United Downs Raceway - Sunday 20th October 2019

It was warm, hazy sunshine that greeted racegoers at the United Downs Raceway for the final Cornish meeting of the 2019 season. The Bangers were racing for their Supreme Championship, drawing a good entry from all over the region, whilst the non-contact Stock Rods were competing for their Grand National Championship.

Bangers

Race one was the last chance qualifier and fielded 23 cars.  726 Lewis Senford and 866 Graham Payne made up the front row, the entry including a pair of BriSCA F2 pilots – 302 Dale Moon and 572 James Lindsay.  There was action from the off, with big crashes at both ends of the track.  Senford was the early leader but eventually he got spun out of contention somewhere in the mass of stranded cars on turn one.  From further back steady progress was being made by 242 Ben Ellacott, in a rapid but heavily smoking Toyota Celica.  As the laps ticked away Ellacott made his way to the front and with skill managed to avoid the carnage and finish a comfortable winner, with 690 Tristan Clement the runner-up and 911 James Chapman a creditable third.  F2 man 302 Dale Moon finished an excellent fourth in a late-shape Vauxhall Astra that he put to good use throughout the race.  The Supreme Championship saw all qualifiers line up in order of points scored.  At the green there was the usual action at both ends of the track.  Unusually, the two largest cars and indeed the only two RWD cars, the BMWs of 185 Richard Coaker and multi-champion 246 Ryan Sparks were storming through the pack.  As the laps ticked away, it was these two that somehow managed to carve their way through to the front, with Sparks eventually passing Coaker to get ahead.  Coaker continued to keep Sparks in his sights, and it was almost a photo-finish on the line, but Sparks was just clear to lland the Supreme title once again.  Coaker was the runner-up - and a creditable third place went to the entertaining 898 Jack Semmonds.  The consolation was surprisingly uneventful, with the only real action of note was when 100 Alec Jenner t-boned 929 Sam Baker on the home straight, with both cars ending up on the infield.  Jenner managed to continue but after a couple of laps Baker managed to get mobile and meet the 100 car on turn four with a head-on.  A shaking of hands followed as the race concluded - which was well received by the crowd.  13 Lee Radford was the winner in a Focus Estate, and Cornish Champion 891 Martyn Cleave runner-up.  The Banger Final was more lively and after the usual mayhem it was 185 Richard Coaker in the BMW that took the victory in a faultless drive, from 34 Lee Jackson and 991 Ben Hale.  The big action in the Allcomers race was a big jack-up of the Civic of 938 Ashley Rice courtesy of the Vauxhall Zafira of 53 Chris James - which saw the Honda's rear axle several inches off the ground!  34 Lee Jackson took the win, with the still smoking Celica of Ellacott finishing a very good second.  The DD fielded seven starters, including the two F2 men, Lindsay and Moon - the latter putting his rapid Vauxhall to good use.  With some hard hits going in it was looking good for Ellacott in the Celica until he suddenly got stuck in the mud on the infield.  As the cars fell by the wayside, the Zafira of 53 Chris James just refused to die, and although it was reverse that was the only gear left in the 'box, this was enough to keep him mobile and earn him the victory.

Stock Rods

The Stock Rod entry was a little disappointing and fell even lower after pre-race practice when the RWD Toyota Starlet of 776 Simon Jones decided to part company with its second gear which left the former silver top sidelined for the afternoon.  The first event was the Grand National Championship, with 3 Matt Peters, the defending Champion starting on pole.  At the green it was Peters who made a faultless start, and he led all the way to the finish, to retain the title.  English Champion 437 Lewis Trickey made it home in second and third was secured by 81 Rob Johns, who had a lively race, locking horns with one or two other drivers just within the rules.  Victory for Peters also ensured he claimed the Autospeed Points Championship for 2019.  The first Allcomers race was another fast-and-furious event, with victory in this one going the way of 351 Rhys Langdown, ahead of Grand National Champion Peters in second.  Allcomers 2 saw Langdown take his second win of the afternoon, with British Champion 909 Justin Washer recording his best result of the meeting, finishing runner-up.

Ministox

Heat one for the Ministox saw 13 cars grid, the entry including 382 Corey Hunt, son of ex-Banger and Saloon Stock Car Champion Danny Hunt.  At the start of the meeting there were just three points separating 927 Owen Robbins (using his spare car) and 985 Sam Carter in the Track Championship.  The early leader of the opening race was 617 Christina Sillifant, who has certainly showed excellent form this season, but it all went wrong as the pack eventually caught up, with the 617 Mini forced onto the infield, hitting a tyre and performing a spectacular complete roll - ending up on all four wheels.  Because the incident was on the infield and Sillifant indicated she was ok, there was no need for a stoppage and as the race progressed 985 Sam Carter made his way to the front, shadowed closely by 577 Harry Darby.  On the last corner of the final lap, Darby performed a text-book move, spinning out the 985 car on the exit of the turnstile bend to snatch the win.  914 Callum Faulconbridge finished second and young 984 Fin Carter was third, with Sam Carter recovering for fourth.  Heat two surprisingly saw 617 Christina Sillifant back out after her earlier roll and she led the early laps.  As the race progressed, 870 Stella Farrell made her way to the front with stars Sam Carter and Darby in hot pursuit.  However, neither managed to catch the Devon teenager who took a fine win – her first ever race victory.  The Final was a very good race, with plenty of action, all within the rules, but it was Weston-Super-Mare star Slammin' Sammy Carter that took the win, which also landed him the Track Points Championship.  998 Taylor Sealy was the runner-up and British Champion Robbins was left to settle for third.

Bangers 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
LCQ 242 690 911 302 275 692 59 34 726 nof
Supreme 246 185 898 938 931 690 320 113 281 991
Cons 13 891 196 927 650 776 nof
Final 185 34 991 931 281 690 113 938 911 891
Allcomers 34 242 991 927 898 690 891 320 100 691
DD 53


Stock Rods 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
GNC 3 437 81 351 9 14 68 54 222 285
Allcomers 1 351 3 909 81 437 9 68 222 14 54
Allcomers 2 351 909 3 437 68 9 81 14 222 982
Ministox 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
Heat 1 577 914 984 985 927 654 998 382 525 942
Heat 2 870 985 577 654 617 984 998 942 382 970
Final 985 998 927 984 577 617 654 942 870 970
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