Drama and Debuts: Mini Challenge at Knockhill

After Croft, the Championship journeyed further north to the challenging Knockhill circuit — a track famed for its dramatic elevation changes and tight, technical corners that demand both bravery and precision. It lived up to its reputation once again, delivering another weekend of electrifying racing action.

Fresh from his Croft triumph, Nathan Edwards carried that momentum north to Scotland by storming to a double pole. He set the benchmark early in qualifying with a blistering 54.850, good enough to “park the car” and watch the rest of the session unfold. Title contender Jamie Osborne came closest with a 54.908, but it wasn’t quite enough, leaving him and team-mate Lewis Selby to start second and third for both races.

In JCW Sport, Archie Johnson mirrored the achievement with a 56.642, outpacing title rival Henry Howarth and Bitcoin Racing’s Chris Mackenzie to secure pole for both races.

Mini Challenge JCW and JCW Sport – Race 1 Report

Nathan Edwards converted pole into victory with a commanding lights-to-flag performance in Race 1. Though Jamie Osborne applied early pressure, Edwards gradually edged clear, ultimately taking the win by over four seconds. Osborne followed him home in second, while team-mate Lewis Selby completed the podium in third. Rookie Harry Hickton impressed again, securing another class win in fourth after a hard-fought battle with fellow newcomer Owen Hillman.

The race proved relatively straightforward, with few changes to the qualifying order and no stoppages from red flags or safety cars. The main flashpoint came when local driver Brent Bowie went off mid-race and, in rejoining, clipped the car of Henry Howarth.

Knockhill’s reputation as a circuit where overtaking opportunities are scarce largely held true—though Josh Porter delivered the standout charge. Starting 14th, he sliced through the field to snatch eighth from Cam Richardson at the finish line. That late move gained extra importance when Edwards drew number nine for the reverse grid, placing Porter on the front row for Race 2.

In JCW Sport, Archie Johnson mirrored Edwards by converting pole into victory. He faced strong resistance from title rival Henry Howarth, with the pair going wheel-to-wheel on multiple occasions, but Johnson held firm—especially after the Bowie/Howarth clash eased the pressure. Chris Mackenzie crossed the line third but was handed a two-place grid penalty for Race 2 after contact with Nicky Gauci at the start, which forced Gauci into the pits with a puncture.

Race 1 – Final Top 10 Results (JCW Class):

Nathan Edwards
Jamie Osborne
Lewis Selby
Harry Hickton
Owen Hillman
Tom Ovenden
Alex Solley
Josh Porter
Cameron Richardson
Charlie Hand

Race 1 – Final Results (JCW Sport Class):

Archie Johnson
Henry Howarth
Chris Mackenzie
Will Crooks
Ben Crossley
Nicky Gauci

Mini Challenge JCW and JCW Sport – Race 2 Report

It was a race to remember for Josh Porter, who converted his front-row start in the reverse-grid contest into a maiden victory. Bursting past polesitter Cam Richardson as the lights went out, Porter never looked back, controlling the pace to seal the win. An early safety car on lap one—triggered by contact between NAPA Racing’s Lewis Selby and Porter’s team-mate Nathan Edwards, the latter forced into retirement—did little to unsettle him.

As the race wore on, Porter came under mounting pressure from the charging NAPA Racing duo of Alex Solley and championship leader Jamie Osborne. Osborne in particular was on a mission, carving his way through the pack from eighth on the grid. The three-way battle raged into the closing stages, but Porter held his nerve to claim a breakthrough victory, adding to the two third-place podiums he’d collected earlier in the season at Snetterton and Oulton Park.

Solley’s efforts ultimately came to nothing when he was handed a ten-second penalty for an out-of-position start, dropping him to ninth and promoting Osborne to second place. The result further tightened Osborne’s grip on the championship, with title rival Tom Ovenden completing the podium in third. Behind them, Pro-Alloy Racing’s Owen Hillman delivered an eye-catching performance to finish fourth, securing his first rookie win of the season.

In JCW Sport, Henry Howarth finally returned to the top step of the podium, claiming his first win since Snetterton. Archie Johnson followed him home in second, while Nicky Gauci claimed third. Ben Crossley had started the race from second, but his challenge quickly faded. On lap 10 he was passed by both Howarth and Johnson before his fortunes worsened further when contact with Gauci at the hairpin dropped him to the back of the field. It capped off a torrid weekend for Crossley, plagued by car troubles and misfortune.

Race 2 – Final Top 10 Results (JCW Class):

Josh Porter
Jamie Osborne
Tom Ovenden
Owen Hillman
Harry Hickton
Harry Campey
Ned Anthony
Lewis Selby
Alex Solley
Cameron Richardson

Race 2 – Final Results (JCW Sport Class):

Henry Howarth
Archie Johnson
Nicky Gauci
Will Crooks
Chris Mackenzie
Ben Crossley

Mini Challenge JCW and JCW Sport – Race 3 Report

Race 3 produced a thriller for the live TV coverage. Pole-sitter Nathan Edwards made the best getaway, but the drama began almost immediately when he and Jamie Osborne clashed at McIntyres. Osborne was forced onto the grass and rejoined down in seventh, while Edwards soon found himself under pressure from Lewis Selby and a fast-starting Harry Hickton, who had already carved through several positions. Osborne’s afternoon then went from bad to worse when a puncture forced him into the pits, dropping him to the very back.

On lap three, Selby launched an attack for the lead, but his move failed to come off—allowing Hickton to pounce and sweep past both in one daring move. His spell at the front was short-lived, however. At the hairpin, Edwards lunged to retake the lead, but a lock-up sent Hickton spinning and caused heavy damage to Edwards’ own car, forcing him into retirement.

That incident opened the door for the Pro-Alloys duo of Owen Hillman and Max Edmundson to hunt down Selby. Benefiting from the chaos, Edmundson found himself in third and, with the fastest car on track, quickly swapped places with his teammate before reeling in Selby. On lap 23, he made the decisive move to secure his second win of the season.

Behind him, Hillman clinched his first overall podium with third place, despite a late track-limits penalty, making it a standout result for the Pro-Alloys squad. Selby held on for second, while title contender Tom Ovenden crossed the line in fourth. Osborne, hampered by his early clash, could only manage second-last. Even so, he still leads the championship by 40 points with six races to go. With drop scores no longer in play this season, every non-finish could prove critical—keeping the title fight very much alive.

In the JCW Sport class, Henry Howarth took the chequered flag first, but a post-race investigation handed victory to Archie Johnson after contact between the pair forced Johnson into the gravel. Ben Crossley, after a weekend plagued by car troubles, finally enjoyed some success—taking third place after passing Nicky Gauci on lap six. Although Johnson claimed two wins over the Knockhill weekend, Howarth still leads the standings, albeit with his advantage cut to just nine points.