'Not a bad start' was how three-time winner Craig Denman summed up his day at Snetterton in the opening event for the Lotus Elise Trophy, despite the snowy conditions.

Eastern Daily Press: The combined Lotus Cup and Elise Trophy field trying to warm up their cars prior to the start of the opening race at a snowy Snetterton. Picture: Ellen Tunstall.The combined Lotus Cup and Elise Trophy field trying to warm up their cars prior to the start of the opening race at a snowy Snetterton. Picture: Ellen Tunstall. (Image: © Ellen Tunstall)

A late retirement for James Little's faster Lotus Cup specification Exige V6 handed Craig Denman overall victory in the combined Lotus Cup and Elise Trophy opening encounter.

Having taken the category pole position Denman easily out-ran his opposition and was doubly delighted when he greeted the chequered flag ahead of the quicker Cup cars. In race two Denman again proved quickest of the Elise Trophy runners while Robin Nilsson unseated Daniel Palma on the third lap to secure overall victory.

Cup racers Nilsson and Palma again finished one-two on the road, with the former always ahead, while Denman had to overcome a 10-second penalty, for starting out of position, but had little trouble in completing a hat-trick of Elise Trophy victories.

In the opening two encounters Long Stratton's Simon Oakley was Denman's nearest challenger, but in the reverse race three grid was unable to make much progress and could only finish seventh.

Mark Richardsson beat his Norfolk rivals Danny Hartgrove and Chris Thirkettle in the opening encounter but retired out of race two when Thirkettle narrowly beat Hartgrove to the finishing line with Richardsson restoring order in the third.

Philip Stratton-Lake set the early pace in the Lotus Speed Championship but once Nigel Hannam got to grips with the conditions, he powered his way to the top of the time sheets to take victory by 0.321s.

The opening British Superkart race was dominated by Gavin Bennett, who led from start to finish, while Norwich's Tom Rushford powered his way from 18th on the grid to complete the podium places behind Julian Davies.

Race two went to Snetterton master Daniel Clark but only after an early duel with Matt Robinson and then holding off Andrew Connor's late challenge as Newmarket's Andy Waite finished third, having led from the opening lap.