Smeatharpe Stadium - Saturday 14th September 2013

Report by Jon Wyatt

After many months of planning and eager anticipation finally the BIG day arrived.  The date: Saturday September 14th.  The place: Smeatharpe Stadium, Devon.  The event: The 2013 Championship of the World for the BriSCA Formula 2 Stock Cars.
I awoke to heavy rain showers beating down on the roof of the squat but after watching a couple of episodes of 'The Big Bang Theory' the rain had ceased, the sun appeared and everything in the world seemed good - unless your name was Chris Bradbury that is...

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

It was 10 years since a youthful, bespectacled 401 Barry Goldin had so convincingly won the last BriSCA F2 World Final held at the Smeatharpe venue but once again both he, I and a very good, but certainly not capacity, crowd converged on the Devon venue once more.  He didn't look hardly a day older - I did - and the crowd were as enthusiastic and vocal now as they were on that great day in 2003.  The warpaint was on, the outfits were bold and there were some very pretty tartan skirts doing the rounds - and that was just among the male members of the Gordon Moodie travelling support!
The entry came from far and wide and just down the road and although no national records were broken as regards highest-number-of-F2's-at-one-meeting, certainly the cream of the formula were present among the ranks of the 100+ cars that did assemble in the Smeatharpe pit area.
It was certainly a night of big surprises too, and I mean BIG - though not in pre-meeting practice as 7 Gordon Moodie set the top time, again and again and again - but before we get to the actual title race there was the small matter of seeing who from the Last Chance Qualifier would take those final six places on the World Final grid.  Injury, mechanical problems and bad luck throughout the season was the reason most of the drivers found themselves in event one on the programme, which surprisingly included the aforementioned 401 Barry Goldin among the 30 starters - the Bolton man starting on the inside of the front row.  A big pile-up on turn 1 at the start, which included 290 Jay Tomkins and 935 Nathan Maidment, set the scene really for the night's action and although a wheel had come off the 935 car the race was allowed to continue for another lap almost which saw more cars collide with those already on turn one before the waved yellows brought about a stoppage.  Thankfully the leaders had managed to avoid the carnage and it was 401 Goldin, 3 Liam Rennie, and 270 Mark Gibbs that led away the re-start.  At the green it was 401 Goldin who made the best start pulling out a 3-car-length advantage over the following 3 Rennie, whilst a little further down the order local favourite 676 Neil Hooper had climbed to 4th after initially starting near the back.  Lap 5 and another big incident, this time on turn 3, ended with 596 Richie Mead rolling over bringing out instant waved yellows this time and another stoppage.  Once again Goldin led away the re-start, again followed by Rennie and Gibbs and a right old battle between Goldin and Rennie was soon joined by 101 Kelvyn Whalley as Gibbs descended through the order after being passed by both Hooper and 783 James Rygor.  As the race progressed Goldin pulled away at the front and at half-distance he was half a straight ahead of Rennie, Whalley, Rygor and Gibbs who had re-passed Hooper.  Behind the leaders Whalley and Rygor were really battling for that 3rd place but as the lap boards came out Rygor managed to gain a slight advantage and Hooper re-took Gibbs for 5th and this is how it went until the 2 lap board was shown.  Hooper was obviously in trouble, a rear puncture allowing Gibbs to once again re-pass the Exmouth star - who then looked in big danger of being caught by a flying 290 Jay Tomkins.  Last lap and with 401 now a full straight ahead at the front a World Final place was secure, as it was for 3 Rennie, 783 Rygor, 101 Whalley and 270 Gibbs - but as the chequered flag came down on the winner 290 Tomkins put the bumper in on the slowing 676 Hooper car going into turn 3, hard enough to allow him to pass and finish just ahead at the line - but it was all in vain as yellow grader Tomkins, it seems, was a lap down after the collision at the start and so it was 676 Hooper who snatched the final qualifying slot, with 476 Ryan Wadling in seventh as first reserve.
