Mendip Model Motor Racing club member Ashley Gouveia equalled his best ever finish of third at the Accommodation Road circuit.

ROUND three of this year’s BRCA National Championship series for 18 scale radio control circuit racing cars took place over the weekend at Bleadon’s Mendip Model Motor Racing Circuit.

Forty-eight of the UK’s most talented RC car racers from all over the country arrived the Accommodation Road track Saturday morning for a day of free practice to hone their cars set-ups to suit their driving style and the circuit conditions.

Local drivers including Rob Mckenna and talented teenager Ashley Gouveia were hoping for a good weekends racing at their home circuit.

Sunday’s grey skies and sharp rain showers made it a tricky day for tyre choice. With the first round of qualifying heats held on a drying track surface, dry tyres were the right choice and this round eventually dictated the qualifying order for the finals as rain and therefore a wet track negated any improvement in times during all other qualifying rounds.

With a dry surface, the finals proceeded with fast and furious track action. For saftey and fairness, strict regulations govern the racing with all finishers cars subjected to post race technical inspection, with quite a few found to have exceeded the maximum fuel tank capacity regulations at this event.

Locals Amando Ludena and Mike Manning who both finished third respectively in their finals, were amongst those found to be outside the permitted capacity limits and therefore disqualified from the results.

Rob Mckenna starting 10th in the B final, quickly fought his way through to fourth place and was gaining on the lead cars until the glow plug in his engine failed. Losing five minutes in the pits, he came back out on track in last place but fought back through to finish in sixth place.

Ashley Gouveia qualifying sixth for the main A final, battled on track for first overall honours, but an engine cut midway through the race meant a trip to the pits to be restarted.

Back on track, Ashley fought back to gain a fine third overall. The podium spot equalling his best ever national series result. The event was won by overall series leader Tim Wood from Yorkshire.

Round four of the BRCA national series moves to the Yorkshire circuit of Halifax on June 25-26.

Further details of RC racing can be found via www.mmmrc.org www.brca.org www.brca8.com