​Vale-based duo are fourth at Silverstone in British GT Championship

Andrew Howard and Ross Gunn drove the team's Aston Martin Vantage GT3 to the near podium place finish in the Silverstone 500 - the three-hour headline event of the British GT Championship season.

Passing the chequered flag just 2.3 seconds behind the race winning Century Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 of Darren Leung and Dan Harper, the result keeps the local duo in the race for the 2023 title.

Setting fast times during pre-race practice sessions, the Beechdean AMR car was sadly an early victim during qualifying when Howard crashed off the track at Chapel Curve on the opening lap of the session due to a waterlogged track.

With torrential rain falling, British GT race director, Peter Daly, called time on further proceedings for the GT cars with the grid for the Silverstone 500 assembled with the use of combined driver times from free practice sessions.

Howard lined the number 97 Vantage up fifth on the grid for the start, and handed over to Gunn, the Aston Martin Racing factory-supported driver, during the race's first round of pit stops. Gunn moved the Beechdean Ice Cream-supported car into contention and set fastest race laps during his time in the car although numerous safety car periods punctuated the action at times.

Approaching the end of the race, the leading five cars found themselves in one gaggle together, with the Century BMW heading home Shaun Balfe and Sandy Mitchell (Lamborghini) and Mark Radcliffe/Rob Bell (McLaren). Leung and Harper now lead the title race, with Howard and Gunn placed equal second in the Drivers' Standings on a score of 46 points - tied with Mercedes AMG duo, Ian Loggie and Jules Gounon.

Speaking afterwards, Andrew Howard said, "The team did a great job repairing the car following the issue in qualifying on Saturday, and during the race we were always in contention. This was a strong performance at Silverstone on Coronation weekend, and we now look forward to the next event at Donington Park later this month."

*Winslow's Alexz Wigg finished last week's gruelling Scottish Six Day Trial in tenth position.

The local rider, a former winner of the world famous event, finished the Fort William-based motorcycle trial with a total of 37 marks.

The Scottish Six Day Trial sees riders tackle competitive sections on a route through the Scottish Highlands, with the event regarded as one of the world's leading motorcycle events. 250 riders were classified as finishers, with former world trials champion, Dougie Lampkin, winning the event and dropping just six marks throughout the week.

* Tom Ingram remains second in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship points table following the latest three rounds of the 2023 season at Brands Hatch on Sunday. The Bristol Street Motors-supported EXCELR8 Hyundai i30N racer scored a best result of second around the 1.2-mile Brands Hatch Indy Circuit on a day that saw Ash Sutton (NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus) win twice and Colin Turkington (BMW) once.

Aside from his second place finish, Ingram also finished races in third and fifth, to maintain his challenge to retain his title. Dan Cammish (NAPA Racing UK) continues to lead the championship, with the series continuing at Snetterton in ten day's time.

* Quainton's Mark Biswell will be in action at Donington Park this weekend, riding his Yamaha in races organised by the NG Road Racing Club. The local rider has enjoyed a strong start to his season with races at Brands Hatch and Castle Combe, and currently leads his class in the 600cc championship for pre-injection machines.