It was back to 'normality' for the next race for the F2's with heat 1 proper producing 24 starters, with 526 Marc Rowe making the best of his front row start to take off at the green, and as 950 Lewis Holden and 328 Andy Walker tangled on turn 2 Rowe was already a complete straight ahead of 482 Dale Seneschall.  But as we all know lady luck can be a cruel mistress (a bit like my ex' wife) and the waved yellows come out for the incident on turn 2 and the only advantage Rowe had now was to lead away the re-start.  At the green it was 116 Ashley Rundle who quickly passed the unfortunate 526 Rowe to take it up but the race was stopped again a lap later, this time for 915 Jacklyn Ellis who came to a stop on turn 3 with a broken drive-shaft.  Rundle led away Rowe at the second re-start but a lap in was shown the 'black-cross' as 835 Matt Westaway moved into 2nd.  Just after half-distance though the waved yellows came out yet again, this time for 24 Sam McKay who had stopped, briefly, on turn 4 and the remaining 18 cars lined up once more behind Rundle, Westaway and 341 Drew Lammas.  With 3 to go 341 Lammas had moved into 2nd and a lap later had taken over at the front with 560 Luke Wrench slotting in behind Rundle - and this is how they finished.  Rundle was indeed dropped 2 places for the jump-start and 226 Billy Webster was promoted to 3rd.
Heat 2 produced another 24 starters and it was 734 Glenn Sanders who took control of this one at the start from 359 Gary Wrench.  Sanders was still leading at half-distance, from Wrench and 756 Richard Thomas and with 5 to go had a half-straight advantage, with 700 Adam Rubery now up into 4th.  184 Aaron Vaight meanwhile spun on turn 2, deciding to re-join just as leader Sanders came around the turn at speed, causing him to spin in an attempt to miss the red grader handing the lead to Wrench - who was already coming under heavy pressure from Rubery.  Three to go and Rubery cleanly took it up, going on to take the win from Wrench and 575 Tom Clark.  A good win for 700 Adam Rubery who had to quickly fit a new clutch cable shortly before the race.
So, J.B Racing/St Austell Bay Motor Auctions sponsored World Final time and like I said earlier it was a night of BIG surprises, with the first of these being the completely unexpected withdrawal of front row starter and fancied runner 886 Chris Bradbury, who had fallen victim to a virus a couple of days prior to the meeting.  Despite giving it a go in Practice, the virus rendered him physically unable to take part.  I spoke to our Chris at the last F2 meeting before this and asked him how he felt about lining up next to multi-champion 218 Rob Speak on the front row of the big race, he remained tight lipped - as he did when I asked if he had 'a plan'.  Hell, if this was his 'plan' - then it was a pretty drastic one!  Another surprise was 38 Dave Polley, in a taped pre-meeting interview saying he was going to 'wreck Gordon Moodie',  hmm..., he was going to have to catch him first.  All this pre-race tension only added to the atmosphere and excitement and after all the introductions were completed - including an excellent and informative 'F1-style' grid walk by raceday commentator Steve Linfield - the 34 qualifiers lined up, and with Bradbury's non-appearance all the outside row drivers moved up a place, which saw last year's 3rd place finisher 823 Sam Wagner line up next to 'pole position' man, the legend that is 218 Rob Speak - with Scotsman 100 George MacMillan behind him and fellow Scot and 2002 Champion 647 Chris Burgoyne behind Wagner.
After the normal two rolling laps the 2013 F2 World Final was underway and like a bullet from a gun Speak launched himself to the front, it was a perfect start for the eight-times Champion and it was he who led the snarling pack into turn 1, chased by MacMillan and Wagner.  189 Paul Butcher was the first casualty, spinning on turn 2, this began a bit of a chain reaction culminating in a lost wheel and the waved yellows being shown and with only a lap completed the field lined up behind Speak for the re-start.  Among the non-starters were 3 Liam Rennie, 163 Craig Wallace, 76 Chris Rowe, 944 Ryan McCrory and 96 Jan Bekkers, but more importantly directly behind leaders Speak and MacMillan now were none other than 7 Gordon Moodie and 38 David Polley.
