Hailsham driver Rick Lemmon enjoyed another impressive weekend in the VSR Challenge at Brands Hatch.

Despite a few problems with the bike, Lemmon took third in the first race.

Adjustments were made to the bike before race two the following day and Lemmon knocked two seconds off his lap time to finish in second place, just 0.3 of a second behind series leader Steve Dance.

Lemmon said: "I am well chuffed. I am still second in the series and things are looking good.

"I am only 110 points behind the leader which is just a case of him having one bad meeting and me having one exceptionally good meeting.

"However, I can't let him draw too much further away from me."

Lemmon is in action again this weekend at Lydden Hill, where he has won for the last two years.

Hove rally driver Matthew Fowle starts his challenge in the Peugeot Super 106 Cup this weekend.

Fowle will be joined by co-driver Michael Valentine from London.

The first round of this championship takes place at New Brighton on the Wirral. The start of this season's rallying had been put on hold due to the outbreak of foot and mouth but with the creation of this special event on the seafront at New Brighton the championship can at last get underway.

For the last two years, Fowle has used a Peugeot 306 to win his class in the BTRDA championship but for this year has changed to a Peugeot 106 Gti so he can take part in this competitive one make championship.

He said: "The time had come to step-up the ladder and with a works drive on offer to the champion at the end of the year this seemed the ideal championship to contest. All the cars are identical so it's the driver talent that will win through."

Helping the Hove driver to make the move to the Super 106 Cup is Horsham-based recruitment consultancy Line Up Aviation Personnel. Heather Darwin, of Line Up, said: "Having followed Matthew's progress over the last few years when he was looking for sponsorship we were only to pleased to help. We hope our involvement will encourage other local businesses to back Matthew."

During the year the championship will take them to France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales with the last two rounds being in Kent and Oxfordshire.

HEATHFIELD'S Dave Heal was left battered and bruised after a frustrating day in the latest round of the British Superstock Series at Snetterton.

Heal, the reigning British Superbike Series privateer champion, only lasted until the first corner before being shunted from behind by a fellow rider.

The smash put Heal out of the race and left him nursing a few minor injuries.

Heal, 35, said: "Qualifying went really well. I was fourth in the first qualifying session and finally qualified ninth.

"In the morning warm-up I was the fastest, so I was really confident of a rostrum finish.

"I got a good start as well but in the first corner I was rammed from behind and down I went. There it was, four days' work all for nothing."

Heal has spent this week repairing his bike in time for this weekend's meeting at Oulton Park.