Portsmouth's Jason Pitt enjoys a good time with Brian Gray at Snetterton in Molson Group British Sidecar Championship

The Brian Gray Powerbiking Race Team duo finished 10th and seventh in the two races.

And they left the Norfolk track with a new personal best lap time of 2min 03.070sec.

After a superb fifth place in free practice, Gray and his Portsmouth passenger Pitt qualified 12th – 0.172sec behind the partnership of Gary Bryan and Phil Hyde.

Thunderstorms were forecast on Saturday but, fortunately, the heavy rain had passed by the time the lights went out for race one and the field charged down to the Riches right-hander for the first of 12 laps.

Try as he might, Gray was unable to find a way past Bryan and Hyde, although they did overhaul Andy Pearch and Ken Edwards to finish 10th.

A reversed grid on Sunday – for the top 10 finishers in race one – saw Gray and Pitt on pole.

But their tussle with Bryan and Hyde continued as their rivals jumped the start.

Gray and Pitt were holding fourth when they completed the first lap, although Bryan and Hyde were soon black-flagged for not taking a ride-through penalty.

Despite their best efforts, they could not fend off the three sidecars snapping at their heels and finally settled for seventh place.

Portsmouth driver Ricky Stevens and passenger Ryan Charlwood qualified in third spot before powering their Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki to two third-place finishes.

Their team-mates Ben Holland and Lee Watson claimed fifth place on the grid.

Havant driver Holland then steered the partnership to sixth on Saturday and fifth the following day.

Stevens and Charlwood are now 13th in the overall standings, with Holland and Watson 10th.

Round six of the championship takes place at Thruxton on August 2-4.

Tommy Philp and Portsmouth passenger Jonny Allum have a wildcard for the round after their very successful season at club level.

They have all but won the Bemsee F1 Championship with 14 victories in 15 races and only two rounds to go.