Smeatharpe Stadium - Saturday 11th August 2012

Report by John Wyatt

As the majority of the country became obsessed with winning gold - the only gold that mattered to the huge crowd that had made the pilgrimage to Smeatharpe Stadium was who would earn the right to paint the roof on their Saloon Stock Car that colour for the next twelve months. Almost every inch of the pit area was occupied with race cars, transporters and egos - and a superb atmosphere filled the air for what promised to be the absolute highlight of the Autospeed season. As well as the prestigious Saloon Stock Car World Final - and full supporting Saloon Stock Car programme - there was also the BriSCA F2 English Open Championship to decide, and 'old skool' Banger racing featuring the RWD Triumph range to keep the crash-happy brigade smiling. Unlike the last time this event was run at Smeatharpe, the sun was shining and the race track was in almost perfect condition - for the early part of the evening at least.    

Saloon Stock Cars

The first race of the packed 14 race programme was the Last Chance Qualifier, with the first six drivers across the line going through to the big race later on. With the fact that defending World Champion Eddie Darby had booked his place on the grid of last year's WF via winning this event, it was a race more eagerly anticipated than normal. 26 cars lined up and after a heavy opening couple of laps the waved yellows came out for a problem with the 103 Chris Horwell car that had come to a stop at the end of the start/finish straight. 6 Simon Welton led the field away at the re-start, from 512 Darren Barnett and 607 Stevie Honeyman, and these three immediately began to pull away from the chasing pack. This is how it continued until half-distance when more waved yellows, this time for Scotsman 777 Alan Ainslie who had come to a stop on the inside of turn 1, closed the field up once more and as before 6 Welton led the remaining 18 cars away. Two laps in and 512 Barnett goes cleanly past 6 Welton down the inside through turn 3 with 100 Ian Govier and 382 Danny Hunt now up into 4th and 5th. 6 Welton had not however given up and re-passed 512 Barnett going into turn 3 a lap later to re-take the lead with 607 Honeyman holding a watching brief in 3rd, the top three once again pulling a little way clear of the field. With 3 laps to go 512 Barnett again slips down the inside of 6 Welton through turn 3 but this time Welton comes back at him straight away and attempts to hook out the 512 car on the straight, and whilst this is happening 607 Honeyman sees his chance and passes the pair of them ! 382 Hunt then joins in the fun and he, 6 Welton and 607 Honeyman go down the main straight virtually together. 512 Barnett then gives 382 a helping hand through turn 3 and the two cars come across the line neck-and-neck. Into the last lap and 607 Honeyman, 512 Barnett, 382 Hunt, 6 Welton and now 100 Govier go down the main straight almost as one and after they emerge through the final bend it is 512 Barnett that just gets his bumper in front to take the win, from 607 Honeyman, 6 Welton, 382 Hunt and 100 Govier, with really nothing to choose between these five as they cross the line separated by mere inches - with 164 Neil Kent a little further back finishing in 6th and thus booking his place on the back of the grid for the big race. Event 6 on the programme was the big race, the 'Bill Lomas Motor Services' sponsored event saw all the competing drivers come out for the grand parade so the fans could see who was who and be introduced by commentator Steve Linfield. After this the cars lined up in groups of six in qualifying order, with Scottish Champion 618 Staurt Shevill on the inside of row 1, and defending Champion 1 Eddie Darby on his outside. Also in the first group were 499 David Aldous, inside row 2, 120 Shane Brown, outside, 402 Shaun Webster inside row 3 and 18 Jamie Clayton outside. 991 Andrew Stewart had withdrawn from row 4 so everyone else moved up a place. As the cars lined up it was down to the late and greatly missed 311 Steve Newman's son young Billy to say those most famous and anticipated four words: 'Gentlemen, start your engines'. (Obviously the race itself is covered in more depth in various publications by other reporters more qualified than myself so the following is simply how I saw the race unfold ) The cars were led on the rolling lap in traditional style by the pace car, with 'Mr Starter' Neil Truran looking dapper in his tight-fitting gold lame shirt ! And after 3 rolling laps we were away and it was 618 Shevill who surprisingly got his nose in front first as 382 Danny Hunt spins on turn 2. 