Last updated 19:47, Thursday, 07 August 2008

HEAVY rain and plenty of mud was the back-drop for Solway Autograss’s two-day event last month.

But the conditions did nothing to dampen spirits and even added to the excitement of the racing.

The event took the format of two heats on the Saturday with a further heat on the Sunday leading to the final.

The racing on Saturday was interesting and great fun for all the drivers, a lot of whom were out on the track just for the sheer enjoyment.

And rarely have the spectators been able to enjoy watching so many cars pirouetting on a track so elegantly.

Sunday brought a lot of the same with a sudden abundance of grip on the track just in time for the finals.

Results Class 1: 1, David Roberts; 2, Don Hilton; 3, Craig Simpson. Class 2: 1, Martin Lofthouse; 2, Terry Alderson; 3, Richard Lewthwaite.

Class 3: 1, Phil Sherwood; 2, Steve Bowes; 3, Jonthan Okell. Class 4: 1, Andy Kirby.

Class 5: 1, Mally Wing; 2, Gary Reid; 3, Nigel Bennett. Class 6: 1, Joe Thelkald; 2, Jason Ballantyne; 3, Pete Mattison.

Class 7: 1, Martyn Tinker; 2, Mark Nugent; 3, Trevor Payne. Class 8: 1, Trevor Millican; 2, Paul Moore; 3, Phil Talbot.

Class 9: 1, Dennis Raffel; 2, Greg Brookes. Class 10: 1, Neil Rawlinson.

Stock hatch: 1, Paul Harrington; 2, Lee Sandelands; 3, Robert Bruce. F600: 1, Terry Cox; 2, David Wilding; 3, Peter Cobb.

Juniors: 1, Callum Wing; 2, Liam Harvey; 3, Liam Hilton. Junior specials: 1, Jack Rawlinson.

Ladies. Class 1: 1, Katie Sunley; 2, Fiona Hodgson; 3, Joanne Nugent. Carlisle, Class 2: 1, Sarah Carden; 2, Lisa Humphreys; 3, Angie Hilton.

Class 3: 1, Sheena Kirby. Class 4: 1, Y15 Leigh Daniells. Class 5: 1, Y84 Amy Bennett. Class 6: 1, Sarah Carden. Class 7: 1, Leeanne Harding. Class 9: 1, Chris Raffel.

Ladies’ stock hatch: 1, Nicola Tynemouth; 2, Diane Sunley; 3, Michelle Rimmer.

Ladies’ F600: 1, Suzanne Gibbons; 2, Cathryn Day; 3, Ann Phillip.

Cumberland Open: 1, David Roberts; 2, Paul Moore; 3, Mally Wing.

Ladies’ Cumberland Open: 1, Lin Cunningham; 2, Katie Sunley; 3, Amy Bennett.

Charity fund-raising, fun and games were what this event was all about, including a special drag race that even tempted commentator George Capper into the driving seat of Don Hilton’s Corsa.

The money raised - £300, which was matched by Asda Superstore, Carlisle - was divided equally between the Cumberland Infirmary’s cancer ward and the North Air Ambulance.

Solway Autograss race again on Sunday.