At the green once again 218 Speaky read the start perfectly and shot off as if he had a rocket up his rear-end, though behind him Moodie had almost matched him and when MacMillan went wide into turn 1 the silver roofed Scot went cleanly past down the inside of turn 2.  MacMillan recovered though and was able to take a lunge at Moodie as the 2 cars reached turn 3, pushing his fellow countryman wide but all this achieved was to allow Polley the opportunity to pass the pair of them and move into 2nd, with 823 Wagner then passing MacMillan to move into fourth behind Moodie.  And my God the pace was quick, you blinked you missed it!  All this had played nicely into the hands of leader Speak who now had almost the length of the main straight advantage - and this was only lap 3!  Moodie, though was soon on the rear bumper of Polley and as the two reached turn three, he gave the 38 car a big shove, more than hard enough to make the pass and Moodie was back into second.  By now Speak was already up among the backmarkers, which certainly seemed to slow the yellow car down a little, and as he attempted to find a way through a glance in his mirror would have shown him that Moodie was closing - and closing at speed.  The advantage was now down to only a couple of car lengths and it was obvious now to all that Moodie was the fastest man on the track.  When 218 Speak almost had a moment on turn 2, Moodie was within striking distance and as the two cars thundered down the back straight the inevitable happened, Moodie delivering a huge shot to the rear of the 218 machine, sending it clattering into the fence, and at half-distance the 2013 World Final had a new leader.
Speak, though, had recovered well and managed to get within several car lengths of Moodie as the Scot was hampered going into turns 1 and 2, by tailender 178 Mark Dews.  As the two cars came down the back straight once more, Speak managed to repeat the move Moodie had pulled on him a lap earlier and this time it was the number 7 car that bounced off the turn 3 plate fence, but this allowed Polley into the lead!  Moodie though recovered as quickly as Speak had done and as the 218 car headed for turn 1 in pursuit of Polley, it was Moodie who launched a suicidal attack, with little attempt to make the corner, hitting Speak at incredible speed, sending the Manchester driver sideways.  The two cars ploughed into the wall just past the pit-gate in a mighty crash - with the 218 car eventually ending up facing the wrong way against the fence on the exit of turn 2 in a crumpled mess.
Moodie however backed off the fence and for a brief moment looked to be continuing but then pulled the car onto the centre at the start of the back straight.  Whilst all this mayhem was taking place 964 John Fortune and 312 Christopher Kincaid, who were obviously trying to avoid the Speak/Moodie incident, tangled also on the exit of turn 2 with the 312 car towering up on to an inside marker tyre!  Needless to say, this was all enough for the waved yellow flags to come out.
By now the crowd were at fever pitch, and the level was raised even higher as Robbie Speak was helped from his wrecked car by track officials.  What was going to happen now, we all thought, as Speak made his way across the track to Moodie who had now exited his car.  In an instant, it was extended arms and hearty handshakes that's what, almost bringing a tear to the eye of those of a more emotional disposition, me included!
So, a bit of a delay followed whilst the track was cleared and the watching crowd got their breath back and then we were lined up for the 2013 World Championship - take 3/second-half - and if you thought the action and surprises were over, in the words of Backman Turner Overdrive (how old am I ?!) 'you ain't seen nothing yet' mate.
