The deceptively simple Mallory “oval with a hairpin at one end” has hosted racing for many years and for a fair number of those has run a bike, sidecar and race car meeting on Boxing Day.

I was aware of the Boxing Day Brands Hatch meeting from earlier times but must confess that Mallory’s is a relatively recent discovery …

We first went in 2016 – a bright and chilly day - and witnessed the usual mix of saloon car, sports car and bike races. The latter has included sidecars but insufficient entries were received in 2017/8 for them, so it was only two wheel machinery only.

An informal meeting, with a “run what ya brung” approach and no live timing, so results are hard to come by for the cars until Motorsport News comes out in the new year. 

I found a car entry list but not for the bikes – but, hey, a decent crowd turned up for an entertaining day’s racing.

The weather this time was warmer, with less breeze, but in exchange was a grey and overcast sky with a certain dampness in the air. At least the harsh shadows of previous years were avoided.

This year, Andrew and I decided to park up above the Stebbe Straight and concentrate on the outside of the circuit from Gerard’s to the Esses which we had not done before. 

Access is brilliant with low fencing most of the way and just one small area of higher fencing at the end of the Straight. Note that the cars use the non-chicane version of the circuit whereas the bikes used two of the three chicanes this time.

Practice starts at 10.00 allowing for a relatively relaxed start to the day. Races then follow - three for the bikes and two for each car class – saloons and sports cars. 

I’m unfamiliar with the bikes and their riders, although some were there last year, so all I can say is that there is an obvious range of engine sizes, age of bike and style – sit up and beg vs faired in. 

The occasional Xmas jumper and Santa outfit can also feature.

The saloon cars ranged from a red XR3 (I had one of the first of those before I discovered Golf GTIs), through various Gallic hot hatches to a 3.2 Beetle Cup Car and an Audi TT spaceframe more often seen on the hills. 

The real outlier was the Legend Ford 34 Coupe which had a liking for taking the widest possible line round Gerard’s each lap.

The sports cars featured three Ariel Atoms, a couple of very quick Radicals and numerous Caterfields and Westhams. 

The 4.8 TVR Tuscan Challenge car was being driven with due caution.

Aside from a couple delays for riders that decided to slide along the track (believed to be without serious consequences), the races proceeded through to a finish in the approaching dusk at around 15.30.