1 Darby then gives leader Shevill a bit of help through turn 1 and then slips up the inside of the Scotsman to lead as they go down the main straight, these two already clear of 120 Shane Brown in 3rd. Next it is Shevill's turn to use the bumper as he gives 1 Darby a big portion into turn 1, pushing him wide and re-taking the lead. 120 Brown has now caught the leading pair and he gives 1 Darby some bumper going into turn 3, sending the defending Champion across the front of leader Shevill and then passing the pair of them on the inside through turn 4. As the cars exit the turn Darby latches on to the back of 120 Brown, pushing him sideways down the start/finish straight, with the Bridgewater man eventually spinning as he arrives at turn 1 but managing to straighten the car up and continue before getting swallowed up by the pack. As this is happening 499 David Aldous manages to push his way past 1 Darby to briefly lead but then on lap 4 a big pile-up on turn 3 plays havoc with the leading cars and immediately brings out the waved yellows for a problem with the unfortunate 698 Danny Colliver and we all catch our breath as the cars line up for the re-start. When all is sorted out it is actually 402 Shaun Webster that is deemed to be the leader and he lines up in front of 18 Jamie Clayton, 618 Shevill, 499 Aldous and 1 Darby - and if all this excitement isn't enough the first few spots of rain begin to fall on Smeatharpe...... 'Golden Boy' Truran waves the green from the back of the pace car and off we go again, 402 Webster leads into turn 1 followed by 18 Clayton, with 1 Darby already past 499 Aldous and 618 Shevill into 3rd, as the rain begins to get heavier. With 402 Webster known for his expertise in the wet it is no surprise to see him pulling away at the front from 18 Clayton who soon has 1 Darby snarling at his rear bumper, pushing him wide into turn 4 and moving back up into 2nd. With 402 Webster now 5 car-lengths ahead of Darby, 618 Shevill is ready to mount an attack on 18 Clayton for 3rd, which he does on turn 3. 219 Luke Grief then adds further misery to 18 Clayton as he spins him at the end of the main straight to move into 4th, the 18 car then doing half a lap in reverse desperately trying to find an opportunity to turn the car around to continue. 402 Webster continues to pull away at the front and it looks for a moment like it is all done and dusted but then the Sheffield man catches traffic in the shape of back markers - and this is the turning point of the race. Whereas 402 Webster seems to encounter problems carving his way through the pack, it all seems easier for 1 Darby and like Moses parting the Red Sea in the Bible, the gaps seem to appear for the defending Champion (well, when your Dad's a vicar...........) 618 Shevill can also see the gaps appearing too as he follows in the tracks of Darby, the two front-row starters now both visibly catching leader 402 Webster - as is 120 Brown. Bogged down in traffic once more 402 Webster suddenly feels the presence of 1 Darby on his rear bumper and for two laps all eyes in the packed stadium are on these two as Webster desperately tries to shake off his persuer. Half-distance and the two leaders manage to find some clear track, pulling away a little from 618 Shevill and 120 Brown in 3rd and 4th, in clear air 402 Webster manages to put a couple of car lengths between himself and 1 Darby but although he pulls away on the straights it is Darby that seems to be later on the brakes and close the gap on the bends. I then remember what Eddie Darby had told me before the race, how he had deliberately gone slow in practise, could he therefore be biding his time I wonder ? With their blistering pace it is not long before the leaders once again encounter traffic and as 402 attempts to barge past 641 Willie Skoyles Jnr on turn 3, Darby is within striking distance and as the two cars arrive at turn 1 Darby goes cleanly down the inside of the 402 car and becomes the new leader of the 2012 Saloon Stock World Final - to huge cheers from the crowd. Then, as if out of nowhere, 618 Shevill arrives and he is not so delicate in his passing of 402 Webster, putting in the bumper as he moves into 2nd with 5 laps left to run. The unfortunate 402 Webster then gets passed by both 120 Brown and 499 Aldous, these two neck-and-neck down the main straight as they squabble for 3rd and 4th. With just 3 laps to go 1 Darby is three car lengths ahead of Scotsman Shevill who in turn is half a straight ahead of 120 Brown and as the leaders take the 2 lap board they once again hit traffic, with a big scare