Northampton International Raceway - Friday 22nd April 2011

The annual Good Friday fixture at Northampton produced arguably the finest combination of racing from the three formulas on duty in the five years of Autospeed hosting the Easter fixture.

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

Some incredible race action from the F2s, began with a first heat that was won by 218 Rob Speak on his first appearance of the season.  The race also included a rollover for 809 Geoffrey Wardle.  Heat two was won by sixteen year old 866 Bobby Griffin, ahead of 732 Daz Kitson, who was especially lively in his progress to the runner-up finish.  Late on, current and former National Points Champions, 7 Gordon Moodie and 886 Chris Bradbury, clashed spectacularly on the home straight.  Bradbury bounced back to win the consolation, despite a thrilling last bend dive by Moodie, which missed, but only just.  Griffin won again in the final, and by a commanding margin.  He was some way clear at the flag, of 52 Peter Robertson in second.  Third home was 154 Steve Green, but cruelly he lost a wheel guard on the final lap, and was excluded, which promoted 254 Richard Beere into third.  The Grand National saw Speak charging around like a raging bull, but not even his wild and optimistic lunges deep into the bend were enough to unsettle 676 Neil Hooper from the lead position, and the westcountry star took a fine victory.

Saloon Stock Cars

Ahead of the 2010 season for Saloon Stock Cars, there were laughable cries that tarmac racing for the formula was dead.  The 26-car showing on Good Friday at Northampton was the lowest in the four years of the meeting.  Roll forward twelve months, and 41 drivers were present for the start of Easter, and they served up a feast of action and excitement.
Run to a two from three format, 156 Darren Goudy, 428 Lee Sampson and 184 Marty Colliver each scored heat wins, and then it was time for the final.  The grid was packed with 34 cars on the rolling lap.  The winner of last year's corresponding race, 191 Shaun McMillan, looked on course for a repeat success, but he was edged aside around the midway point.  30 Barry Hollett ran strongly, but it was 149 Jamie Sampson who got clear of 18 Jamie Clayton, to hit the front at just the right time.  Sampson saw out the remaining laps, and Clayton's gallant pursuit was only enough for second at the flag, with Hollett completing the top three.

National Hot Rods

Just under 40 of the high speed National Hot Rods contested their latest World qualifying round.  There were heat wins for 224 Ray Harris, 219 Russell Wilcox and 116 Steve Burrows, before the feature final looked like 742 Graham Luscombe was going to win again on Good Friday, just as had been the case in 2009.  However, Luscombe left the tiniest of gaps entering the track shop bend, and 14 Phil Spinks took full advantage to squeeze his way past and grab the lead in the closing stages.  Spinks won, Luscombe was second and 17 Tim Moody completed the top three.