Smeatharpe Stadium - Sunday 17th July 2011

The season's annual Caravan Chaos fixture was blighted by changeable weather conditions which ranged from sunshine to heavy showers.  Some of the classes racing were disappointingly under-subscribed, but the meeting ended on a real high with an enthralling Caravan Chaos race.

Saloon Stock Cars

The entry of Saloon Stock Cars included 49 Rob Bevan and 94 Mark Johnson on their debut outings.
One week on from clinching the UK Championship at Skegness, 120 Shane Brown continued to show top form, as he swept to victory in both heats.  East Anglian visitor 728 Kris Woods was the runner-up in the first heat and National Champion 677 Eddie Darby was second in heat two.
The heavens opened ahead of the Saloon Stock Car final, and that left track conditions treacherous.  As drivers struggled for grip, 100 Ian Govier managed to tip-toe his way past white graders Johnson and 118 Ian Harris.  2 Paul Tuppen was tracking Govier, but the gap between them ebbed and flowed - not unlike the streams of rain water on the track.  At one stage, Tuppen looked on course to mount a telling challenge, but Govier picked his way past backmarkers smartly, and stayed clear to secure the West of England title, with Tuppen second and Brown in third.

National Bangers - non-Mondeos

246 Ryan Sparks won the Crash For Cancer Care event for the non-Mondeos, after he overhauled early leader 141 Toby Tiddy.  451 Nigel Belfield completed the top three.
There was a heavy crash at the start of the first Allcomers race, when 310 Luke Woolway was rattled into the west bend fence by 908 David Brown.  Woolway was shaken up, and needed assistance from his car.  Having only managed a lap of the Crash For Cancer Care race earlier, Woolway's lack of good fortune saw him awarded the RJK Vehicle Services UNLUCKY Award.  Sparks went on to win the restarted race.
The second Allcomers race saw Carter limp his battered Bluebird out on track, despite the beating it had just taken from Chris Croshaw in the second Allcomers race for National Bangers.  Unbelievably, Carter managed to storm around the track, and launch a last bend charge at race leader 607 Gary Sillifant.  The move paid dividends for Carter, as Sillifant hit the fence, and lost a wheel, whilst Carter glanced off him and got to the line first for the win.
With no non-Mondeos having struck a telling blow on him, Steve Carter was presented with the £50 "Get Carter" bonus.

National Bangers

452 Anthony Sleeman won the Crash For Cancer Care event for National Bangers, as he picked up the pieces when race leader 239 Steve Carter was distracted into following in track debutant 716 Bryn Thomas.  As Carter gave up the win to be able to land the big hit on Thomas, Sleeman grabbed the lead, and went on to win, with Carter recovering for second and 820 Martin Perkins third.
The next race brought a win for 45 Anthony Croshaw, but it was the second Allcomers that served up the best action.  Carter blitzed Sleeman, and then fell victim to a fine hit from 407 Chris Croshaw.  When 514 Marty Eighteen dived wildly at 383 Andre McLellan, he left himself open to an attack from Carter, and again, Chris Croshaw was able to score on Carter, which netted him the £50 "Get Carter" bonus.  133 Terry Hill took the win.

Stock Rods

A far better showing from the non-contact Stock Rods included a maiden race win for teenager 853 Sam Matthews.  The youngster showed inspired form to storm to his first chequered flag in the senior formula, and was on course to repeat the dose in heat two.  However, yellow flags were introduced when 565 Andy Giles was sent on to two wheels, and he struck the fence hard, bringing about the race caution.  When the race resumed, 909 Justin Washer pounced, to overhaul Matthews, but the Ministox graduate still held firm in second.
That left Washer and Matthews tied on points for the West of England Championship, and Washer won the coin toss to bag pole position.  From there, he sauntered away into the distance.  Matthews held second for a long time, but eventually, 151 Simon Vincent and 136 Steve Gooch found a way by to clinch second and third, with Matthews a commendable fourth.

Ministox

Low graders ruled the roost in the Ministox, as 907 Ben Sillifant won twice and 936 Alfie Whitelegg was also victorious.  Both Sillifant and Whitelegg continued their fine recent form, as the youngsters tried to get to grips with the difficult track conditions.
Sillifant won the opener from Whitelegg, with 932 Sam Moore completing the top three.  In heat two, Whitelegg stayed clear all the way to the chequered.
In very wet conditions for the Reg Thomas Memorial Trophy Shield final, there were assorted clashes and spins.  991 Ryan Hoskin worked his way through to the front, but Sillifant refused to be beaten and managed to retake the lead from Points Champion Hoskin with a spirited last bend charge.

Caravan Chaos

Eight drivers took to the soaked track for the annual Caravan Chaos race.  As the caravans were trashed, one by one, 47 Marcus A'Lee steered clear of trouble to build up a huge lead.  At one stage, A'Lee was more than four laps ahead of the rest.  However, A'Lee then ran out of fuel on the back straight, just two laps from home.  905 Jason Ross continued to wreak havoc, but was many laps adrift of taking over the lead.  Instead, it was 158 Sean McCarthy who managed to limp home his wrecked car and caravan chassis combo, to grab what had looked a most unlikely win.  McCarthy duly claimed the magnificent Colander Trophy.