coming on turn 3 as Craig Barnett spins right in front of the leading duo but somehow they both manage to avoid the 511 car and as the last lap board is shown, 1 Eddie Darby is almost half a straight clear and goes on to take an amazing victory, with 618 Stuart Shevill Jnr an absolutely superb 2nd and 120 Shane Brown an excellent 3rd - particularly impressive after getting spun on lap 3. So, a truly memorable race, and who would have put their hard-earned on Darby retaining the World title ? Well, if not you or I then perhaps if we had read the pre-race Eddie Darby interview in the meeting programme there was at least one person who seemed to be sure of the outcome.......or was it simply 'devine intervention' ? The rain had stopped as young Billy Newman helped present the winner's trophies, which really was a nice touch and somehow fitting. A more detailed report and pictures can be found in 'Unloaded 7.3'. Heat 1 for the Saloons had 22 starters and the track had dried out a little since the earlier World Final but there was still a lot of action around the raceway. 670 Ross Waters was the early leader but man-on-the-move in this one was 512 Darren Barnett, up into 3rd by lap 5 but just as things get going 65 Ian Willis gives 811 Kieran McIvor a big hurry-up into turn 3 which then sees the unfortunate 811 bounce off the wall into the stationery 620 Aaryn Triggs car which brings out the waved yellows. 670 Waters led away the re-start from 241 Rab Copland and he managed to stay at the front past half-distance but with 5 laps to go 18 Jamie Clayton from 4th passes 512 Barnett, picks up 241 Copland on turn 3 and pushes him into leader Waters and goes down the pair of them through turn 4 to take it up. 512 Barnett follows him through, quickly joined by brother 511 Craig with 156 Darren Goudy up into 4th, before pushing past 511 Barnett to move into 3rd - and then past 512 Barnett into 2nd as the leader starts his final lap. Last bend and with 18 Clayton already taken the chequered, 512 Darren pushes 156 Goudy wide to move into 2nd, which also allows brother Craig in 511 through into 3rd with 156 Goudy recovering for 4th. Heat 2 and is it just me or do Saloon Stock Cars look better under floodlights ? 24 starters for this one including World Final runners-up 618 Shevill, 120 Brown, 499 Aldous and 402 Webster - with winner 1 Darby excluded from the rest of the meeting whilst post-race scrutineering is carried out. 298 Ian Elms, the sole white grader, led the field away but he retired on lap 2 handing the lead to 777 Alan Ainslie, further back and both 30 Barry Hollett and 402 Webster had made cracking starts from the reds - with Hollett up into 3rd by lap 3. At half-distance in what was a fast and furious race 30 Hollett had moved into the lead, from 219 Luke Grief, with 120 Brown now up into 3rd and 402 Webster 4th. 120 Brown then encounters a problem which puts 402 Webster into 3rd and 618 Shevill 4th, as 219 Griefy gives 30 Hollett something to think about in turn 2, pushing him wide which allows not only himself through into the lead but 402 Webster and 618 Shevill up into 2nd and 3rd. Last lap and as 219 Grief arrives at turn 3 for the final time, in goes the 402 bumper, through goes Webster just as 30 Hollett tries the same move on 618 Shevill and all four exit turn 4 almost together with 402 Webster just getting the win, from the recovered 219 Grief, 618 Shevill and 30 Hollett - but it was mighty close. 32 Saloons lined up for their allcomers final, the track very wet from the earlier shower catching out a lot of drivers with spinners all around the raceway - including 120 Brown. 104 Matt Horwell was the early leader from 800 Scott Greenslade but further back established rain master 402 Shaun Webster was on the move as was Scotsman 71 Gordon Alexander as still the spinners continued to entertain - 401 Stave Webster being one of the more surprising. At half-distance it was 100 Ian Govier that had moved to the front, from 71 Alexander and 104 Horwell, with 618 Shevill also going very well in 4th. The pressure then got to 104 Horwell as he spun out of 3rd place on the start/finish line, putting 618 Shevill up into 3rd but this only lasted briefly as 402 Webster pushed the Scot down to 4th. 71 Alexander then relieved 100 Govier of the lead down the inside through turn 2 with 5 laps left to run and the popular man from Bonnyrigg, Midlothian went on to take a deserved win. 100 Govier managed to fend off 402 Webster right until the last lap when the Sheffield star barged his way into 2nd, with 618 Shevill following him through in 3rd.                             

