SHAW SCORES FINAL AT STOKE
The rain stayed mostly away in from the "plains" of Stoke, as another trip to the Potteries to Startrax's super Stokeshaleaway. As if Steve Rees would probably call it. On the day of the Grand National, and a horse called Double 7 came in 3rd, this wasn't the case at Stoke. Daz Shaw (377) took heat 1 in fine fashion, and present purveyor of the golden stripe for World of Shale Champion Dave Massey (977) took the second heat. The Consolation went the way of Michael Lund (995). The final saw Shaw speed away into the lead with Chris Bradbury (886) tracking him. Lund took third. The GN was Kruiz'ed to victory by Kyle Taylor (136) and Shaw came back to 3rd from his lap handicap.
GORDON GRABS GLUT, BUT TURNER TURNS OTHERS, THE CHEEK!
2 less than Paul Hardcastle, 1 more than Neil Sedaka's Sweet, as the number of cars remained at 17, for another Cowdenbeath. After a lacklustre performance by his own high standards, Gordon Moodie (7) set about setting the record straight, which he duly did in Heat 1. Flying yellow top Gregor Turner (391) held off the red charge in heat 2. The final was set up to be a classic, but with plenty of yellow flags, it became clear it was going to be another showdown between Moodie and Burgoyne as they hunted down Turner. The "purple" laps for fastest lap were trading every lap. Moodie would go quickest, Burgoyne would beat it and it progressed that way by getting faster and faster each lap. However it was the silver haired silver top who held out for the win. Turner took the national and he looks like very much joining the Scottish red top throng.
BROATCH TAKES TWO AT BARFORD, BUT MOODIE MARVELS...
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| Hitchhikers nowadays! |
Andrew Hingley was there....
"Barford 6th April. Not many here again today. In heat 1 Moodie got the jump on the rest of the reds and superstars but Rennie got him back and Moodie was unable to catch him back up. Young Broatchy got away away from everyone else to take the win with Rennie second and Moodie third. 722,3,7,187,16,960,725,766,301,233 In heat 2 Moodie got Rennie back early on which seemed to damage the handling of his car McCallum kept in front of the rest this time to take the win from young Broatchy. 187,722,7,233,725,16,652,184,64,766 Final next and McCallum stayed in front until about 3 laps to go when Moodie took over. Young Broatchy didn't let him get the win easily though, but Wallace made it past into third place. 7,187,16,722,725,960,64,652,233,184 The Gn was un-eventful really apart from Rennie getting hooked on Whitfield until the after the checkered had fallen when it appeared that young Broatchy had been disqualified from the result with some infringement with the height if the front bumper, but it appears that he was give then win after all. No result was given out for this race."
SOGGY SMEATHARPE SEES BRADDERS JUMPING BUT GILBERT GOES YELLOW
The 4th running of the Remembering Rog Trophy was under soggy weather, much like the previous runnings. Rog was probably laughing at everyone spinning around in the soggy conditions. Visitors came in the form of Brett Constable (91), Dave Polley (38) and Tom Adcroft (768) to go with the regulars of Linfield and Bradbury...
After a presentation of a commerative mug it was time to go racing. We are fortunate in the Westcountry to have plenty of lively whites, and this start of season has certainly brought with it a new broom to sweep a new air into it. Heat 1 was won by white top newbie Matt Brewer (206). He comes from racing stock - his father Chris (also 206) was somewhat of a master of the Cornish tracks before packing up. It looked like the whites were gonna shut out the majority of the cars, until Marc Rowe (526) and Shane Hector (528) had a disagreement which saw the Plymouthian go backwards into the Honiton Bend. Chris Bradbury (886) took a second...
Heat 2 saw some teasy payback from Ryan Hoskin (991) on Tom Clark (575) from previous misdemeanors at St Day....However with the rain, along comes rain dancer Matt Linfield, who skipped through the puddles alongside fellow regenmeister Richard Beere (254) who seemed to forget in the pits when talking about grades. Indeed these two took the points and one-2
The consolation was a star free zone, Hoskin took his second win at Smeatharpe this year, and Paul Rice (890) grabbing his best performance of the season so far.
