The Jho fun bus trundled into East Devon for the latest stop on the Road to Gold at good old Smeatharpe Stadium, for a spot of nocturnal stock car action.
Dunno bout you, but I do love a midweek meeting! Memories of being a young lad at Newton Abbot, watching my heroes trade blows every corner. Bill Dalley, the Nattie Tattie, the sweet stall that sold sherbet lemons and chocolate limes (a taste sensation!) and Trevor Redmond's hat! It was a sad day for sport when that closed! However one more Newton memory was about to resurrected
Hot on the heels of other 90's throwbacks Ralph Tracey (838) and Rich Thomas (756), came the immortal Semtex Kid, Dave Sansom (352 formerly 652). Back in those heady Newton Abbot days he was the man to fear. Not afraid of using the bumper on anyone. Even Speaky got owned by Sammo at one Bank Holiday. However, he got banned as a result of a season long feud between the Farrells and the Bowdens who ended up scrapping in the pits at the final Newton Abbot. So some 18 years later, he's back, and having to explain to the current crop of drivers just who he was and what he did was a challenging task in itself.
So with Semtex on the comeback trail, 2 more newcomers came about. Son of Gilson and brother of Chris, Marc Rowe (526) came out with a self built beauty. Former Autospeed Ministox silver roof, Ryan Hoskin (991) finally made his race debut after months of practice at the Autospeed circuits in the ex Chris Mikulla (522) Randall. All told, 29 cars were in the pits, very disappointing again for a qualifying round, but in an act of bravery, Autospeed decided on the traditional qualifying method of 2 heats and consolation. Eyebrows away from the stadium were raised, but remember, the way that the national points is setup is for a 26 car final!
Heat 1 saw the track dry apart from it was slightly wet on the apex of the Honiton bend. However after the green dropped first corner, pit bend, over went Dave Sansom (352). Some wags thought it was because he thought he was racing the old track. (Those who have been to Taunton will notice that there is an inner kerb - this was the old track length in 1994!).
Chris Mikkula (522) took the win in what looked like a fairly lightweight heat.
Heat 2 looked more stellar. Simmo raced for the first time at Taunton for some time and with Messrs Batten and Hooper. It was 16 year old and 1 day, Ryan Hoskin (991) who led them off into the distance, taking Glenn Sanders (734) and Simon Edwards (430)for company. However behind them, both James Rygor (783) and Neil Hooper (676) were trading blows, and again, the tricky Honiton bend, played into the hands. However the yellow tops came together around halfway with Edwards starting to earn the name "Troubadour" as like the dictionary trouble follows. Sanders, unhappy at his exit from the race, did the traditional steering wheel discus. On the restart, it was clear that Hooper (in purple dress) was going clear. The 676 machine took the win.
Consolation time, and these things are rarer than a rare thing nowadays. As Ryan Hoskin (991) led them away again, this time taking Paul Milsom (245) for company. However, it was fellow Ministox alumnus Ollie "Jaguar" Skeels (124) who drove a faultless race to take the chequered. Alongside him for most of the journey was the returning Sansom who looked the part, in a car already looking the part!
Final time saw it going under diminishing light. Half the field were reds, and maybe pole red Liam Rowe (605) got a bit excited about the amount behind him, as he spun round. Bedlam followed, mostly instigated by the Semtex Kid, who ended up interwoven with Matt Westaway (835). With the field depleted by 5, the complete restart saw Milsom and Hoskin lead them away again, and this time Skeels and Chris Rowe (76) caught. Indeed Skeels sped away to a fair distance lead. Behind, Bill Batten (167) had broken away from the pack of reds, and when the yellows came out to recover a car (not only did it benefit Liam Rowe) than Hooper and Fisher sped past the soon to be pensioner, allowing the whippersnapper Jack Aldridge (921) to pounce, and wallop, out went Batten and he took Simpson for company. With the laps ticking down in the A1 Windows and Doors sponsored final, Skeels had pulled away a good 1/2 lap lead over Hooper. He will certainly be in the shake up for the Young Guns trophy, and he wasn't even born the last time Dave Sansom raced!
In the Grand National, after a yellow flag for a filter fire for Danny Ward (180), who decided to pat it out, "The Tiger" James Rygor (783) got the better of Hooper.
So after all the maths that I was asked about and advised on regarding qualifying points, the choice of having a full format meeting was a good one and one this writer applauds. Good clean racing, thrills, spills and action, just what you want on a cold Tuesday on the Devon/Somerset border. The final should always be the busiest race - take heed other promotions, good racing can happen with a limited number of cars!
Just wish it was every week....
Ho hum.... and get this, next stop, off to the Euros!! Yeah, I know, shock horror!
