THE BBC’s Formula 1 commentator, Ben Edwards, was the centre of attention at Castle Combe’s ‘BRSCC Race Weekend’ as he competed in three of the Formula Ford races over the two days, performing well to take three runner up in class results.

Edwards started his career as a Formula Ford mechanic and driver, with his last race at Combe happening in 1992 when he won a Caterham Vauxhall race.

Engineering his own car, the 49-year-old qualified 23rd but sixth in class B, in Saturday’s race for the Castle Combe FF1600 championship, improving in the race to claim second in class and 13th overall.

Michael Moyers took his Kevin Mills Racing Spectrum from pole to a fine and dominant victory, with the benefit of a useful margin over championship leader, Roger Orgee.

Felix Fisher headed the pack on lap one in his Van Diemen RF02. But his points scoring aspirations were thwarted when he was given a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits, something he was less than happy about.

Orgee meanwhile was grinning from ear to ear after beating his main rival, Chippenham’s Adam Higgins, the reigning champion. Higgins spent the whole race making up places from eighth on the grid and by the final lap he was right on the tail of Orgee, deciding on a ‘do or die’ challenge into Camp.

The somewhat outrageous manoeuvre brought the pair neck and neck as they crossed the line, but Orgee was given it by .196 of a second.

Melksham’s Ed Moore had some brilliant early laps in his Van Diemen JL013K, looking very strong in second after a safety car appearance. On the re-start his car jumped out of second gear, relegating him four places and damaging his engine in the process.

Edwards, as well as many of the other drivers in the local championship, went on to take part in the Avon Tyres National FF1600 championship races, which took place on both days. Edwards, who suffered engine troubles over the two days, finished second in class B and ninth overall, was delighted with his Combe return.

“It’s taken a while to get used to the chicanes and it’s quite difficult to get them absolutely right, but it’s been great fun. I’ve really enjoyed coming back to Castle Combe,” he said.

Intriguingly, Moore once taught Edwards at a racing school day, but the local man retired on Sunday with mechanical problems.

Having led every round of the circuit’s Saloon Car Championship this year, Gary Prebble finally brought his SEAT Leon to victory, after a perfect demonstration of a skilled driver in a powerful and well sorted car.

Prebble’s lights to flagwin was backed up by a new lap record, leaving his rival, Calne’s Tony Hutchings, unable to do anything other than settle for second place in his Audi TT.

“I was praying the back markers might hold him up, but I just couldn’t get close enough to do anything,” rued Hutchings.

Chippenham’s James Winter was a commendable fourth in his similar car.

Class B was under the total control of Mark Wyatt, also with a new engine, in his Astra and took fifth overall ahead of the class C winner Adrian Slade from Melksham who finally turned his Peugeot 106’s speed into a result.

Russell Poynter-Brown consolidated his overall title lead by winning class D in his Vauxhall Corsa.

The circuit’s Sports & GT championship race saw Oliver Bull recover from a terrible start to fight back to finish second behind Steve Hall in a similar Vauxhall Tigra ‘silhouette’.

Adam Prebble, brother to Gary, drove the socks off his unlikely Rover Turbo saloon to beat the expensive and very powerful BMWs of Kevin Bird and Doug Watson in fourth and fifth respectively . The ‘Driver of the Day’ award was his prize.

The bulk of the other races for the weekend were for various types of Caterham.

Swindon’s Dan Ludlow showed his usual strong form in his Honda Civic Type R in the Toyo Tires Honda VTEC challenge.

Qualifying fourth, Ludlow enjoyed a tremendous scrap in race one, but also fell foul of the track limits rule and attracted a 10 second penalty to be demoted to sixth from fifth on the road. Sunday’s race saw Ludlow running strongly throughout, finally taking 3rd overall and a class win.

Sunday’s BRSCC ‘Mighty Minis’ races, saw Codford’s Stuart Coombs pick-up a third and second spot.