Surely unseen by most of the crowd had been MacMillan's passing of Polley to take the lead as the turn 2 action had unfolded and it was the popular Scotsman that led away the remaining 21 cars for the re-start from Polley, 921 Jack Aldridge, 647 Chris Burgoyne and, surprisingly, local star 676 Neil Hooper - who had started the race originally way back on row 17.  At the green, Aldridge immediately launched a vicious attack on Polley into turn 1 which allowed himself and both Burgoyne and Hooper to pass the 38 car, so it was now Aldridge who was behind the quickly-up-to-speed MacMillan, with Polley recovering but now down to 5th.  Next lap and the order was MacMillan, Aldridge, Hooper, Burgoyne, 783 James Rygor, 522 Chris Mikulla - with Polley now going backwards down the field as he found himself passed by defending champion 1 Micky Brennan and 401 Barry Goldin among others.
At the front 100 MacMillan looked to be pulling away a little from Aldridge, with a half-straight advantage, with a similar gap between second place and Hooper in third.  With 5 to go the order was the same, and it remained that way as the 4 lap board was shown, with Scotsman MacMillan looking to be in control at the front.  3 to go and still nothing had changed but as the 2 lap board is readied by Mr Starter Alan Wilson several cars spin on turns 3 and 4, including Dews and Goldin, with 124 Ollie Skeels also spinning on the exit of turn 4, coming to a stop almost in the middle of the raceway where he is collected by H19 Jelle Kurstjens.
As leader MacMillan rounded turn 3 to start the final lap he had to instantly make his mind up which way he is going to pass the stranded Skeels and Kurstjens cars that were still in the middle of the track.  Unfortunately he took the narrower inside option which was simply just not wide enough and the unlucky Scotsman - who almost had one hand on the winner's trophy - caught an inner kerb/marker tyre and was launched into the air spectacularly.
Aldridge looked to capitalise, but as Kurstjens bounced back off MacMillan, he did so right in the path of Aldridge, who clobbered the plating.  With a damaged front end, Aldridge was now the leader, but he had Hooper pushing his ailing car over the start-finish line to start the final lap.  Behind them, Burgoyne was closing in, and he pounced, entering turn 1.  Aldridge had little control, as he careered into the bend, shoved aside by Hooper, but with Burgoyne weighing in for added effect.  In less than one lap, MacMillan, Aldridge, Hooper and Burgoyne had all had been the leader of the World Final.  Burgoyne led down the back straight.  Hooper set off in pursuit.  One of these two stars would surely win the title.
Burgoyne went in deep, forcing Hooper to do likewise to land a heavy last bend assault.  Burgoyne is sent towards the fence, with the momentum taking Hooper wide, too.  As the pair of them struggled to turn their cars for the scramble to the line, cheeky James Rygor, keeping his right foot firmly to the floor, powered past both of them tight on the inside and steals the win in an absolutely incredible move that will probably be talked about for years, and rightly so!  At the flag there really was only inches between the first three – Rygor, Burgoyne and Hooper - but it might as well have been miles.
Amidst the usual lashings of champagne, Westbury's favourite son James Rygor was duly crowned 2013 BriSCA F2 Champion of the World.  As commentator Linfield quipped at the presentation, “You couldn't have scripted it!” and he certainly had a point, particularly as neither new World Champion Rygor or third place man Hooper were even IN the title race at the start of the meeting!  522 Chris Mikulla was certainly good value for 4th, with the hugely unlucky MacMillan just behind him in 5th with a flat rear tyre.
Interestingly second placed man Burgoyne was using an engine built by joint title race sponsor 'JB Racing' for the first time and third placed Hooper had the support of 'St Austell Bay Motor Auctions' - so even the sponsors, whose backing is always very much appreciated, were happy.
Back in the pit area and the Moodie crew were frantically working on the number 7 car that surprisingly had only a broken rear drive-shaft and N/S/F suspension/steering damage - while at the Speak motorhome I got a short but seemingly accurate answer from the man himself to my question about the once immaculate 218 machine “It's scrap...........!”