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

An amazing 60+ cars converged on Smeatharpe for their British Open Championship, the entry including many of the very best drivers in the country. 783 James Rygor was the fastest man in pre-race practise but, as in the Saloon Stocks, one couldn't help but wonder if one or two of the drivers were 'sandbagging'........ Heat 1 should have been the 'Young Guns' race, but this was put back to heat 3 as some major hold-ups on the roads to the stadium had delayed the arrival of some of the young stars. So heat 2 was moved forward and produced 23 starters, including welcome addition to the programme 218 Rob Speak, and it was the man from Manchester that swept to victory in fine style. The race had begun badly though for 315 Justin Fisher who had the car of fellow red grader 779 Cameron Pugh all but join him in the cab after an incident on turn 3 almost as soon as the green flag dropped, bringing out the waved yellows and then the reds. At the re-start it was 135 Mike Lees that made the early break, the white grader streaking away at the front but 218 Speak was up to 6th by lap 3 and didn't look in the mood to settle for anything less than a win and by half-distance was flying in 2nd. The impressive 135 Lees did manage to hang on until the 2 lap board came out but then 218 Speaky passed him cleanly down the main straight and that was that. 135 Lees was justly rewarded with 2nd, with 886 Chris Bradbury having to be content with 3rd. I spoke to Rob as he climbed out of his car, shook his hand and said to him 'that looked easy' to which he replied 'yeh.....' !! 25 starters for heat 2, including National Points Champion 7 Gordon Moodie, with 401 Barry Goldin just making the start after being delayed in traffic, literally unloading his car from the trailer and driving straight out onto the track - with the scrutineer checking his car on the raceway as Barry fastened himself in ! 172 Trevor Harris was the early leader in this one while further back 676 Neil Hooper and 7 Moodie were on a charge, white grader Harris though was still at the front at half-distance and for a moment it looked like a repeat of heat 1 could be on the cards. 7 Moodie passed 676 Hooper but the exmouth man took a lunge at the Scot through turns 3 and 4 and then to add to his problems 544 James Rogers then spun the number 7 car on turn 2 in a surprising move that drew a big response from the pit-bend crowd. 7 Moodie recovered though but was now a long way back whilst 676 Hooper was closing on the leaders, shadowed by 401 Goldin. 172 Harris did manage to hold onto the lead until the 3 lap board came out but then 676 Hooper took over at the front and stayed there to the flag, with 401 Goldin almost within striking distance finishing a close 2nd and 341 Drew Lammas 3rd - with 172 Harris eventually finishing a very creditable 5th, just in front of 7 Moodie. The re-scheduled 'Young Guns' race was heat 3 and saw 14 cars line up in National Points order, with 921 Jack Aldridge starting on the inside of the front row and 768 Tom Adcroft the outside. At the green it was 921 Aldridge that made a cracking start, leaving the rest of the field standing, 124 Ollie Skeels was soon into 2nd but even the rapid lad from Wisbech had no answer to the 2011 Novice of the year who simply cruised to an untroubled flag-to-flag victory. 768 Adcroft finished a lonely 3rd with the other red grader in the race, 944 Ryan McCrory, enjoying a good battle for 4th with blue-grade Cornishman 302 Dale Moon, with the 'ladies favourite' eventually getting the edge over the NI driver. The consolation fielded a packed 32 car grid and began with a big pile-up on turn 4 involving 111 Tom Malings, 581 Daniel Fellows and 651 Jim Lewis bringing out the waved yellows - with 522 Chris Mikulla also encountering problems and pulling the car off. 526 Marc Rowe led away the re-start but was immediately passed by 991 young Ryan Hoskin, the ex Ministox star in only his third F2 meeting at Smeatharpe going on to an untroubled win, carving his way through the back-markers with precision on his way to his maiden victory. Northern Ireland star 998 Graham Fegan finishing in 2nd with fellow star man 779 Cameron Pugh home in 3rd. The 'JB Racing & Neil Truran Motorsport' sponsored English Open Championship Final was, to almost use a football quote, certainly a race-of-two-halves - with at least one super-star driver