MOTOR RACING: BRADFORD ON AVON racer Ed Moore finally claimed victory in Castle Combe's annual showpiece event - the Melton Concrete Products Formula Ford 1600 Carnival - at the circuit's season closing meeting on Saturday.

Moore has set the benchmark in the hugely popular local FF1600 series for several seasons, winning a staggering 21 races in the past three-and-a-half years, and taking the 2004 title along the way.

But until now, the Carnival had always eluded him, and many believed that Moore had attracted something of a jinx when it came to Combe's autumn spectacular.

This year he faced an added challenge as eight of Ireland's leading drivers had travelled to Combe to take on the locals at the Carnival. Although they had the disadvantage of having never experienced this quirky circuit before, no-one was underestimating them.

Sure enough, this year's Combe champion Matt Rivett (Calne) had to battle fiercely for second with Irish king Noel Dunne in the first heat, sponsored by Ralph Allen Press. Moore, however, had the pace to stroll away from them both and take an easy win, setting some eye-opening lap times as he did so.

Irish racers Keith Dempsey and Neville Smyth defeated former Combe contender Alex Ames (Cirencester) in a breathtaking last lap showdown in the Richard Watkins and Associates backed second heat, with Saltford's Steve Jensen finishing fifth, just 1.9 seconds behind the victorious Dempsey, whose younger brother Peter won the 2005 Carnival.

The FF1600.co.uk Last Chance race gave those who had hit trouble in the heats a shot at joining the back of the grid for the final. Castle Combe's Andrew Jones was one of the stars as he shot from 21st to fourth, behind Irish duo David Quinn and Peter Barrable, and Australian visitor Paul Laskazeski.

Moore had pole position for the Final, but it was Dempsey who got the jump off the line. The big winner on lap one, though, was Rivett - who passed Moore on the run to Quarry, and then outbraked Dempsey into the Esses to take the lead.

Rivett edged away a little at first as Dempsey and Moore battled, but once Moore found a way around the Irishman, it was only a matter of time before he began hounding the leader. Sure enough, after six very tense laps, Moore grabbed the lead over Avon Rise and pulled away to take an overdue Carnival win. Rivett secured second after another fine dice with Dempsey.

Both Jensen and fellow leading Combe contender Ben Norton (Bratton) went out in an incident.

Calne's Tony Hutchings became the 2006 National Mobile Windscreens Combe Saloon champion by beating Nigel Marsh to victory to win their class.

The race had to be restarted after a violent startline accident that claimed Bristol's Mark Wyatt among others. With polesitter Rob Ballard (Atworth) pitting early with turbo problems, it was Nailsworth's Keith Murray and Southmoor-based Mark Harrison who fought for the overall lead until Murray's Audi fell sick. That left Harrison to take the race win, but he hasn't half as ecstatic as the delighted Hutchings.

The other local series - the savesometax.co.uk Combe Special GT Championship - fell to Combe resident Keith Sprules.

Although Ferrari 355 driver Sprules was again defeated by Bristol's Jon Reeves in their class D contest, second place was sufficient to wrap up the title. Rockhampton's Thomas Richardson earned the overall race win, pulling away from Guy Woodward (Bath), Louis Davidson (Pyrford) and Shane Marshall (Westbury).

The highlight of the support programme was the visit of the high-profile UK Formula Ford championship. Newly crowned champion Nathan Freke, who made his name in the Combe series, won the first race, but had to settle for second best behind Nick Tandy in race two.