The first consolation was the next race for the F2s and 33 cars lined up and at the green it was 526 Marc Rowe who once again took an early lead in what was a lively event.  Unfortunately for him though, as in his earlier heat, there was a race stoppage after 299 Steve Smith and 736 Scott Douglas tangled on turns 3 and 4, and his only consolation was to lead away the re-start.  At the green it was yellow grader and sole Cornish World Final representative 302 Dale Moon who quickly took over at the front from Rowe, with the 'Ladies Favourite' setting a blistering pace on his way to a comfortable and deserved win from 315 Justin Fisher.  It was almost another yellow grade victory in the 28 car second consolation, as 464 Matt Linfield quickly made his way to the front and drove superbly in a race that included both Goldin and the repaired Moodie.  Although I know many were willing the popular Billinghurst man on (including me!) 2003 World Champion Goldin judged things just right and passed the 464 car down the back straight on the final lap - with Moodie surprisingly only managing to finish third, though in reality it was a wonder the silver-roofed machine was out there at all after its earlier hammering.
The 'Anderson Racing Engines' sponsored final saw 33 cars line up to battle for the coveted Alan Benson Trophy which was led initially by 734 Glen Sanders but yellow grader 575 Tom Clark was the real star of this one, taking the lead before half-distance and setting a furious pace that most simply couldn't live with - with the exception of 20 David Tagell who kept him in his sights for most of the race and Moodie who was up to fourth by the time the Union Jack came out.  With 5 to go it was still Clark out front, carving his way impressively through the back markers, but Moodie was now into third and taking rapid strides towards Tagell's second place.  The Stoke man though didn't seem unduly concerned about the silver 7 car that was filling his mirror and put up an excellent fight to the last corner of the last lap when Moodie pushed him just wide enough to snatch the place as the two cars powered toward the line - but Clark had already finished and the Cornish driver that so impressed me at the start of the season had taken his maiden final win - and among quite prestigious company too.

Saloon Stock Cars

It was 'Bill Lomas Motor Services' sponsored European Championship qualifying time for the mighty Saloon Stock Cars and an excellent entry of 51 arrived to battle for points to determine starting places on the grid for the Sunday running of the title race.  Defending Champion 120 Shane Brown had laid down the gauntlet early by recording fastest time in pre-race practice but with planned 30 car grids for each of the 5 heats - with each driver competing in 3 races - it was going to be difficult to say the least for the local star starting from the very back of the field.
Heat 1 was a fast race with plenty of pushing-and-shoving with 314 Jason Barraclough storming away at the start from the white grade, a complete straight ahead of the chasing 631 Peter Low by lap 3.  Unfortunately though his big advantage was cut to nothing after the waved yellows came out for 607 Steve Honeyman who had come to a stop half way along the back straight.  Barraclough led away the remaining 22 cars at the re-start, pursued by 315 Tristan Claydon, 56 Georgie Boult and 156 Darren Goudy but just as Claydon took over at the helm the yellow flags came out once more for a rear wheel guard that had come adrift on turn 3.  This time it was Claydon, Boult and now 402 Shaun Webster that led away the 18 car re-start, with Claydon seemingly making the best of it at the green only to receive the 'black-cross' for his efforts as 402 Webster moved into second.  Last lap and 402 Webster was close enough to push the 315 car wide into turn 3 to snatch the win, with Claydon holding on to cross the line just behind the Sheffield star but then being docked 2 places for a jump-start, promoting Boult to second and Goudy to a well deserved third after an excellent battle with 360 Carl Waterfield.
Heat 2 saw 120 Shane Brown among the 30 starters but it was 314 Jason Barraclough who once again made the best of his second row start from the white grade, leading past half-distance, with ex-National Banger star 349 Michael Allard always looking a threat - and certainly keeping the crowd entertained – as Brown stormed through the field from the back.  A problem for 220 Casey Englestone brought out the waved yellows shortly before the end and as the dust settled it was indeed defending European Champion Brown who led away the re-start, from 460 Cliff Friend, 315 Tristan Claydon and 402 Shaun Webster for a 3-lap dash to the flag - which Brown duly won, with 402 Webster managing to pass both Claydon and Friend to finish runner-up.
