Smeatharpe Stadium - Monday 3rd August 2020

BriSCA Formula Two’s August Accumulator series attracted a large entry for its second round in two days, joined once again by the Heritage Formula Two stock cars on their annual Westcountry Tour. Unlimited cc National Bangers made their seasonal debut at Smeatharpe Stadium on what was billed as a Big Night for the Big Bangers.

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

An impressive 41 BriSCA F2 stock cars were in action, including five drivers who had travelled across the country to race at Skegness, St Day and Smeatharpe on consecutive days. Northern Irish visitor NI747 Bradley McKinstry led the intrepid quintet, with 24 Jon Palmer, 184 Aaron Vaight and track debutants 42 Mark Adkins and 731 Sam Jacklin all deserving credit for the efforts. Heat one went the way of 783 James Rygor after he had enjoyed trading hits with returnee 539 Steve Hartnett as the pair battled behind long-time leader 920 Wayne Wadge. When Rygor eventually broke clear of Hartnett, he reeled in Wadge and pulled off a textbook last-bend hit for the win. After St Day final winner 320 Matt Hatch and 538 Chevy Mills enjoyed spells in front of heat two, Vaight took over before half distance and couldn’t be caught by British champion 542 Steven Gilbert whose attempted last-bend lunge almost cost him second to 560 Luke Wrench. Hatch continued his fine form with a win in the consolation. He looked to have lost out to 282 Ant Riley with a couple of laps to go.  Hatch fought back and his challenge on Riley caused the north west driver to spin, and clearly miffed, Riley rejoined a lap later directly across the path of the leaders, but Hatch squeezed by to take the flag, leaving 302 Dale Moon hindered in the process, which allowed 736 Josh Weare to beat Moon to second. An action-packed start to the 30-car final led to early yellow flags when 183 Charlie Guinchard gave the ‘thumbs down’ after being collected by 91 Harrison Bryant. Palmer and 895 Ben Goddard joined Guinchard on the sidelines. Hatch led the restart for several laps but 522 Chris Mikulla was on a charge. Having just missed out a week earlier, Mikulla was not to be denied this time and moved in front before half distance before streaking clear. With the leaders surprisingly spread out, Mikulla went on to a comfortable win from 418 Ben Borthwick and Mills. McKinstry, last week’s roller 488 Liam Bentham and Hatch completed the top six. It was Mikulla’s his first feature success at the track for three years and signalled a return to the red grade. “I was quite enjoying it off blue,” Mikulla told commentator Alan McLachlan after the race. “I was in no rush to go back to red!” The Grand National also raised 30 cars, with a belated first outing of the night for 710 Vince Stone.  The race did not go well for Borthwick who had an early spin and then collided with Riley, leaving both with damage. Nor did it go well for Stone, on his first appearance of the season. Stone missed his heat, then did not start the consolation due to an apparent misfire, and his bad luck continued when he spun and was collected by Weare, leading to a caution period. It was Wadge who led the way and he continued to do so beyond half distance until Rygor took over. Gilbert moved into second but it took a while for him to make an impression on Rygor’s lead. He wasn’t really close enough for a last-bend lunge but gave it a good go anyway. No contact was made and Rygor won with Gilbert holding on to second from Wrench and Wadge, who – like Hatch – had a profitable night from the white grade with the August Accumulator’s multiplier scoring system in effect.

Unlimited cc National Bangers

The 18-car entry was a decent effort for a weekday meeting and was topped by 148 Reece Frayne’s (used) Mk10 Jaguar. Heat one featured early action with 659 Mike Clements’ well used Mk3 Granada getting trashed even before a head-on hit from one-time world champion 907 Cameron Bradford (Lexus). While 988 Billy Dennison thundered 458 Layton Quinn’s Mk2 Granada into a marker tyre, red flags came out to assist Clements. Another stoppage was required to retrieve a wheel lost from Frayne’s car, but meantime, 278 Shaun Brokenshire (Mercedes estate) was leading the way. He was eventually chased down and pushed wide by world champion 190 Steve Bailey (Scorpio), who went on to win from Brokenshire and 133 Terry Hill, before gifting his trophy to a delighted young supporter in the crowd. A quieter heat two was won by Brokenshire, who led throughout, from 114 Liam Lake, while Bailey picked his way through to third. The final featured some heavy crashing in the pits bend.  Frayne was attacked by 372 Jay Matthews, who was then absolutely clobbered by Dennison, which left the latter exposed to another thundering hit from 360 Jack Reynolds.  Thereafter, the race was relatively quiet, with Bailey once again working his way from the back of the field. He took second from Hill with five laps to go, then relieved Lake of the lead two laps later, with the top three then unchanged to the flag.

BriSCA Heritage Stock Cars

A strong 22-car field was split into a 2/3 heat format, although one car failed to race. The first heat was won in impressive style by 47 Giles Carter. From the very back of the grid he moved into the lead before halfway and won from 763 Andy Bateman and 728 Graham Bunter after 198 Alan Nicholson and 559 Phil Hickerton hooked up while well placed. Hickerton bounced back to win heat two; he passed the fast 536 John Ferguson in the closing stages and while Ferguson gamely tried to fight back, his efforts only pitched his own car into the wall, so 762 Phil Smith came through for second with Carter third. Ferguson opened up a big lead as he motored to victory in heat three, although 580 John Perrett almost connected on the final bend. Fifteen cars survived for the final, and this time it was Perrett who built a big advantage he never looked like losing. Perrett won by nearly half a lap from veteran F2 driver Nicholson, with Smith completing the top three.