The 2012 season at the Castle Combe Circuit gets underway on Monday with with Historica race day.

The Historic Racing Drivers Club will hold five races at the meeting, with late 1950s and early 1960s cars in attendance.

The GTS65 race includes circuit veteran Ted Williams, from Nailsea, in an Austin Healey 3000, while former European FISC champion Ian Hulett competes in the Grand Touring Greats race for sub-1500cc cars.

The circuit’s own races, the Castle Combe Sports and GT championship have been backed by Bristol-based Vadabar International, whose managing director Doug Watson, from Blagdon, will wheel out his new BMW E63 M6, a five-litre, V10 monster in the modified road car class.

Simon Tilling, from Vernham Dean, defends his title in his Radical SR3, with Bath drivers Guy Parr and Des Andrews in Nemesis and Megahart respectively and and Wrington’s Darcy Smith in his Radical SR4.

Parr has also entered the Castle Combe Saloon Car Championship, supported by National Mobile Windscreen, in the Fiesta which took local driver Jason Cooper to the 2009 title.

He will have his work cut out in Class B as 2008 champion, Will Di Claudio from Chippenham, returns after a year off in his Peugeot 106.

Trowbridge’s Mark Funnell will be the man to beat if it rains, with his Mini Cooper S and Rob Ballard, from nearby Burton, is back with his SEAT Cupra which brought him a win last year.

Saltford’s Steven Jensen has his best-ever chance of taking the Castle Combe Formula Ford 1600 championship, though Monday will be his first outing in his Spectrum 011C since a spectacular accident in it last year.

Luke Cooper, from Yatton Keynell, in the Swift SC10, is among the challengers. Bob Higgins, the former quadruple FF1600 champion from Bath, makes it a family affair with a Van Diemen RF2012 in Class A with son Adam from Chippenham, buoyed up from winning Class B last year, in his RF94.

Brother Richard, from Burnham on Sea, completes the Riadro trio of Van Diemens with his RF90.

Monday's action starts with qualifying at 8.35am, racing getting underway from 12.40 pm.

Admission is £15 adults, £7.50 OAPs, £2.50 paddock transfer and accompanied U16s go free.

See castlecombecircuit.co.uk for more details.

CASTLE COMBE EASTER MONDAY REPORT, REACTION & PICTURES IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES