Smeatharpe Stadium - Sunday 20th August 2023

Having originally been planned for late July, the rescheduled date coincided with the World Cup Final for Women’s Football, and that led to a revised start time.  With England having missed out on winning the football, there was a more sombre atmosphere across the afternoon for a meeting which was relatively lacklustre.

Bangers

A modest showing of Bangers produced a trio of straightforward races.  After 422 Tristan Beresford had led the first heat early on, 662 Jared Roe swept to the front, and despite a trademark late charge by 23 Barry Staples, Roe was out of range and landed the chequered flag.  In heat two, there was an early tangle involving Beresford and Roe, which delayed them both, whilst 233 Liam Parkin spluttered to a halt.  200 Jai Simmons set a searing pace at the front, whilst multi-Champion Staples was sent into a spin by 621 Scott Kendall.  Simmons charge on in the lead and he was comfortably clear as he took the flag, with 230 Tom Shilling the runner-up.  It was Beresford who made the early running again in the final, with Roe and Simmons in hot pursuit.  As the star grade began to progress, Staples tangled with 206 Matt Brewer, and each were delayed.  At the midway point, Roe grabbed the lead, and Simmons edged into second place.  Once more another late charge by Staples brought him into contention, but his last bend dive at Roe was not quite enough to dislodge the leader.  Roe completed a heat and final double, Staples had to be content with second and Simmons completed the top three.

Old Skool Bangers

Another bizarre entry of drivers for the Old Skool Bangers was depleted by no-shows from the original list, and five ‘extras’ who were not booked, and therefore scored no points in the Supreme Championship series.  Most of heat one was led by 290 Jay Tomkins, but he was reeled in late on by 186 Lewis Fasey.  More action was evident in heat two, triggered when Tomkins spun and a multi-car tangle in the west bend left 891 Darren Wade minus a wheel, and that brought about a stoppage.  That left 114 Nick Courtier as the leader, but as the race moved into the second half, Fasey and 282 Steve Hunt eased past.  59 Mike Hamley turned 247 Richard Sparks around, and Fasey lost the lead to Hunt.  However, with the win in the bag, Hunt fell victim to a last bend dive by Fasey, who grabbed the lead back on the drag to the line.  There was a more routine and processional feel to the final, which Tomkins led to the lap boards when 185 Richard Coaker took over.  Yet, Fasey shadowed Coaker through the closing stages and pounced on the last lap to grab the win, with Tomkins completing the top three.  Coaker looked set to win the Allcomers, having led it from the start to the last lap.  However, Sparks had other ideas, and the backmarker attacked Coaker in the west bend.  Having rattled around the fence, Sparks managed to spin Coaker on the back straight.  That opened the door for 262 Buddy James to inherit the lead, but Fasey launched another last bend assault.  James was delayed, and dropped to third, as Fasey made it four wins from four starts, whilst 739 Jason Moore took second place.  Meanwhile, the incensed Coaker had got going after being spun, but chose to head the wrong way down the back straight, before connecting head-on with Sparks in turn two, duly providing a lively finish to an otherwise dreary day.

Reliant Robins

The number of Plastic Pigs got into double figures and provided the usual array of rollovers and upsets.  After 362 Aaron Loader had initially led the first heat, 518 Matt Capel took over.  985 Sam Carter spun Capel, who rolled, just as 100 Thomas Weeks spun Carter, who also inverted.  Weeks took the win.  Another win followed for Weeks in heat two, as he arrived just in time to catch Carter on the last lap, after Carter had led the whole race to that point.  After various stoppages, the final ended in dramatic fashion too.  304 Paul Weare dived at race leader Weeks and stole the lead from him at the start of the last lap.  With Weeks on his side, 10 Jerry Weeks bumped into him, and that was enough for Thomas Weeks to bounce back on to his wheels.  Weare won, from Loader and 30 Joe Capel.  There were three rollovers for 117 Olly Starr in the Allcomers race, in which Carter was unhelpfully meddlesome with his disruptive antics.  Thomas Weeks complete his third win, but in a late tangle with Carter, the pair rolled over as Weeks crossed the line.