Dunno bout you, but I do love a midweek meeting! Memories of being a young lad at Newton Abbot, watching my heroes trade blows every corner. Bill Dalley, the Nattie Tattie, the sweet stall that sold sherbet lemons and chocolate limes (a taste sensation!) and Trevor Redmond's hat! It was a sad day for sport when that closed! However one more Newton memory was about to resurrected
Hot on the heels of other 90's throwbacks Ralph Tracey (838) and Rich Thomas (756), came the immortal Semtex Kid, Dave Sansom (352 formerly 652). Back in those heady Newton Abbot days he was the man to fear. Not afraid of using the bumper on anyone. Even Speaky got owned by Sammo at one Bank Holiday. However, he got banned as a result of a season long feud between the Farrells and the Bowdens who ended up scrapping in the pits at the final Newton Abbot. So some 18 years later, he's back, and having to explain to the current crop of drivers just who he was and what he did was a challenging task in itself.
So with Semtex on the comeback trail, 2 more newcomers came about. Son of Gilson and brother of Chris, Marc Rowe (526) came out with a self built beauty. Former Autospeed Ministox silver roof, Ryan Hoskin (991) finally made his race debut after months of practice at the Autospeed circuits in the ex Chris Mikulla (522) Randall. All told, 29 cars were in the pits, very disappointing again for a qualifying round, but in an act of bravery, Autospeed decided on the traditional qualifying method of 2 heats and consolation. Eyebrows away from the stadium were raised, but remember, the way that the national points is setup is for a 26 car final!
Heat 1 saw the track dry apart from it was slightly wet on the apex of the Honiton bend. However after the green dropped first corner, pit bend, over went Dave Sansom (352). Some wags thought it was because he thought he was racing the old track. (Those who have been to Taunton will notice that there is an inner kerb - this was the old track length in 1994!).
Chris Mikkula (522) took the win in what looked like a fairly lightweight heat.
 |
| Semtex, Over and Out |
Heat 2 looked more stellar. Simmo raced for the first time at Taunton for some time and with Messrs Batten and Hooper. It was 16 year old and 1 day, Ryan Hoskin (991) who led them off into the distance, taking Glenn Sanders (734) and Simon Edwards (430)for company. However behind them, both James Rygor (783) and Neil Hooper (676) were trading blows, and again, the tricky Honiton bend, played into the hands. However the yellow tops came together around halfway with Edwards starting to earn the name "Troubadour" as like the dictionary trouble follows. Sanders, unhappy at his exit from the race, did the traditional steering wheel discus. On the restart, it was clear that Hooper (in purple dress) was going clear. The 676 machine took the win.
Consolation time, and these things are rarer than a rare thing nowadays. As Ryan Hoskin (991) led them away again, this time taking Paul Milsom (245) for company. However, it was fellow Ministox alumnus Ollie "Jaguar" Skeels (124) who drove a faultless race to take the chequered. Alongside him for most of the journey was the returning Sansom who looked the part, in a car already looking the part!
Final time saw it going under diminishing light. Half the field were reds, and maybe pole red Liam Rowe (605) got a bit excited about the amount behind him, as he spun round. Bedlam followed, mostly instigated by the Semtex Kid, who ended up interwoven with Matt Westaway (835). With the field depleted by 5, the complete restart saw Milsom and Hoskin lead them away again, and this time Skeels and Chris Rowe (76) caught. Indeed Skeels sped away to a fair distance lead. Behind, Bill Batten (167) had broken away from the pack of reds, and when the yellows came out to recover a car (not only did it benefit Liam Rowe) than Hooper and Fisher sped past the soon to be pensioner, allowing the whippersnapper Jack Aldridge (921) to pounce, and wallop, out went Batten and he took Simpson for company. With the laps ticking down in the A1 Windows and Doors sponsored final, Skeels had pulled away a good 1/2 lap lead over Hooper. He will certainly be in the shake up for the Young Guns trophy, and he wasn't even born the last time Dave Sansom raced!
In the Grand National, after a yellow flag for a filter fire for Danny Ward (180), who decided to pat it out, "The Tiger" James Rygor (783) got the better of Hooper.
So after all the maths that I was asked about and advised on regarding qualifying points, the choice of having a full format meeting was a good one and one this writer applauds. Good clean racing, thrills, spills and action, just what you want on a cold Tuesday on the Devon/Somerset border. The final should always be the busiest race - take heed other promotions, good racing can happen with a limited number of cars!
Just wish it was every week....
Ho hum.... and get this, next stop, off to the Euros!! Yeah, I know, shock horror!
No comments:
Post a Comment