Smith battles through pain barrier to keep British Trucks title defence alive at Thruxton

The British Truck Racing Championship delivered five different winners at Thruxton last weekend, with Ryan Smith triumphing in the opening contest despite illness putting his participation in doubt beforehand.

Having recently spent a couple of nights in hospital with kidney stones, Smith led home chief rival and 10-time champion Stuart Oliver with a rebuilt engine following mechanical issues at the previous round.

“I didn’t think I would get out of hospital, never mind make it here,” revealed reigning champion Smith. “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 ahead of Oliver again in the sequel, only to be subsequently disqualified for a black-and-orange flag infringement. However, he bounced back by climbing from eighth to second in race three behind maiden victor Tom O’Rourke, while Oliver was forced to retire.

A crash for Oliver’s son Michael led to a 90-minute stoppage for barrier repairs in race four, with David Smith holding off John Bowler for his first win in the restarted encounter. Bowler then edged Ryan Smith to victory in a red-flagged finale.

Two series from the 750 Motor Club appeared on the support bill, and its 750 Formula championship delivered a race for the ages following David Reid’s third win of the season in the opener in his HRD. 

In race two, Richard Rothery (PRS 1b) powered past Matthew Twynham’s Darvi Mk5 lap after lap approaching the Club chicane, only for Twynham to move ahead under braking each time.

Reid and Jake Doherty (Simpson 750F) made it a four-way battle late on, with the latter looking set for victory after slicing through the middle of his rivals only to suffer engine failure moments later, and Twynham pipped Reid by 0.075s at the flag for 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.”

Two series tackled the Hampshire speedbowl for the first time in many years. George Line scored a hat-trick of wins in his Dallara Formula 3 car during a largely disrupted weekend of action for the Monoposto Championship, while 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 had looked 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) crashing out early on, and Chris Bingham (Ginetta G55 GT4) appearing to win on the road before being put back to 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, and Oli Willmott secured a clean sweep in Mini Challenge Clubsport’s three races.

Pearson proved unstoppable in the BMW Car Club Racing Championship

Photo by: Ollie Read