Smeatharpe Stadium - Sunday 14th November 2021

The final BriSCA F2 meeting in the south-west for 2021 was, as per tradition, for the splendid Ladies Trophy in memory of Marylin Farrell, while a big field of Stock Rods competed for the Ron Trickey Memorial trophy in their West of England Championship. The programme was completed by Unlimited cc Old Skool Bangers.

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

A decent showing of locals, particularly among the lower grades, was supplemented by travellers to muster 34 cars for the season’s curtain call, although sadly last year’s Ladies Trophy winner 184 Aaron Vaight was not among them, having broken down en route.  The regular long-distance traveller gallantly completed the journey by car to ensure the trophy could be presented on the day.  The opening heat began in dramatic fashion when 970 Archie Farrell spun away the lead and a yellow-grade pile-up left 33 Matt Peters a little worse for wear, requiring an early caution.  Blue top 689 Joe Marquand quickly hit the front, but it took superstar 315 Justin Fisher until five laps from home to depose 251 Craig Driscoll from second, by which time Marquand had checked out.  A strong showing from 540 Dayne Pritlove had him leading heat two until beyond half-distance when passed by 828 Julian Coombes.  But the quickest man on track was teenager 992 Harley Burns who overhauled Coombes with four laps to go, while 890 Paul Rice shoved Coombes wide for second a couple of laps later.  Track champion 24 Jon Palmer slowed to retire from fourth in the closing stages and would have to take his place in the consolation alongside the likes of 522 Chris Mikulla and 302 Dale Moon, who had also suffered mechanical maladies.  While Mikulla was the victim of a fencing from 584 Charlie Sime, Palmer and Moon made light work of the opposition to run 1-2 by half-distance.  But Palmer didn’t appear to have the ultimate pace and after being bumped wide by Moon with three laps to go, immediately slowed to retire once more with recurring differential problems, his afternoon run.  Moon won from 988 Charlie Lobb and debutant 509 Jordan Butcher, who showed strong pace throughout.  After The Ladies Trophy was paraded through the grid by sisters Millie and Stella Farrell, brother Archie again contributed to a chaotic start in the final when he spun and was collected by Pritlove, with Butcher then spinning away the lead on the back straight.  With a number of the Yellows and Blues also tangling, and 948 John Brereton left stranded facing the traffic on bend four, an early caution was required which gave Butcher a reprieve as he returned to the head of the field from Sime, Coombes and a dangerous looking Rice already fourth.  Coombes took over the lead before a back-straight spin put Rice ahead from Sime, 35 Charlie Fisher and 667 Tommy Farrell.  Fisher and Farrell moved into second and third around half-distance but, as the leaders negotiated backmarking traffic, neither the chasing duo nor Burns – recovering from getting delayed in the early skirmishes – could catch Rice who took the flag to add his name to the illustrious roll of honour on The Ladies Trophy.  The action wasn’t over, as Archie Farrell clipped the inside marker tyre after crossing the line, launching himself into a roll to complete an entertaining showing from the youngster in the meeting in memory of his grandmother. At the trophy presentation, a delighted Fisher spoke for many when he said, “For us, this is like the south-west World Final,” while an equally pleased Rice added, “I don’t think I’m interested in what’s about to come!” in reference to the traditional ‘champagne overcoat’ he was about to receive.  After the ritual soaking, the top four completed a merited lap of honour.  Burns produced a dominant performance to win the allcomers race for the Trackscene Trophy, leading from before half-distance.  Tommy Farrell pushed past Coombes for second with five laps to go, but didn’t leave his prey enough space on the back straight, and the pair tangled with spectacular results.  The 828 car went up the wall and rolled onto its roof, leading to a stoppage.  Pritlove passed Farrell as the incident unfolded, but he was shuffled back down the order in the restarted race, with Farrell and Moon completing the top three.  Mikulla was fourth, despite a heavy hit into the home straight wall after another tangle with Sime earlier in the race, while Rice came through to sixth from the lap handicap after a last-bend sort-out.

Stock Rods

A 27-car entry of non-contact machinery was split to contest two from three heats, with drawn grids reversed for each driver’s second outing.  909 Justin Washer converted pole position into a comfortable win in the opener, which had begun in very messy fashion at the start of the race.  Washer headed home Saloon Stock Car star 277 Jack Grandon and 441 Tom Major, who just held off 728 Kris Woods’s Toyota Starlet.  933 Darren Waters led the opening stages of heat two but when he ran wide it let 76 Martin Larcombe and 944 Callum Hosie through.  Hosie then nosed inside for a decisive lead, while 14 Ross Montgomery worked his way through to second and Larcombe completed the top three.  9 Chris Drake and 437 Lewis Trickey disputed the lead in heat three, but their squabble allowed 227 Jodie Hawkins to close in.  While Hawkins’s partner Grandon appeared to be having trouble in his Vauxhall Tigra throughout the race, it worked out perfectly for Hawkins as the leaders sought to lap him in the closing stages.  With the front two wrong-footed, Hawkins pounced to take the lead with a lap to go.  She won from Drake and 426 Keith Channon as Trickey dropped to fourth.  The heat results left Hosie and Washer on the front row of the grid for the final, with Hawkins and Larcombe on row two and Montgomery and Major completing the front six.  From the outside, Washer made the best start but wasn’t quite able to pull in front of Hoise before the first bend, contact between the pair as Washer tried to cut in pushing Washer wide and letting Hosie take a clear lead.  The duo stretched out a big lead as they negotiated backmarking traffic.  The gaps between the leaders continued to stretch as Hosie took a comfortable win from Washer, with Montgomery – having overhauled Hawkins for third – more than half a lap down.  The Grand National, started in graded order, was led for many laps by 841 Dave Hosking before 286 Martin Walker Jr took over, but the higher-graded drivers were given a chance by a caution with three laps to go when Hosking’s bonnet flew off and precipitated his retirement.  From fourth in the queue, Grandon squeezed inside Hawkins for third, then picked off 762 Charlie Edwards and a slowing Walker to take the flag.  But Grandon’s over-enthusiasm in easing aside Woods on the restart had earned him a black cross and dropped him to third, with Woods inheriting the win from Edwards.

Unlimited cc Old Skool Bangers

A 14-car entry of Bangers included the returns of a Mk10 Jaguar for 290 Jay Tomkins and Mk2 Granadas for each of 114 Nick Courtier and 133 Terry Hill.  991 Ben Hale’s BMW pulled clear in heat one as Tomkins’s wallowing machine delayed the pursuers.  But 185 Richard Coaker eventually reeled the leader in and pipped him to the flag, 282 Steve Hunt completing a BMW 1-2-3.  Hale wasn’t to be denied as he eased to a comfortable victory in heat two, with 246 Ryan Sparks’s Lexus just edging Hunt in a tight finish for second.  The final, still run to Old Skool rules, was initially led by 954 Jamie Beere, but Sparks came through quickly to second then passed Beere when he ran wide.  Sparks took the win while second for Beere, just holding off Hill, was enough to clinch the points championship.