The final lined up, and the weather took a bit more of a turn for the worse. The slippery conditions meant that it was always going to be a bit of struggle for the stars to catch. Gilbert drew pole, and got away to a flyer. Within in a few laps, he was almost at the back of the reds and a clear lead of over half a lap. As the Union Flag came out for halfway, Gilbert started to encounter back markers with scraps of their ow, which allowed the rapid Nathan Maidment (935) to get close to the Cornish youngster. However, with the lap boards coming out, the pair were caught up in a coming together on turn 4 which caused a bit of high side and low side action, which allowed Bradbury to catch up. Yellow flags were then brought out. Gilbert led with 2 to go, from Bradbury and then Maidment, as inbetween Bradbury was back marker Mike Rice (438). As the cars began to enter the corner, Gilbert broke from the pack. Bradbury followed, with Mr Starter showing the yellow flag high up, deemed he wasn't happy, and as the cars exited the apex, the green was shown. The next 2 laps were immaterial as they crossed the line, some angry remonstrations from Chris Bradbury, backed up in fairness by Steve Gilbert. A long awaited Pringle for Mr Bradbury (eh Richie) but not entirely justified. Nathan Maidment took 2nd, and Bradderz demoted to third. A career first final win for Gilbert which means a stop at yellow before the big jump to Superstar come May.
Steve Gilbert was suitably philosophical in the pits and considered himself fortunate to win, as it was his jump that caused Bradbury to do so.
Bradders seemingly wasn't too happy to give a quote in the pits, a little bit unhappy was an understatement. "No quotes from me" said Bradders. Ummm.....
The GN was a litle less controversial affair as Adcroft and Paul Rice tangled early doors, and an ealry yellow allowed Bradbury to right his wrongs and take the GN.
POINTS OF ORDER!!!
Confusion reigned supreme in the final at Taunton. Bradders jump aside, Lively confirmed that it was green then 2. So imagine the confusion when I looked at the last bend and Bradders moved past Gilbert to take the win, only to be greeted with the 1 to go! Perhaps, Madame Starter Sammy Bunt could do her ring girl thing at Taunton too...(she's not on the flags at Taunton).
It was calendar reunited as both Alana and Becky, the soaked April calendar girls were in the pits causing mischief with Sophie Priddle...
Richie Mead (596) was absent being a stunt double for Kiefer Sutherland or something like that. However once his compadre Bradderz got docked, he was the first to offer his comiserations. Or something like that!
Speaking of which, its about time restarts were looked at. When there are back markers in the way, it creates a sense of a lead, but they reluctantly don't want to be there.
Steve Gilbert did go first, and Bradders was between a rock and a hard place. If he stays behind, Gilbert gets a dream start, and maybe the win, especially with the number of laps left. Or does he follow the leader and go with him and run the risk of invoking the steward's ire by passing a car before the green.
Mike Rice did not want to be the meat in the sandwich and elected to go off the racing line. Maybe they should invoke a NASCAR style outside line for those a lap down. Or even a clutch start for restarts? It certainly needs looking at and saves any embarrassment. The fact is it was a faulty start, both lead cars broke the pack, yet only one was penalised. It also was a very late green, which signals doubt in the stewards mind. Personally, I would have held the yellow and sent them round again, whilst giving Gilbert a ticking off for going too early. Maybe painted lines on the track or a marker - once you hit that, the green is dropped, if your past it, then you get docked. Something for those to consider...
It was a weekend of power cuts... First Stoke, no surprises there at all...anyone who red my report from 2011 knows that the lights and or PA is often down there. Then at the Racewall, Eddie Paterson, he of immortal video fame found his PA feed some what severed. Cue emergency repairs from ex F2 driver Tam McGarva. And finally, at Taunton of all places, whilst they were tractoring off the stricken cars of Tom Adcroft and Paul Rice, the power went off killing the PA. Fat Boy Slim's "Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat" was playing and perhaps a disgruntled dad killed the music by cutting the power. "Bloody racket!!!" A trick my old man used to do! Anyways the crowd were informed of what was happening by the whispered hush dulcet tones of marshall Sharna "The Noise" Stone....
Anyone got 50p for the meter????
Mini road trip a coming!
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