Heat 3 was run just after the F2 World Final and was by far the best heat so far of the night with heavy, bruising action all around the raceway from the start.  Shortly before half-distance the waved yellows came out for an incident on turn 1 involving 220 Englestone - which was a shame as up until then it had been a thoroughly entertaining race - and the snarling pack lined up behind 670 Ross Waters for the re-start.  There was no let-up in the action at the green either, though oblivious to this Waters somehow managed to pull out almost a complete straight lead over second place man 176 Murray Jones after only 2 laps into the re-started race but 499 David Aldous was steadily barging his way through the field and before long was sniffing the rear of the 176 Jones car; 120 Shane Brown had also managed to negotiate his way through from the back and was looking as menacing as ever when the race was stopped once more after 131 had rolled at the end of the main staright, after clipping leader 670 Waters among others, and then being sent side over side by 684 Ian McLaughlin ending up on his roof with fuel pouring out of the back of the up-turned machine - just after 499 Aldous had relieved 670 Waters of the lead on turns 1 and 2.  For a moment the crowd held their breath but thankfully all drivers slowed quickly and a potential disaster was averted, and the incident quickly dealt with by the as always professional track staff.  So at the re-start, as in the earlier heat there was a 3-lap dash for the honours with Aldous leading Brown and Jones - and that is how they finished.
Heat 4 had the lowest turnout of cars all evening only producing 21 starters - and that dropped to 20 as 158 Shane Davies pulled onto the centre before the green - but it was still a fast, furious and at times pretty destructive race with 402 Shaun Webster giving 916 Luke Thomas in the borrowed 1 Eddie Darby car a big hurry-up into turn 3 to start things off and World Champion 618 Stuart Shevill spinning brother Graeme in the 661 car also on turn 4 as 670 Ross Waters took over at the front from 911 Ian 'Chopper' Harris.  Waters’ lead was short lived though as 460 Cliff Friend brushed him aside to take it up but before he could get into his stride 618 Shevill spun 911 Harris - who ended up facing the wrong way half-way along the start/finish straight - and 241 Rab Copland in an effort to avoid a stonking head-on swerved and hit an infield marker tyre harder than is recommended to ensure the yellow flags came out.  The re-start saw Friend just in front of 641 Willie Skoyles and after an initial false-start the race got underway once more and just after half-distance Skoyles moved to the front - with 402 Webster and 156 Darren Goudy also climbing to second and third as the pace picked up and although action continued around the raceway the first 3 managed to keep their heads and finish in that order - although 156 Goudy did pass 402 Webster for a time the Sheffield star re-took the place on the last corner of the final lap.
The last race of the evening was heat 5 and with 29 runners-and-riders it was another bruising affair - particularly for young 995 Ben Goddard who got spun coming out of turn 4 and then hit hard by several passing cars ending up across the track at the end of the start/finish straight and bringing understandable waved yellows. Thankfully the charismatic man from Highbridge was none the worse for wear and the remaining 23 cars lined up behind 460 Cliff Friend for the re-start.  At the green a good battle between Friend and 220 Englestone began at the front - while further back 120 Shane Brown survived an attack from Allard, the 120 car spinning in a complete circle and carrying on - hardly losing a place - which was even more spectacular as Brown was in the middle of a charging group of cars at the time!  At half-distance the order was Englestone, Friend and 620 Aaryn Triggs but before long 401 Steve Webster had pushed his way into second as the action continued at each end of the track - and down both straights as drivers settled scores from the earlier heats!  With 4 to go Webster had taken the lead and that is where he stayed to the flag, with 120 Shane Brown emerging through the carnage to snatch a superb second place after his earlier scare, from Skoyles and blue-grader  Triggs.  And with that the curtain came down on an amazing night of oval motorsport, an epic if you listen to some, if only we could have a World Final Weekend every week at Smeatharpe.