United Downs Raceway - Sunday 6th June 2021

After a gloomy morning, the weather improved immeasurably to leave the United Downs Raceway bathed in afternoon sunshine for the circuit’s first of two fixtures in the month of June.  Guests at the meeting were members of the Why Don’t You club, who had recently worked alongside graffiti artist ‘Cosmic’ as part of a community project that saw a colourful decoration of one of the storage containers.

Stock Rods

Numbers in the Stock Rods dipped slightly but did include star grader 351 Rhys Langdown on his first appearance of the season.  728 Kris Woods was in top form as he sped to victory in the opening heat.  The race had begun in untidy fashion when 944 Callum Hosie, 441 Tom Major and 204 Georgie Biggs were caught out in a first lap incident.  After a brief caution period, Woods took control and stormed to the chequered in his Toyota Starlet, despite spending the final third of the race battling with British Champion 909 Justin Washer who was recovering from an earlier spin.  Woods scored an even more emphatic win in the Stock Rods final, as he again got into the lead early on.  862 Darryl Cock gave chase but had to settle for second and Washer completed the top three.  The Grand National started with some chaotic incidents involving Cock and 285 Martin Walker, which aided Woods as he looked to get into contention despite his one lap handicap.  Langdown took command and reeled off his first win of the year.

Ministox

The youngsters were in good numbers, which resulted in a two from three heat format.  A caution period was required in the first heat, when 942 Leon Williams inadvertently spun 920 Wayne Wadge Jnr.  Williams led off the restart, but sailed heavily into the turnstile bend fence, as 577 Harry Darby capitalised, to take the win, ahead of 382 Corey Hunt.  Heat two included a rollover for 919 Oscar Berry, as he bounced off the turnstile bend fence and on to his side.  242 Amy Williams needed attention after a heavy trip to the pits bend fence, when challenged by 055 Olivia Herzig.  The leader through all this was 770 Austin Farrell, but when he tried to fend off 907 Cadan Davies, backmarker 922 Kaydi Butcher was innocently caught up in the skirmish and she crashed out on the start line.  Hunt tidied up proceedings in the closing stages to win ahead of 917 Troy Hemmins.  Austin Farrell led heat three until late in the race, but he could not hold off Darby and Hemmins who finished first and second respectively.  Darby proceeded to complete his hat-trick, as he ran out a convincing winner of the Ministox Mayhem Trophy final, with Hunt the runner-up and 870 Bert Farrell in third.

2 Litre Bangers

A few less 2 Litre Bangers than had been expected attended the first Supreme Championship qualifying round, which included two super smart cars – those of 95 Marcus Bunt and 846 Jacob Read.  Bunt led the opening race, despite a challenge from 114 Luke Niles.  However, in the second half of the race 452 Anthony Sleeman hit the front and completed an emphatic win.  There was to be no repeat in heat two, however, as Sleeman was comprehensively buried by 53 Chris James, which saw the latter loaded up for the day after transgressing the Old Skool rules.  196 Phil Chapman was out front, but 238 Jake Hughes reeled him in in the latter stages to claim the win.  The action was cranked up considerably for the National Bangers final, with Niles on the receiving end in the turnstile bend.  908 David Brown was also thundered around the fence, and 278 Shaun Brokenshire blitzed 208 Kieran Barrett.  Just three cars went the distance, as Hughes won again, this time from 648 Jamie Smith and Brokenshire.  A lively Allcomers race concluded the day, and began with Bunt clobbering Read, who was then walloped by Barrett.  That gave Smith the chance to fire into Barrett, before he turned his attentions on Hughes, and when Brokenshire stormed into Hughes, it left just Smith and Brokenshire to complete the race distance, with Smith the winner.

Old Skool unlimited cc Bangers.

The big cars were low in numbers and equally low on action, as just seven drivers sped around the circuit in three races that were devoid of action – less the fault of those drivers present, more to do with those who continually ask for Old Skool unlimited cc fixtures, but fail to support them.  954 Jamie Beere won the first heat and 185 Richard Coaker took the second.  246 Ryan Sparks was the day’s third different winner, as he won the final.