6 in 5 - Day 1...Number 1 and Number 2

Happy Easter y'all...

A change of plans, meant that from being only able to do 1 or 2 meetings, have ended up with the opportunity of doing 6 meetings in 5 days. My previous record was 5 in 7 in the heady days of the July 2009... so I had to attempt to do it.

NIGEL NUMBER 1 AT NIR - FRIDAY IS GOOD FOR GREEN



Off to the Northamptonshire village of Brafield on the Green, for a spot of Autospeed away from home for the second weekend in a row. With F2's in the mid 60's, saloons in the mid 40's and some National Hot Rods for refreshment stops and pit walks, it all made it good for the quarter mile of tar.

Green wins (picture Martyn Robinson)

For me it was the first Good Friday meeting since Ringwood shut, being always busy over Easter with various other distractions, and hell, if that wasn't the 2nd Northampton in as many months. Am I alright? With loads of lovely motors, including the Bobby Griffin (886) car with his first outing of the year, it was time to go racing.

The rarest thing was seeing one time slotstox svengali and all round graphic guru, Kris "Spikey" Burgess, who's hair alone was a considerable fire risk, actually out of his bedroom and at an actual meeting for the first time in about 9 years!

Heat 1 lined up, with His Gordyness (7) showing a very clean pair of heels, and took the win at a trot, after a yellow flag, made it a bit of a red top lock out. Heat 2 saw an advantageous start and with the yellows snoozing, white tops James Rogers (544) and stalwart Colin Smith (719) took a faultless 1-2, where as Bradbury struggled back in 6th. The Consolation saw the best of the rest scrap it out, with Mark Guinchard (183) taking the flag from Steve Green Junior (154).

The final saw a favourable pole red draw for Nigel Green (445) and this proved to be crucial as although Moodie was the quickest, Green had gotten away, and with Darren Clarke (571) from the yellow grade. Clarke set the pace, as Green moved up, looked clear to make his move with 5 to go, however a decent little scrap took place, with Mike Green (115) eventually getting the better of Moodie to make it an RCE lock out in the RCE sponsored Tommy Pitcher Trophy.

37 cars forsake the opportunity of a dash across to Skegness , and through the busy line up it was superstar bound Adam Rubery (700) who took advantage of some of the last meetings from the blue grade, by taking the national.

And now a moan....with the number of cars that turned up late on at Skeg, and the fact they had a 6pm start, wouldn't have been good if either of the meetings started earlier or accommodated the F2's so that drivers didn't have to rush. Maybe a noon start next year lads?
As I experienced, the A45/A16/A605 combo can be good if the road is clear, but sadly you cna get stuck behind things! We strolled into the stadium at bang on 6pm, to see heat 1 on the rolling lap, why have the F2's as race 1 when you know there were cars coming across from NIR

KITSON CLEANS UP AT SODDEN SKEG

Pic courtesy of Dannii Wright

So in the intial greasy conditions, it appeared that last time the rains came Skegward, it was Daz Kitson (732) who took a maximum 50 points. It was a 2 out of 3 meeting - the other heat was won by Mark Meeds (458). It was little surprise then that it was Meeds who led away Heat 1 and sped away to what looked like a certain victory, but a slight wobble halfway down the back straight, allowed British and European champion Barry Goldin (401) to sneak past. Second was best for the plucky white top. Kitson stormed through the pack to sweep to victory, and Robbie Dawson (854) scored a rare success on Gordon Moodie (7) to take 2nd. Heat 3 saw Meeds speed away into a half lap lead, which was never in doubt, even with Kitson catching at a pace, a second win of the season for Meeds, and an exstatic sister (which is an absolute bonus for me, extra hugs from the missus). Final time, and with Meeds drawn at the back of the whites, and red top bound Jack Cave (801) was drawn at the front. Cave and Meeds sped into a decent lead, but it was Kitson who showed his car had form in the wet, and picked up where he left off. Moodie trailed home Kitson, with Cave taking a good third.



The GN was a little lacklustre, but despite a drying track, Kitson looked supreme from a lap handicap, but with laps running out, the way he dispatched Billy Webster (226) and all in front of him in the closing laps to get a third, from Goldin who took his second win of the night, from Cave. Moodie retired in a shower of sparks, and Dave Pannett (836) was left tyred of hanging around. Good racing from the fun coast, even the ones were alright.

On the way back from Skegness going through Boston, I planned to get some fuel at Tesco at Boston. Having been overtaken by 3 cop cars with blues and twos clearly going at speed, and with another speeding past at the roundabout, and all of them heading to the Tesco forecourt. Got enough says I, and ploughed on home. When I arrived home in Notts, we were greeted by a triumvirate of fire engines, as there was a fire down the street!

So with a late finish and night of flashing blue lights disturbing the sleep, I can safely say, it was a Good Friday!