This is why we came. Attracting more interest than any other car there, The Evo powered Mk3 is a serious bit of kit. Initially running R888 cut slicks John was able to switch to full slicks in the afternoon as the track dried out.

As if the above wasn’t enough, John also has this Mk1 Focus RS. With a fully caged up interior and 350bhp under the hood it’s not exactly standard either.

Despite being more suitable for road use, the Focus also made the journey down behind a Transit. Running a garage means plentiful access to such useful vehicles.

Dalsy’s ST170 powered Fiesta sports the rare RS accessory bumpers and looked great sat in the morning sun.

It’s no slouch around the track either…

Andy “Madmac”s Escort Cosworth with the full WRC kit was dripping with parts that indicated business. From the full slicks and fuel cell to the burn marks around the exhaust it was pretty clear this was going to be used in anger.

Another Focus RS, this time appearing nearer to standard, although those bonnet vents hint that something special may lay beneath.

Looking a bit worse for wear was this Mk2 XR2 stock hatch racer. For track action on a budget there’s not much that comes close though.

As demonstrated by its driver a short while later.

Many people who owned a Lotus Cortina as beautiful as this would keep it locked away in a dry, warm garage rather than subject it to an Engish Winter.

Thankfully there are those that still use the cars just how they were intended to be.

The ‘tina looked great round the track, the back end getting a little skittish on the corners, although the modern “Stig-tint” helmets spoil the illusion of this being anything other than a recent photograph.

Not an RS and not even a Ford, but still present and welcome. The 205 GTI is perhaps the greatest hot hatch ever made, but it’s still possible to improve on it and the D6C/L variant of the XU9 will certainly do that.

If you don’t speak Pug, that’s the 16v Mi16 version of the 1.9 all-alloy engine. 160bhp as standard and the potential for a fair bit more.

Roll cage - check, buckets - check, bonnet and boot pins - check, plastic windows - check, Irn-Bru respray - check!

We’ll finish with the Fiesta Evo in action. The sheer speed of the car coupled with my lack of skill shooting at slow shutter speeds made it difficult to snap, most frames resulted in a blurred mess but one or two came out as passable.

There’ll be more of this car soon with the forthcoming full feature. Stay tuned!