Smith endures pain to defend British Trucks title at Thruxton

Exciting Results and Dramatic Moments at Thruxton

The British Truck Racing Championship showcased an exhilarating weekend at Thruxton, with five different winners across the events. Ryan Smith emerged as a standout performer in the opening contest, despite battling illness that initially cast doubt on his participation.

Smith, who had recently spent a couple of nights in the hospital due to kidney stones, managed to lead his chief rival and 10-time champion Stuart Oliver. This came after a rebuilt engine helped him overcome mechanical issues from the previous round. “I didn’t think I would get out of hospital, never mind make it here,” Smith admitted. “I’ve come here to race, I can’t take any painkillers, but I must be involved to get some points on the board.”

Smith initially won again ahead of Oliver in the second race, only to be disqualified for a black-and-orange flag infringement. However, he quickly bounced back by climbing from eighth to second in race three behind Tom O’Rourke, who claimed his first victory. Meanwhile, Oliver was forced to retire from the event.

A crash involving Oliver’s son Michael led to a 90-minute stoppage for barrier repairs during race four. David Smith held off John Bowler for his first win in the restarted encounter. In the final race, which was red-flagged, Bowler edged out Ryan Smith to secure the victory.

Thrilling Action in Supporting Series

Two series from the 750 Motor Club featured on the support bill, delivering exciting moments throughout the day. The 750 Formula championship provided one of the most memorable races of the weekend, with David Reid securing his third win of the season in the opener in his HRD.

In race two, Richard Rothery (PRS 1b) pushed past Matthew Twynham’s Darvi Mk5 lap after lap, approaching the Club chicane. However, Twynham managed to move ahead under braking each time. The competition escalated further as Reid and Jake Doherty (Simpson 750F) joined the fray, creating a four-way battle. Doherty looked set for victory after slicing through the middle of his rivals, only to suffer engine failure moments later. Twynham narrowly beat Reid by 0.075 seconds at the finish line, marking his first-ever victory.

“To win a race – it’s a dream,” said Twynham, who only started competing 12 months ago. “I’m really pleased for all of us, it looks so good to this audience, I’m glad we put on a good show. It’s a really well engineered car – I’ve literally pumped the tyres up. I’ve not touched a setting since I bought it.”

Other Notable Performances

Two series tackled the Hampshire speedbowl for the first time in many years. George Line secured a hat-trick of wins in his Dallara Formula 3 car during a largely disrupted weekend of action for the Monoposto Championship. Dom Malone and pro-racer Adam Smalley took a victory brace in a Porsche 991 Cup car during two eventful Britcar Endurance bouts.

The first of those triumphs seemed unlikely for the Amspeed duo, with Bonamy Grimes and Johnny Mowlem’s Ferrari 488 Challenge leading comfortably before suffering tyre failure. Fellow frontrunner Steve Gambrell (911) crashed out early on, and Chris Bingham (Ginetta G55 GT4) appeared to win on the road before being placed third due to a timing error.

“Dom did all the hard work,” said Smalley after sealing the double. “The early laps were crucial, making sure you didn’t overstress the tyres and get a puncture. Thruxton is good fun, to be back here and get two wins is good.”

Ben Pearson dominated twice in the BMW Car Club Racing Championship in his M235i, while Stuart Pywell was denied a podium after spinning on his own oil. Oli Willmott secured a clean sweep in Mini Challenge Clubsport’s three races.

Pearson proved unstoppable in the BMW Car Club Racing Championship, showcasing his dominance once again.