THIS weekend sees competitors on two, three and four wheels, as well as up in the sky, converge on Croft Circuit for the traditional Battle of Britain race meeting organised by Darlington & District Motor Club, writes Larry Carter.

Having originally been staged at the North Yorkshire venue when it opened its doors as Croft Autodrome back in 1964, and in deference to Croft’s aerodrome roots and its role as the most northerly Bomber Base in the UK during the Second World War, the Battle of Britain race meeting regularly drew crowds of up to 30,000.

The event raised substantial funds for charity and local heroes always featured prominently, including motorcycling ace Ken Redfern, car racing front-runners Andy Barton and Ron Harper and sidecar stars Matt Hobson and Colin Appleyard.

The meeting became so well established on the annual motorsport calendar that by the 1970s it was attracting sponsorship from global oil giant Texaco and drivers of the calibre of legendary world champions James Hunt and Barry Sheene as well as multiple grand prix-winner Patrick Tambay performed demonstration runs and present trophies

Included in this weekend’s action is the Petro-Canada Porsche Club Championship with Pirelli, which kicks off the action on Saturday morning and sees Richmond father and son, Mark and Jake McAleer, do battle alongside Yarm’s Hugo Holmes.

Mark leads class one having taken five wins so far this season while Jake is second in class two. The first of four solo motorcycle races organised by the Auto 66 Club span either side of the lunch break before the ever-popular DDMC-organised Northern Sports & Saloon Car Championship races take to the track.

Split into two grids with over 50 cars entered this weekend, including the usual diverse and eclectic mix of machinery, the series is currently led by Darlington driver Mark Leybourne in his Westfield ahead of Scott Hubel from Leeds in his Peugeot 205 T16R.

Also in action will be former champions including Mike Cutt (BMW), Kirk Armitage (BMW) Simon Baker (Fiesta) and current champion Martin Whitehouse (BMW). Baker was the first winner of the Grinton Picnic Trophy for the Northern Saloon & Sports Car Championship 20 years ago and this weekend sees him back in action after almost a full season repairing his car from an accident at the first round at Oulton Park.

Saturday will also see the popular Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire in the skies, weather permitting around 1.25pm, while Sunday sees Tom Cassels’ aerobatic display at around 1pm with the track action getting underway at noon with qualifying for the Battle of Britain Trophy races.

Adult admission is £14 each day with accompanied children aged 15 and under admitted free. There is free car parking and paddock access throughout the weekend, and for further information visit www.darlington-motor-club.org.uk or www.croftcircuit.co.uk.