.Last year’s Champion Owen Purcell started where he left off in the Keelan Construction Fiesta Zetec Championship.

At Mondello Park he grabbed pole position just three tenths ahead of the vastly improved Wayne Laverick, with young charger Kellett just a tenth off in third.

Purcell made no mistakes in race one to take the flag in his Gunshot Motorsport machine, some four and a half seconds ahead Andy Kavanagh.  Laverick was a close third with Kellett fourth.

In race two, with the grid decided by the results of race one, but with the top six reversed, Darren Lawlor started from pole position with Mondello veteran Collie Barrable alongside on the front row.

Purcell was sixth but confident of getting to the front before long. A fantastic battle ensued, and at the flag, Purcell had forged his way to the front for the double, just ahead of Lawlor, with Kellett also on the podium in third.

For race three, it was Groundhog Day for Purcell, as he once again found himself demoted to sixth again  courtesy of a reversed top six. Kellett though, was on a charge in this one. From fourth on the grid he eased his way to the front. Purcell meanwhile, was making good progress and just beat Andy Kavanagh by a fraction in a drag race to the line to take the runner up spot.

Rounds four and five of the Keelan Construction Fiesta Zetec Championship take place at  Bishopscourt Race Circuit on May 11/12.