 2 required a charge up the field from 15th spot, the winning margin here being almost a second over Rob’s twin brother Alex. There was a lot of head-scratching going on as the trophies were presented, and people drifted off to the pub to drown their sorrows in big greasy burgers.

Third place went to a familiar tall figure, clad in sleek black overalls supplied by Messrs Demon & Tweeks. bmi’s Richard Weber (for it was he) started race 1 in third place and was still there at the chequered flag. Undaunted by then starting race 2 from 20th spot, Richard launched his kart off the grid and was up to fifth place at the finish. Only Julian Berry went faster than Rich in race 2; you may also have spotted that Herr Weber has now achieved a Hamiltonesque three podiums from three starts.

Just missing the podium was easyJet’s Kevin Cracknell, two strong races seeing him finish 5th from 9th place on the grid in race 1, and 6th at the flag from 14th in race 2. Impressive performances, especially as mid-field grid positions can be something of a liability in these days of 20-plus grids and associated first-lap argy-bargy!

Kevin finished the event two points ahead of Justin Dillon, who limbered-up for a shift in the Tower at Heathrow by charging up to 10th place from 22nd on the grid in race 1. In the process, he managed a highly commendable fastest lap of 50.845s, but there was more to come. Having done the hard bit in race 1, pole position was now his in race 2 and he took full advantage.

At the flag he was in a comfortable third place, only Julian Berry and Alex Sanderson having got past. He was only 3.5s adrift of the lad Berry, fourth-placed driver Rob Sanderson was almost 12 seconds behind and he’d lopped nearly half a second off his previous fastest lap.

Many others were worthy of ‘mentions in dispatches’. In race 2, Alex Sanderson achieved second place from 11th on the grid, and BA’s Perry Musty took ninth after starting 22nd . New boy Robert Krahe of easyJet started race 1 in 19th but got up to 12th at the flag, then taking seventh in race 2 from fourth on the grid despite strong challenges.

Bmi’s seasoned veteran Mark Perry had a torrid time in race 1, a tremendous scrap with easyJet’s Mike Wood ending when the two made contact and Mark spun. Eleventh place at the finish of that one did not do justice to the strength of Mark’s drive, but tenth at the end of race 2 from 19th on the grid put things into perspective.

And finally, the Jarvises (bmi’s Keith and sister Clare) finished equal on points. Next to each other on the grids, each notched-up an eighth-place finish and another in 18th. Keith was placed ahead of his sister thanks to faster lap times, but after spinning out from near the front in race 2, he’ll no doubt be hoping for rain in September and a repeat of his triumph in July’s torrential conditions.

The racing seems closer now than it has ever been. Many drivers are producing fast, skilful and consistent racing performances…. make a mistake and you’re toast. Believe me, I know.

Fantastic stuff!

Friend