Ed Biggs celebrated his 24th birthday in spectacular fashion with a brace of victories at Snetterton last weekend.

Biggs, from Sayers Common, won both races in the BEMSEE club's Rookie 400 series, just pipping team-mate Luke Palmer in the first race and then taking a comfortable win in the second. The pair are already assured of second and third places in the series and they will now be going head-to-head for the runners-up spot.

With two rounds to go, at Silverstone on October 20 and at Brands Hatch a week later, just 12 points separate the two riders.

Palmer, from Plumpton Green, said: "We are comfortable in second and third places but it will come down to the wire between the two of us for the runners-up spot. There is a possible 60 points up for grabs and there are only 12 points between us."

Biggs and Palmer enjoyed a terrific battle in the first race, with Biggs coming out on top.

A similar scrap was expected for race two but Palmer broke down on the sighting lap.

Palmer said: "Ed did well. It would have been a good second race but he won it fairly comfortably, getting the fastest lap of the race as well."

Standings: 1. Terry Brian 379 points, 2. Luke Palmer 284, 3. Ed Biggs 272, 4. Robert England 199, 5. Richard Norris 172, 6. Lee Sanders 140.

Uckfield's Andy Denyer continues to lead the 250 Grand Prix class ahead of the final two rounds but his lead at the top has been cut.

Denyer finished sixth in both races at Snetterton while his titles rivals, Alan Bamber and Ricardo Ballerini, both claimed a second and a fourth place.

Denyer is 44 points ahead with 60 still to play for but he knows a steady display is needed at Silverstone and Brands Hatch in order to become champion.

Denyer said: "Unless I have a disaster at Silverstone I should have it in the bag. The bike wasn't running well at Mallory Park and I was chasing the problem around all weekend."

Haywards Heath's Alex Symon will be satisfied with a ninth and a tenth from the two races, which keeps him sixth.

Standings: 1. Andy Denyer 285, 2. Alan Bamber 241, 3. Ricardo Ballerini 239, 4. Vince Whittle 135, 5. Rikki Owen 115, 6. Alex Symon 108.

Mathew Ford-Dunn, from Rustington, won race one of the 125 Grand Prix, which runs alongside the 250 event. He was also eighth overall.

In race two, Ford-Dunn was second and 13th overall.

Standings: 1. Daniel Coutts 267, 2. Luke Lawrence 258, 3. Mathew Ford-Dunn 207, 4. Chester Lusk 203, 5. Richard Austen 155, 6. Martin Dickens 153.

In the Powerbike Series Peacehaven's Richard Freshwater, who has already won the championship, took a fourth place in race two but did not finish the second race.

BRIGHTON'S Mike Webb is looking to claim third place in class B of the Ford Saloon Car Challenge.

The top two places have already been decided with Tim Watson winning the championship and Crawley Down driver Craig Rainer the runner-up.

But third place is still up for grabs and, after two podium finishes, Webb wants it.

The Alan Hassell Motorsport team driver finished second in class for the second successive race at Snetterton in the latest round after his quickest ever qualifying time of 1.22.70.

Webb's time put him sixth on the grid and third in class but he was promoted to fourth after one car dropped out and was pushed back.

Webb eventually finished second in class behind Watson.

Webb said: "It was my second trophy in two weeks, and it took me to within one point of claiming third in class overall, so my team-mate Chris Beeney should beware."

BRIGHTON'S Mike Youles is looking to retire at the top. After 20 years in the sport, Youles intends to quit international racing this year. But the 45-year-old looks likely to be bowing out as a champion.

He is currently leading the drivers' championship in the European Le Mans Series with one round to go.

Youles was back in his home town to take part in last weekend's Brighton Speed Trials, where he won his class.