Smeatharpe Stadium - Sunday 20th May 2018

The second day of the 2018 Speedweekend at Smeatharpe Stadium was blessed with wonderful late Spring weather and saw the Saloon Stock Cars contest their European Championship, BriSCA F2 Stock Cars Benevolent Fund Trophy whilst the National Micro Bangers reverted to individual racing.

Saloon Stock Cars

The Saloon Stock Cars had five qualifying heats on Saturday evening to determine the grid for the European Championship and the meeting started with a Last Chance race where a final six (ultimately seven) went through to the main race.  It was won by 888 Shane Emerson after Scotsman 301 Raymond Dick had led almost the whole way, only to be spun around at the very last.  The grid for the European saw veteran 116 Diggy Smith on pole position with 620 Aaryn Triggs alongside, 360 Carl Waterfield and 428 Lee Sampson on row two, 349 Michael Allard and 661 Greame Shevill on row three with English Champion 27 Kieren Bradford on grid eight, defending title holder 730 Deane Mayes on nine and World Champion 306 Daniel Parker on 15.  Smith executed a perfect start, whereas Triggs alongside was slower away and this allowed Smith to get a good and quick break as the pack largely managed to negotiate most of the first lap.  That was until turn three when an attempt to run four wide saw Shevill collect an inner marker tyre and he, Triggs and Sampson all went spinning and crashing and others were significantly held up.  All of this left Smith with a big lead at such an early stage and with Diggy’s craft and experience combined it was extended further as the race went on.  There were battles and exchanges throughout, but none that troubled the leader, with the rest really relying on a yellow flag to get back on to terms.  The race for second for several laps was between Mayes and 157 Max Stott with the two passing and re-passing until a hard hit from Mayes on to Stott sent the 157 car spinning.  Mayes too then had a lonely race in second with 670 Ross Watters moving into third.  At the end of the 25 laps Smith was half a lap clear and had lapped all up to fourth place in a hugely impressive drive.  This was his fourth European Championship win and his first for 18 years and in his post race interview he proclaimed that “…he had done it before and was going to do it all again!”  Given his age and experience, which he was happy to share is 47 years old he said he “…would carry on until he was 60.”  Mayes had to make do with another podium, this time as outgoing champion in second and it was a good result for Watters with third.  The two Allcomers races were merged into one and with a 30 car grid it was spectacular stuff once again and featured two yellow flags.  641 Willie Skoyles moved ahead of 99 Jacob Roff to lead, but to his credit Roff stuck with the former European Champion.  He went for his move on the penultimate bend rather than the last bend, which allowed Skoyles to come back at him for a last bend attack.  The pair came to the line side by side but Roff just got there.   The meeting Final was led initially by 172 Jack Rust until Roff took over when the back marking 116 Smith sent the 99 car into 172.  Roff then held off Barnes in a battle but a yellow flag after 84 Carl Boswell’s car was collected by 199 Phil Powell and 218 Jacob Downey.  Barnes had the opportunity at the re-start but he appeared to lose drive at the flag and this allowed Roff clear to record his career first Final win. 600 Barry Russell made second and Allard third.

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

The BriSCA F2 Stock Car entry was, as is often the case, a few down on the previous evening but all the main players were present for the Benevolent Fund Trophy, which is what it is about, a race aimed at getting as many red tops as possible to raise awareness for the Fund.   First was heat one with those drivers not in the Ben Fund race and was won by 667 Tommy Farrell.  The 27 car grid for the Benevolent Fund Trophy featured all bar one of the blue graded drivers present and all star and superstar graded drivers.  For one of the favourites, 676 Neil Hooper it was to be a non-start as his fuel pump failed as he pulled to grid.  It was fellow Devonians 245 Nigel Fordham and 315 Justin Fisher who started from the front row and it was Fordham who led off whilst the exchanges amongst the other blue graders saw several gone in the opening lap or laps and left 359 Gary Wrench, 578 Mark Gibbs and 722 John Broach tangled on turns three and four and when they were joined by 542 Steven Gilbert, who developed a small fire under the bonnet the yellow flags were called on lap four.  By then, Saturday night Final winner 560 Luke Wrench was already up to third place and he moved ahead of Fisher and Fordham straight into the re-start and from then was never headed as he pulled clear on his way to a comprehensive win.  Fisher and 700 Adam Rubery disputed second for several laps until the latter moved ahead whilst the main battle was to be fourth between 127 Matt Stoneman and latterly 101 Kelvyn Marshall and 7 Gordon Moodie.  Another time this might have been expected to be the battle for the lead but not on this occasion. So it was Wrench, Rubery and Fisher on the podium.  468 Sam Weston was the consolation race winner before the 30 car Final for the Ray Tyldesley “641” trophy in memory of the first ever winner of the Benevolent Fund Trophy in 1979.  There was a red flag and complete re-run after Weston hit a tyre, and Hooper’s bad day continued with involvement in this and they were not part of take two.  328 Andy Walker was the early leader until caught and passed by 890 Paul Rice.  Again, many of the star names were not making appreciable progress and Rice pulled clear at the front.  It was 464 Matt Linfield who gave chase in second but he couldn’t get near enough to mount a challenge and Wrench made moves late on to climb to third.  Rice though, was the winner, and he received the beautiful trophy, in memory of Ray Tyldesley who would have raced with Rice’s grandfather Ernie Rice in the late 1970s.  A 30 car Grand National rounded out the weekend and once again saw Wrench take the chequered flag.

National Micro Bangers

The National Micro Bangers, this time in individual racing saw a good entry of cars, many of whom had been repaired from the previous evening, whilst others were fresh and there were a sprinkling of drivers who raced on Sunday only.  The action was heavier than on Saturday throughout with big hits going on. 133 Terry Hill took heat one and 190 Steve Bailey heat two.  Much of the action in the Final involved the yellow and black cars that had formed TYB the previous evening, versus DWO members with the south coast visitors in particular giving as good as they were getting.  Despite having to have a red flag stoppage and re-start, it was 836 Adam Oldham who took the win ahead of 842 Jack Perkins and 45 Anthony Croshaw.  The DD actually provided what could become the most memorable part of the Banger side of the weekend with 160 Jamie Warr on the wrong end of two huge hits, one at each end of the car which left it in an impressive wreck.  Thankfully he was all okay to exit what was left of it unaided.  Despite 838 Jamie Peters somehow keeping a mangled car mobile, it was ultimately 74 Adam Hitchcock who outlasted them all to be the last car moving, and therefore the winner.