The Javelin sprint season burst back into life at Blyton Park with a packed paddock, a full grid of varied machinery and a day that became defined as much by the weather as the racing itself. From the first runs at 9am through to the final sessions at 4pm, drivers faced one practice run followed by six competitive outings, split evenly between dry and wet conditions after a heavy midday downpour transformed the circuit.
Across it all, Clive Hopwell resumed exactly where he left off, taking another victory and continuing his run of form at the front. “I’m feeling really good about race season starting back up. I’ve got a lot of confidence going into it, and I’m excited to see what I can do,” he said before the event, and that confidence translated directly into performance.
Driving his Golf, Hopwell set the benchmark with a 1:08.16 lap, underlining both his pace and the effectiveness of the work done over the winter. “The car felt great, fast, stable, and reliable. We have spent a lot of time over winter developing the car,” he explained. That preparation, he stressed, is where races are truly won. “The hardest part people don’t see is everything that happens before race day, the early mornings, the preparation of the team making sure we have everything ready, tools, tent, spare wheels, fluids. We always try and make sure the car is tested and prepped 7 days before any race series. The race itself is just the final few minutes of something you’ve been working on for weeks or months.”
Clive Hopwell | Millie Tice (shotbymills)
His decisive moment came as the conditions shifted. “My best run was the one where everything clicked. I stayed aggressive, trusted my pace, and really pushed to the line. Then the rain came in, I saw it as an opportunity. Conditions got tougher but I like race days in the rain, it makes it a level playing field.” Even amid the intensity of a sprint start, his focus never wavered. “When I’m sat on the start line, all the noise and stress disappears. I’m focused, calm, and ready to push as hard as I can.” With the season underway, his targets remain unchanged. “For me, next race is in the opening round of the time attack championship. I want to beat my personal best time and of course aim for P1.”
Behind him, James Aurecchia secured third place in a second Golf, emerging from a day that offered both encouragement and frustration. “Super excited after rebuilding the car throughout the winter,” he said, and early pace suggested more was possible. “Did 3 laps at 1.12, then 1.27 in wet then 1.20 in wet then 1.22 in wet.” The turning point was clear. “Yes, when it hammered it down with rain at lunch time.” Sitting on the start line as the margins tightened, the pressure was tangible. “Nervous and wanted to gain 0.5 seconds to secure 2nd place,” although he added, “I don’t feel pressure, I thrive under pressure.” His final verdict reflected the mixed nature of the result. “Yes and no, happy to be P3 first time driving the Golf, but if it was dry P2 could have been easily achieved.” His attention is already shifting forward. “Excited to get the Scirocco out next round and see what I can do in that. Should be pushing for trophies in that class too.”
The event also marked a significant milestone for Biggie JDM, making its first appearance with a Subaru following a three year build. Rather than nerves, the overriding feeling early on was uncertainty. “At the start of the day, I wouldn’t say it was nerves as much as it was concern. It was my first event and the first proper shakedown of the car after three years in development.” Reliability was the immediate focus, and the outcome could hardly have been better. “In the end, the car didn’t skip a beat all day, which was a huge relief.”
Once on track, confidence grew with every run. “What surprised me most was how well the car held up under real track conditions. Being able to trust the car more and more each lap was a big turning point.” The opening launch summed up the balance between excitement and caution. “My mind was full of questions, will the clutch be okay, will it slip. It was a mix of excitement and caution.” As conditions worsened, the challenge intensified. “The hardest part was building the confidence to push the car, especially under braking, particularly in the rain.” Yet by the end of the day, progress was clear. “As the day went on, I was consistently shaving seconds off my lap times. When the heavy rain came, it almost reset the learning process. On my final wet lap, I was quicker than some others.” Simply reaching the finish without issue stood out most. “My favourite moment was simply completing the day cleanly, no mistakes, no damage. After all the work that went into the car, that alone felt like a win.”
Biggie JDM | Millie Tice (shotbymills)
Ben, running a Mitsubishi Evo, also delivered a composed and steadily improving performance across the day. “I was buzzing to have the track days back up and running again. It’s been a long wait, so just getting back out there felt mega,” he said. His pace built progressively through the sessions. “Lap times were pretty solid overall, still finding a bit more time each session but definitely heading in the right direction.” Like many in the paddock, his route into sprinting came from a desire to push further. “I got into sprint racing just from wanting to push myself a bit more each time I was on track. Started off as a bit of fun and it’s just grown from there really.”
Reflecting on the day, he pinpointed where gains could be made. “I’d say I probably lost the most time in a couple of the tighter sections, just being a bit cautious getting back into it. Gained time on the faster, more flowing parts where I felt confident.” The plan ahead is measured. “Before the next event, just a few small tweaks really, nothing major. Just making sure everything’s dialled in and ready to go again. By the end of the season, I’d like to be consistently up there, improving every round and hopefully pushing towards the front.”
The grid reflected a strong collective effort, with three MMT race cars entered across four drivers, spanning everything from the Golfs at the front to the Subaru and Evo builds through the field. New Direnza components proved a consistent success story, performing faultlessly across both dry and wet conditions despite the abrupt weather shift.
The event was supported by a strong group of partners including Direnza, Pro Tint Specialists, ShotByMills, Delta Racewear, BC Racing, ALIENTECH, Rock Awnings, Gravity Performance and Hugo Plates, all playing a part in bringing a busy and competitive grid to Blyton Park.
A busy turnout and a paddock full of returning and new competitors gave the opening round a strong sense of momentum. With three races in the dry and three in the wet, adaptability proved just as important as outright speed, and few managed that balance better than Hopwell. As the championship moves on, attention turns to the next round and whether anyone can stop his run at the front.
