So there I am, minding my own business, planning to go home from my big long stock car week after a decent night's kip from the Stoke darkness, and well I was weak, gave into temptation, did my work from my Notts base, and after much persuasion from the missus and from a certain very big Rob Speak fan, that her birthday is 21 8, to come to the Skegness Spedeweekend. So after surviving a trip through Deliverance, or Boston as it's known locally, and venturing into the town for a spot of "shopping". Going into Skegness in high season should come with a health warning. Motability scooters left, right and centre, I'm surprised Hazel hasn't thought about capitalising the monopoly on Scootstox. The obligatory chips and ice cream purchased, it was time to head to the track
I said, "not another", but this one was special. It was the Saloon World Final. Saloons of late had been rather dull, but this season, a lot of the big names were back, and with a half decent field can produce better racing than the 2's on occasions. In fact the Saloon World Final of 1994 at Newton Abbot will forever live long in the memory for me. Why? The Atmosphere was something else that day, anyone who was there will tell you that Harry Burgoyne (68) won it by default, after long time leader and local boy Mark Gray (900) got taken out as a result of some Nick Courtier (114) and Jammy Jarman (490). Gray was asked to come on the lap of honour and as he walked out of the pit gate at Newton Abbot. The place erupted a standing ovation, from that short walk from pits to the start line - a lasting memory of that place for me.
Now Skeg also has an atmosphere, and is probably one of the few action tracks left for Saloons, so with a lot of big names, we looked first and foremost at the last chance race, with a stellar line up of returning champs Webster, Darby and Hunt. Hunt's motor expired at the wrong time, and such was the committment, that a real scrap for 6th started! The first couple of laps were brutal, with the Skeggy fence once again crumbling worse than a packet of value biscuits. After a couple of restarts, including one that saw the top 3 taken away, it was clear to see that the title was heading to the Westcountry, and from his lowly 29th position, fought his way to the front, in one of the best drives I have seen. Without my sometimes Westcountry blinkered glasses on, it was a delight to see him finally capture the title. Further proof, if it was needed, that you've got to be in it to win it. See Barry, all is not lost!
Courtesy of Saloon22 on Youtube.... a great video, numerous others out there - but this one captures the Brown/fence best!
Note to Incarace- this is how you put on a championship meeting. A proper programme with individual driver previews, full colour.Good banter between commentator and presenter, post race interviews, fireworks and plenty of build up and geeing up! Skeggy/Trackstar have always been good at it - and I for one are looking for their presentation of the F2 World.
The support for the Loons were the 1's. Now, I will confess, in my lowly position, I don;'t see the ones that often. Despite the attraction of clogs, a reasonable turnout of Ones where there. Now to the Tooz fans, Mick Sworder was something of bete noir. An object of hate and despisement to many - he finds himself like Rob Speak with a new found army of once haters, now loving him for "putting it up 'em". The 'em being the racing dynasties of Smith and Wainman. Whilst the Juniors, Smith and Wainman were delving with the Dutch, Andy soon found himself acquainted with the bumper of the Sworder machine, as Drippy dispatched the World Champ around the fragile top bend fencing! He singlehandedly livened up a rather dull display for the 1's- please tell me how these are the premier formula?, I was bored rigid.
So with a Skeg weekend comes the apres stox. We thought Boathouse, everyone else thought stay for the disco! So with the girls dancing the night away and getting thrown off a dancefloor for getting too carried with Katy Perry, I was assisting with the finishing touches to Mark Meeds (458) car- also the hotel for the night!
After the numerous Westcountry fans nursed their celebratory heads in the morning, and birthday gifts were given one member of our spectating crew had a "member" that a certain former national points champion says was modeled on him.
Now the F2's on the Sunday weer on the hole a little hot roddy, apart from one moment where Richard Beere (254) was the recipient of aggressive fist shake of Barry Clow (597). It was a consistent day for Jason Wilkinson (287) with 4 2nd's - the win eluding him.
There are questions to be asked about turnouts over the weekend. Not many at Cowdenbeath or Northampton. Arena was to be expected, but I was surprised by the amount of F2's at Skeg, considering there were a fair few travellers, from both Westcountry and Scotland. Perhaps if they had them on both nights, a few more might have popped along for the ride! It is disheartening to see such poor attendances, the amount of drivers hasn't dropped - it's just that they are being more choosy.
Still a great weekend at Skeg and long may they continue!
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