Dorset drivers were in the thick of the action when the Ginetta Championship visited Thruxton last weekend.

Bournemouth's Neil Merry was knocking on a top 10 spot from the 35 strong grid while 60-year-old Wimborne grandmother Edwina Graham in her debut season notched up her best result of the year.

Merry, who returned to motorsport two years ago in the Mazda MX-5 Championship following a motorcross career in the 70s and 80s, has had a season of mixed fortunes in the one-make Ginetta series.

Hopes of a championship top 10 finish were dashed by six non finishes, two accidents, two mechanical failures and two driver errors'. But Merry, whose GT Bicycles company is one of the sponsors of the Speedworks Team, says he has enjoyed the year in the highly-competitive championship.

At Thruxton he opened his account with a solid 13th in Saturday's opening race which was run in late evening gloom. This was a four place advance on his grid position.

In Sunday's race at the end of the BTCC programme, Merry suffered an electrical problem on the first lap (traced to a faul-ty kill switch) and then collected a spinning rival which damaged the nose of his Ginetta G20 a lap later. Contending with flapping bodywork Merry was more than happy to finish 15th.

Behind him Graham was likewise enjoying her racing despite trailing at the back of the field on only her sixth race. A former equestrian champion, Graham caught the bug for motorsport after taking part in a track day and recently acquired the G20 from a friend's son after gaining her racing licence.

Graham suffered a baptism of fire in the series earlier in the year at Brands Hatch when in her very first race she was hit from behind by another car, but has since then grown in confidence.

"I'm thoroughly enjoying it, I really like the adrenaline rush motor racing gives you even if my best result has been last," she explained.

At Thruxton she again qualified last, nearly 10 seconds off the pace but a second quicker than in free practice and finished the first race two laps down having stayed out of trouble.

On Sunday she went even better and was only a lap adrift and finished ahead of Merry's team-mate James Littlejohn to take 28th - her best result of the year.

Both Merry and Graham are planning to return to the highly competitive series next year with Merry taking in the two meeting Winter Series before then.

HAYWARD DOUBLE

Previous round Junior Rod race winner Michael Hayward from Parkstone looked to be on his way to triple glory at Ringwood Raceway on Saturday night after taking two heat wins ahead of the final. Unfortunately contact on lap two forced him into retirement ending his hopes of a hat-trick.

It was another incident in the final which involved Ryan Anning from Corfe Mullen being rolled over, that brought proceedings to a close leaving the win to Danny Johnson with Jamie Turner from Branksome in second and Robbie King from Sturminster Marshal in third.

The over 1800 Rookie Bangers were well represented with 19 cars lining up for the first race, including Chris Zegers, a Dutch TV presenter who finished all three races on his first time out - including taking third in the second heat.

The final was won by Rob Donovan with Neil Bone second and Jeff Pidgley third.

Despite only six cars being entered the National Hot Rods put on a class act. Local racer Kevin Oliver finishing second.