United Downs Raceway - Easter Sunday 20th April 2014

Some wretched weather threw a real dampener over this year’s Boneshaker.  The rain came a good hour or so before start time, resulting in difficult track conditions throughout the day.

2 Litre National Bangers

As seems to be standard practice for major National Bangers events, there was a disappointing sprinkling of no-shows from the original entry list.  That left no representation from the south coast, and a void in terms of the quartet of Dingles who were due to be present.

The format was such that Boneshaker was up first, with all drivers to grid.  The first attempt barely ent three laps, before red flags were called for 141 Toby Tiddy who had been shaken up in a big crash at the end of the back straight.  A heavily depleted field took the green flag for the second attempt, and 189 Ry Beardwell struck early, when he bundled one of the pre-race favourites, 190 Steve Bailey, into the pits bend, which knocked a wheel of the World Champion’s car.  162 Brett Ellacott charged into Beardwell, but this served only to help the lead pair of 45 Anthony Croshaw and 714 Paul Smaldon to ease clear.  452 Anthony Sleeman gave pursuit in third, but he dropped down the order and out of the race on lap five.  By this stage, numbers had been reduced significantly, and at the midway point, just five cars were left circulating.  Croshaw was untroubled out front, and he went on to win emphatically, with Smaldon second, and Ellacott in third.  429 Sammy Trengove and 383 Andre McLellan completed the five who went the full distance.

The first Allcomers race was won by 239 Steve Carter, but only after a stoppage when Bailey followed in 97 Craig Deer in the turnstile end in a monster crash.  Both cars rolled, and 641 Martyn Smith saw the rear of his car decimated in the same incident.

The second Allcomers started and stopped quickly, when 353 Mark Phillips was knocked about after 648 Jamie Smith had blasted him in the turnstile bend.  133 Terry Hill led the re-run initially, but Sleeman edged past and went on to win from Carter.

Just Bailey and Trengove appeared for the DD, and after taking it in turns to drive into one another, it was Bailey who administered the telling blow which silenced the 429 car.

Saloon Stock Cars

The first outing of the season for Saloon Stock Cars at St Day raised a field of 18 drivers, including two from Scotland – 620 Aaryn Triggs and 611 Adam Low.  Only one third of the entry was comprised of westcountry based drivers.  A good run by 800 Scott Greenslade saw the East Anglian lead the opening heat for some time.  However, 460 Cliff Friend swept by to continue his fine start to the season.  The second heat was a boisterous affair, which even continued after the chequered had fallen on 401 Steve Webster.  Triggs was stranded in the pits bend, and 56 Georgie Boult punted 158 Shane Davies into the parked car.  This was a continuation of the feud that had been evident at Northampton on Good Friday.  An incensed Davies chased after Boult and ran into him on the infield, which earned him a Load Up for the day.  As the star men fought amongst themselves in the Western Championship final, it was 995 Ben Goddard who broke free from the blue grade.  Showing his best form of the year to date, Goddard proceeded to get to the front and he went on to win from Webster and track debutant, English Champion 306 Daniel Parker.

Unlimited cc National Bangers

Despite world Championship points being on offer, there was a very low car count in the unlimited cc National Bangers.  The opening heat saw a debut for 668 Wayne Goldsmith.  Early on, 650 Jamie Seery was bundled into the turnstile bend fence, which brought an early conclusion to his day.  The race was won by 452 Anthony Sleeman, but his car expired as he approached the finish line, and he did not race again for the afternoon.  In heat two, 67 Sam Richards made his St Day track debut, yet whilst it was short lived, it was also memorable.  After Goldsmith scuttled Richards up the back straight fence, the blue Volvo estate came to a temporary halt, whereby 648 Jamie Smith arrived at full chat to steam into him with a thunderous hit.  148 Reece Frayne was another early casualty.  162 Brett Ellacott took the chequered, leading home Goldsmith and 74 Adam Hitchcock.  Only those three were available for the final, which brought Ellacott another win, and saw him surge clear on the World points chart after just two rounds.

Ministox

A surprise appearance from 219 Harry Steward helped to swell the Ministox entry to 14 drivers, and it was the lower graders who coped best with the slippery conditions.  In the opening heat, 987 Ethan Pope scored his first win of the season.  The second heat was led from green flag to chequered by 943 Hannah Esau.  In her first meeting from the front of the grid, Esau held her nerve in the closing stages when Pope and 922 Joe Parker closed on her, to clinch a career first win.  In the Snell Family Trophy final, 986 Sophie Fasey recorded the best result by a star grader, as she charged through to second, but it was 931 Jack Manhire who took the win – his first ever – and he was thrilled to receive the coveted prize.  667 Tommy Farrell completed the top three.