as-sick-as-a-parrot. With the 34 qualifiers lining up in groups of six, in reverse National Points averages, it was a little confusing to see who was where to begin with but that mattered little. The track was dry at the start and once again the traditional rolling lap behind the pace car was overseen by 'Mr Starter' Neil Truran - this time wearing an equally stylish shirt with the red cross of St George ! By the time the green flag waved, all the groups of six had caught eachother up and a big pile-up formed quickly on the start/finish straight, bringing out the red flags, started I believe when defending Champion 742 Nick Rogers tangled with 719 Colin Smith. Either way 742 Rogers car was severly damaged and his race was over almost before it had begun which was a big shame. 30 cars made the complete re-start and it was 944 Ryan McCrory that got away first, from 991 Ryan Hoskin and 779 Cameron Pugh. 124 Ollie Skeels and 797 Dan Moss had a coming together on turn 2 as 998 Graham Fegan moved to the front of the pack. With so many cars on track, a furious pace and action all around the raceway it was a little difficult to see who was where but 944 McCrory did manage to re-pass fellow countryman 998 Fegan to head the field once more, with 779 Pugh then moving up into 2nd infront of 998 Fegan and 991 Hoskin. 779 Pugh then took over at the front and already the leaders were well up among the back-markers. 7 Gordon Moodie was storming through the pack, passing 218 Rob Speak with ease, but not going quite so well was 886 Chris Bradbury, 921 Jack Aldridge picking him up and pushing him hard into turn 3, the Winnersh man just missing old mate 218 Speaky, which must have started the sweat to flow a tad ! 218 Speak then slowing, a rogue plug-lead causing his engine to mis-fire badly and he retired, meanwhile 886 Bradbury and 921 Aldridge were renewing acquaintances, with Bradbury now pushing Aldridge wide into turn 1, with 676 Neil Hooper following Bradbury through. As we reached half-distance the rain began to fall once more which instantly slowed the field and suddenly 886 Bradbury's motor let go spectacularly on the start/finish line, dumping oil onto the raceway before Chris had time to get the car onto the centre - and  we had a completely different race on our hands. With the rain now falling steadily, 624 Raymond Dick then had a big moment on turn 4, which also involved front runner 779 Cameron Pugh among others, with 944 McCrory the next to suffer a problem. With the drivers struggling to get to grips with the very slippery conditions it was youngster 991 Ryan Hoskin that was the surprising leader, with 7 Moodie though closing quickly in 2nd and 596 Richie Mead also mastering the conditions well in 3rd. With 4 laps left to run and with the race almost down to walking pace 7 Moodie took over at the front and the untampered with talented Scot went on to record a somewhat lucky win and take the English Open Championship, from 596 Mead - with the impressive 991 Hoskin finishing an excellent 3rd and 768 Tom Adcroft 4th. The F2 Grand National was the last race on the packed programme and saw 20 cars out on the raceway, the rain had ceased but the track was still very damp. 991 Hoskin was the early leader but a big crash involving 652 Steve Foster, 596 Richie Mead and 551 Kyle Beattie resulted in a detached wheel at the end of the main straight so out came the waved yellows. 581 Daniel Fellows led away the re-start but this was short lived as ex Stock Rod man 52 Shane Hector clipped the fence on turn 4 and was then tagged by 921 Jack Aldridge, this bringing about a further stoppage. 998 Graham Fegan was the first to show after the second re-start, from 779 Cameron Pugh and at half-distance it was still 998 Fegan, 779 Pugh with 605 Liam Rowe now up into 3rd but a lap later and 676 Neil Hooper had pushed 605 Rowe down to 4th. 317 Denver Grattan then passed 605 Rowe to move into 4th and with 2 laps to go 676 Hooper pushed 779 Pugh wide into turn 3 to take up 2nd. Last lap and as leader 998 Fegan goes down the main straight with the chasing 676 Hooper almost on his rear bumper, he hits the brakes, almost catching Hooper out, 779 Pugh then looks to go down the outside of the pair of them but somehow 676 Hooper recovers and sweeps through the inside of turns 3 and 4 to just snatch the win, from 779 Pugh and 998 Fegan, a dramatic end to a thoroughly excellent evening's racing.                 

