Raceweekend 11 --- Barry, Bradders and Beards

So with my attention this weekend taken up by chasing paper to earn a shilling, most others it was a eastward migration as the tractors had the summer Skeg speedweekend, Mildenhall had potentially if horrid rumours are to be confirmed, its last one and Arena playing host to its singular meet after a year's absence.

DOUBLE BAZ AT TRACTOR SKEG

Tractor fans united as for the first time this year, they could moan about the state of the toilets at Skegness for the first time on Stoxnet. 40+ from the North and South came eastward. On the Saturday night the heats went the way of Aaron Williamson (411) and Ben Lockwood (618). An unlikely situation, a consolation for Gordon Moodie (7), which the Scot duly won. However, for the first time this year, Barry Goldin (401) took yet another final win, only this time on the hard stuff, and David Pannet (836) took Grand National glory.

After those imbalanced folk celebrated into the wee smalls, drinking smuggled in dark ale and tesco value lager, whilst moaning about the crapness of the car park and the fact they couldn't see anything despite taking up all the room with their shitty chairs and standing on 4 year old children feet in the queue for the pies. After disputing over who was better Wainman or Smith, or whether Tom Harris is running his car on Ribena, whilst having levitating suspension and electromagnets, Sunday came, and so did the rain. After a few cars went south to Arena or went home, those tractor fans demanded a shrubbery! Moodie on the other hand, took both of his heats, and with the seriously undergraded Aaron Williamson (411) taking the other heat. But it was Goldin who took another final topping a good weekend for the Bolton driver. Paul Bailey (297) took a fairly good place in 3rd, and Moodie was runner up, and the GN went back to Scotland...

FIRST FOR FARRINGTON

Mildenhall plays host to the semi finals this year and lots of hardy drivers were trying to take in some shale shifting. Paul Moss and Jay Tomkin came from Cornwall. Heat 1 was a flag to flag win for Andy Gibbs (431) and Heat 2 went the way of East Coast veteran Carl Issit (103). The Consolation was quite well populated with star graders, and the king of the Consi, Sam Wagner (823) took another one. The final was quite a bumper happy affair with many lead changes. Simon Farrington (259) took the win from Issit. Martin Ford (19) took the win in the GN, in another cracking race. Sad if this track is closed, produces some cracking racing...

GEOMAC ATTACK CONTINUES

With many drivers finding shelter in the south, it was little surprise that the numbers were approaching an all time low at Cowdenbeath, with a dirty dozen taking to the track. With Moodie proclaiming the neigh sayers will be happy as he is not there, a chirpy Chris Burgyone (647) responded on twitter that he for was happy as someone else could win. And that he did, taking a heat and the grand national, with the other heat going the way of Wee Dennis Middler (641).
However the final was grabbed by George Macmillan (100),  cue another final win selfie! That's 2 in 2 weeks for team S100.

ARENA QUALIFIER - BRADDERS TAKES IT

23 cars turned out for the joint Autospeed/PRI effort, when more than a third no show from your published list, it can be very disconcerting. I was toying with the idea of going myself, but as the numbers dwindled it became less of an option. So it was local-ish driver Chris Bradbury who took his two heats. Nowhere near ish driver Sam Wagner took the other heat, after newcomer Stuart Moss Jnr fell foul of post race scruitneering. It was Bradbury who took the final, taking his second maximum in the qualifiers, going so quick that he could go for a quick look around Lakeside for a perfect gift for the lovely Alana....Sorry Bradders, she made me do it, and she is Plymouthian.... Adam Rubery took the GN

DAWSON TOPS TEN

Home of the best Scottish turnout this season (well until the end of the month at least), the mighty Crimond had, if it was Strictly Come Dancing, a very good score. However, 10 cars took the near Shetland outpost to race in Arctic Circles.... Nearly Norwegian Robbie Dawson (854) took a heat and final double, with Craig Wallace (163) winning in Heat 2. Fellow North country man, the once monikered Ellon Exocet, Graham Kelly (721) won the GN. 

POINTS OF ORDER

Arena and Crimond - far outposts with little or no local support. It would be remiss of me to say this but Arena has reaped what it sowed with regard to driver turnout. Being easily accessed by the motorway (albeit the M25 is a c**t at the best of times) and having a rather large catchment area, and with the lack of a London/South East drivers in Formula 2. It's a catch 22. It is reliant on travelling support for a successful meeting - look at the drivers present, from all corners of the country.
I've said all along that proper fixture planning  will reap more benefits that the problems and disagreements it will cause - like the "I've had this fixture for umpteen years" palaver. Radical thinking needs to happen, you can't sell a second rate product for too long before numbers dwindle further.

No Final wins at all for one G Moodie esq this weekend - Shurely there is some mishtake...

What actual benefit do the F2's have from being support at Skegness's F1 speedweekend and vice versa? Again, with the fixture planning drawing from the same resource has made potentially a classic at Arena - a qualifying round no less, poorly attended because of the attraction of sun, sea and STDs at Skeggy. Another fixture that could be sacrificed for the greater good...

Mildenhall rumours - Seems that the future of the track, once again, lands in the High Court of this land. With costs estimated at staggering £2 million the hearing to determine this figure will indeed potentially kill, cripple or maim the popular Suffolk track. If common sense prevails, racing will continue, but if it doesn't, an empty house wins over the enjoyment of thousands... I am led to believe that if the doors shut, contingency plans are in place to make things run smoothly, including the Semi Finals....

Sam Wagner's trip home to Middlesborough from Arena took 4 Hours. Impressive, but in the words of fellow smoggy sage Boro Pat.... "fucking neeeeeeeeeeeooooooooommmmm"

Gerrum Jess, gerrum.....