Bank Holiday Monday attracted a large crowd to Smeatharpe, as the appeal of Caravan Chaos continued to show its worth.

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

The malaise amongst drivers in the south west was again evident, with a distinct lack of enthusiasm in the region impacting negatively on car counts.  As a result, the two from three format was again deployed.  The opening heat was punctuated by a caution period when 710 Louie Stuckey tangled in the west bend and encountered suspension damage.  When the race resumed, 24 Jon Palmer leapt from fifth to first in the space of a lap.  127 Matt Stoneman and 605 Richie Andrews crashed out in the west bend, as Palmer progressed at the front, winning comfortably ahead of 8 Jimi Marshall.  Heat two was illuminated by a fabulous move from Palmer, who potted Hamstead into 468 Sam Weston, to grab the lead as the race moved into its second half.  870 Bruno Farrell had led the early stages, and he fought well to finish seventh.  Heat three was run on a damp track, which dried visibly as the race progressed.  828 Julian Coombes duelled for the lead with 405 Josh Hamstead, but that allowed Stoneman to reel them in, and he picked them off one by one to clinch the victory.  The 23-car final saw Farrell impressively lead for the first half of the race, until 979 Paul Moss took over for a couple of laps, but he could not withstand the challenge of Stoneman, who had just hit the front by the time of a race suspension after 710 Louie Stuckey had clobbered the fence in the west bend.  The single file restart barely did a lap before there was another stoppage, when 980 Charlie Lobb rolled over on the back straight, and Marshall and 390 Jessica Smith tangled together in the melee.  Two laps further on, 206 Matt Brewer, 128 Jake Ralfs and 267 Robbie Batten crashed out, and Brewer needed assistance.  More drama followed as Stoneman led off the closing laps, leaving Moss and 736 Josh Weare to scrap for second place, and in a dramatic last bend shoot-out, Weare held on for second, as Palmer stole third and 238 Lewis Smith was fourth.  In the Grand National, 238 Lewis Smith finally grabbed some reward for his weekend’s efforts, as he stormed to a comprehensive victory, finishing a long way clear of 315 Charlie Fisher and Moss.

Saloon Stock Cars

Sixteen cars gridded for the Devon Championship, which began with the star grade away in untidy fashion at the start.  506 Brad Eltham led from the drop of the green and he still had a strong advantage as the race passed the halfway point.  199 Phil Powell trailed Eltham, with 33 Pete Hollett in third.  Heading into the last lap, Powell looked to have the chance of an attack, but ran wide in turn two, and that gave Eltham the breathing space he needed.  Powell and Hollett were next home, with outgoing Champion 677 Warren Darby docked two places from fourth to sixth after a jump start.  The first of two Allcomers races was led by Eltham, but he became embroiled in another chapter of his ongoing saga with 277 Jack Grandon.  With Eltham otherwise delayed, 870 Bert Farrell took over at the front and he led home 577 Harry Darby.  The second Allcomers race saw Warren Darby drill 902 Junior Buster into the west bend plating, and Buster’s attempt at a revenge attack in the pits bend went awry.  Hollett stormed to the win, as the action continued behind him, with Farrell spinning 577 Harry Darby to claim seventh in the run to the line.

Bangers

A huge entry of Bangers ran to a full format.  Heat one was led for many laps by 421 Brayden Hawkins, but when he came to lap 127 Thomas Berry, they collided, and Hawkins ricocheted into a marker tyre.  That left 817 Michael Phillips as the leader, and he swept home ahead of 162 Harry Ellacott.  Heat two was led until three laps from the end, when he retired to the infield, leaving 105 Leo Horwell out front.  He was challenged on the last bend by 31 Liam Shipway, but in turn, backmarker 161 Anton Ferris tagged Shipway, which left Horwell free to seal the win.  The consolation race was halted when 109 Woody Pascoe required attention.  121 Ryan Buddle reeled in Hawkins to take the chequered.  A packed grid for The Lego Trophy was led off by Phillips and 551 Jack Belfield, whilst Supreme Champion 662 Jared Roe shared the second row with 451 Nigel Belfield.  Roe swiftly overhauled Phillips, but he was unable to open up much of a gap as the Cornish driver kept him firmly in his sights.  With cars at every turn, Roe tried to pick his way through the traffic, but all the while Phillips was trailing his every move.  Just when Roe looked to have got away, he was again hindered by tailenders, and going into the final lap, Phillips was in striking distance, yet inexplicably, no last bend challenge came.  Phillips criminally wasted the most glorious of opportunities, leaving Roe to cruise to the line untroubled.  Third went to 881 Caitlin Emery, ahead of 201 Rich Simmons.  Another large grid assembled for the Allcomers, and Roe was initially given the win having taken the chequered, but a subsequent enquiry noted that 31 Liam Shipway was the true winner.  Roe was thus second, with Nigel Belfied third, ahead of 756 Troy Hooper and 198 Owen Nichol.

Caravan Chaos

Team mates 27 Shaine Barton, 24 Ben Ellacott and 242 Alfie Ellacott were joined by 127 Thomas Berry and 666 Tom Hawkins, and between them they duly smashed up a quintet of caravans.  One by one the caravans tipped over, and were left as sitting targets for those still mobile, and by the end, Barton was adjudged to have complete the greatest distance, and was declared the winner.