National Bangers - A Day to Triumph ?

There had been high expectations for this but a culmination of clashing fixtures, apathy and a difficulty in locating suitable cars saw only a disappointing 7 Triumphs arrive at Smeatharpe out of the 12 drivers that had booked - though credit to 85 James Ellis who had made the trip from Cambridgeshire. Out of those 7 there were 6 of the 2000/2500 range, with 85 Ellis in an estate and 266 Ian Meeker in a Mk1 Saloon version. Only man to try something a little different was 114 Nick Courtier in a Dolomite Sprint. Out of the 7 that did make it out for heat 1, at least 3 were suffering from mis-firing engines, including the Dolomite, so many on the terraces decided this was as good a time as any to queue for a burger....... 891 Darren Wade was the pick of the sorry bunch, the ex F2 Stock Car driver throwing his Ford Pinto engined machine around the raceway in some style, whereas there was hardly a scratch of paint from the rest of the field and 891 Wadey took an easy win with 85 Ellis 2nd. Heat 2 again managed to raise all 7 cars, with the 74 machine of Adam Hitchcock (or as 190 'Pikey' calls him 'Scratchy B*ll*cks' !) sounding particularly rough, and getting spun early-doors by 266 Meaker. Also spinning at the start was 121 Mike Ashley, so there was more action on lap 1 then there was in all of the earlier heat ! Once again it was 891 Darren Wade who was the star in this one, drifting the sweet sounding Triumph around the bends spectacularly with plenty of tyre smoke. Early leader was 293 Adrian Broadway and when 891 Wade pushed him up against the wall on turn 3 with 4 laps to go we thought it was all over but Broadway came back at 891, spinning him on the start finish straight to re-take the lead - only to be spun himself by 85 James Ellis in the estate on turn 4. 293 Broadway then backs into the side of the 891 car as it passes which completely destroys the rear of the 293 Triumph, with 121 Mike Ashley also spinning and then getting a broadsider from 266 Meaker in the Mk1. Meanwhile 891 Wadey recovers his composure and goes on to take his second win after passing 85 Ellis on the last corner of the last lap, with the 85 car driver then burying himself into 266 Meaker for good measure but still picking up 2nd ! The track was damp for the 'Tricky Cider Bar' sponsored 'A Day To Triumph' final which only raised a miserable 5 cars but 114 Courtier had managed to get his Dolomite Sprint to fire on all cylinders for the first time all evening so we might have a race on our hands at least. 114 Courtier it was that took the early lead but 891 Wadey was soon on his case, with plenty of sideways motoring from the RWD cars. 891 and 114 did take turns initially at leading but with 5 laps to go Wade stamped his authority on things and scampered off to another Triumphant win (thank's Steve !), a hatrick to be precise - with 85 Ellis recording his third 2nd place of the evening too after spinning out 114 Courtier on turn 4.