The weird and wonderful from national motorsport this week

Still on the pace: Reynard in FF2000

Adrian Reynard’s period Formula Ford 2000 pace has not deserted him, for he led a Historic FF2000 points race for the first time at Donington Park on Sunday.

REPORT: The best of the action from HSCC Donington Park

The 1979 EFDA Euroseries champion eagerly took advantage of frontrunners Graham Fennymore and Benn Simms running wide at Redgate at the start to seize the initiative.

Reynard, 71, eventually finished third as the cars he designed and created filled the top four places. Long-time Reynard designer Malcolm Oastler, who competes extensively in his native Australia, is planning to join Adrian on track here later this season.

Blushes spared: Bates's false start

Photo by: Richard Styles

Tim Bates took a brace of victories in the 911 Challenge at Snetterton, but only after a red flag spared his blushes following a bizarre jump start in the second encounter.

Lining up from pole, Bates was caught out by a new starting procedure, moving away before the red lights had even come on after reacting to an electronic five-second light going out on the gantry instead.

Expecting an inevitable penalty while making his escape at the front, a red flag for a multi-car collision behind came to Bates’s rescue. With the race restarted, he was able to take his position at the front with a clean slate, and he ensured there was no repeat of his jump start to take a comfortable win.

Bates said an issue for his closest challenger Rob Hollyman, who pulled off the grid moments before with a misfire, had played a part in his error.

“I've never had that happen before,” said Bates. “Rob broke down by the side of me, and I was concentrating and focusing on what happened to Rob and then the five-second light came on, and then the light went out and mentally I just thought 'go'.

“But, fortunately, I got a second chance at it, so I went really slow off that time and dropped a place, so I wasn't going to do it again!”

Very close finishes: Caterhams at Silverstone

Photo by: Ollie Read

Caterham races are renowned for their close finishes, but the encounters at Silverstone last weekend took this to the extreme as no fewer than six races were decided by less than one tenth of a second.

Both Harry George and Domenique Mannsperger took wins in the 310R and 270R championships respectively by 0.059s, while Geoff Newman's victory in Roadsports was slightly bigger at 0.092s.

The closest finishes came across all three Seven UK races, with winning margins of 0.006s for Jake Swann in the opener and 0.003s for Aaron Head in race three (pictured).

But the closest 'finish' came courtesy of the officials, with on-the-road race-two winner James Murphy given a 0.1s penalty for overtaking under yellow flags, which put him behind series debutant Lewis Thompson by just 0.001s.

Unusual entry: Vauxhall Astra

Photo by: Gary Hawkins

Yes, there have been some notable examples of estate cars going racing - who can forget the Volvo 850 in British Touring Cars in the 1990s? - but, generally, the station wagons aren't found on the circuits.

Therefore the sight of Peter Digweed's Vauxhall Astra estate taking part in the Time Attack contest at Brands Hatch last weekend was unusual. He is best time was ultimately good enough for ninth in the Pocket Rocket class final, two spots behind a certain Jimmy Broadbent's Mazda MX-5.

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