Staines stock car driver Adrian Blackwell netted two third place finishes at the weekend's BriSCA F2 European Championships at Northampton International Raceway.

In doing so he was one of only 32 drivers from the 100-plus entries to qualify for Sunday's 'Inter-Nations Cup' in addition to the Saturday night feature race too.

Opening up a useful gap in Saturday night's second heat, British Airways IT worker Blackwell looked to be on course for direct qualification to the meeting Final, but an early caution bunched up the field.

A lap after the restart Blackwell was half spun by one of the quick "A" graded Blue-tops in turn four and by the time he was able to recover he had been passed by enough cars to drop outside the top 8 qualifying positions.

The second of two last-chance consolation races saw Blackwell take the lead as the lap-down National Points leader David Polley sent the leading two drivers fencewards.

Blackwell led for a handful of laps before being passed by Luke Phillips and Matt Stoneman, but cemented himself in behind them. Mark Gibbs planted a hit on Blackwell with a lap to go but only succeeded in delaying himself, allowing Blackwell to run home in third place and progress to the meeting Final.

One of only two White-top "C" grade drivers to make the 32 car final Blackwell led the field away but the flying Phillips was on a charge again.

As the Star graded Red-tops came to the fore Blackwell dropped back in the field holding steady at 13th for much of the second half of the race.

However, entering turn one for the final time Stoneman and Martyn Coles clashed together forcing Blackwell out to the fence to avoid an accident, dropping him to 17th at the finish.

After the summer sun of Saturday, Sunday was a day of changeable weather and on a wet track Blackwell soon moved past Keith Walding and Gary Stirk at the start of the opening heat to slot in to second behind Andrew Cattell.

Blackwell gradually made up ground during the middle part of the race and planted a few taps on Cattell's bumper to keep him honest in the challenging conditions.

The two drivers had opened up a useful lead but neither of them were able to defend against the Star graded Steve Green Jr. who took the win, Blackwell taking third to progress straight to the 'InterNations Cup'.

Taking the decision to go with a dry-race setup on a track now devoid of moisture a bogged-down motor saw Blackwell unable to pick up speed initially.

A complete-restart following a turn four pile-up and a further caution were to change conditions measurably as the earlier rain returned.

Able only to change brake settings from within the car during a race Blackwell started to struggle with a spongy brake-pedal, as well as a car set up for the dry on an increasingly wet track.

Having to pump the brakes in to the turns Blackwell dropped back in the field, but was able to keep out of trouble and bring the car home in one piece with a 19th place finish.