KLWF11 - 3 Days to Go - The Speak-erness years

 

The 1990's.

Girl Power. Loud Bermuda Shorts. Pop Tarts and Gladiators. All warnings from history that the 90's should never be repeated again.

But there was another horror to stalk our world finals for the entire decade. A racing behemoth that ruled over the sports biggest title.

It was a young lad from Tyldsley, who set upon his way to become the greatest.

Robert Speak.

1990 saw him play second fiddle to stop Alistair King who led from start to finish in the first pinto powered winner, very much a learning curve for his first ever world title tilt.

Bristol  in 1991 saw Silver turn into gold. Speakie took Bryn Thomas (900), Dave Luscombe (642) and Peter Gilbert (542) to task. A mere 19 years of age, this was the start of the era. Bryn came close, but was adjudged to have jumped by Gilbert who remonstrated. It had started, and Bryn decided to then form a tage team with his mates called the "Legion of Doom", with Speak one of the prize scalps as a result of it.

1992, Skegness was soggy, and mired in controversy. On paper it looked an absolute classic. Batten versus Speak. Then it pissed down. Then something erupted in the pits. It was Bill, who was moaning about some new rule directives, and left his car on the trailer in protest, on the grounds of being undriveable. Speak took this as an opportunity to show us what exactly he could do. Taking the outside line to pass in the wet on a busy track, and spending the last couple of laps holding his aerofoil side plate, proved that day he was different gravy. Some say it was one of the greatest drives.

Speak chose the dreaded number 1 for the following year. And that became his curse. Leading by country mile at his Bristol Semi Final, he clipped a park car which spun him round, which meant he finished 4th. Mounting "Thomas 2" the new version of his Forsthye built shale car, a car with the looks and handling prowess of a shopping trolley, proved to be his downfall, as he then got up to 3rd, and then failed to finish. Ian King (804) finally gained the gold, and it was back to 218 and Silver for Speak.

1994, and the tight and tricky Smeatharpe track, with local favourite Gilbert alongside, and with Colin Higman injured (as a result of an altrication with Gilbert at an earlier Newton Abbot). All eyes were on the start of the race. A sport of right hand down sent the 542 machine through the wires not once but twice, however with 5 to go, a last minute international entrant Les Palmer (IoM24). Palmer seemed insensed to take out, coming off the middle to sideswipe him. An immediate black flag was shown to the exiled Plymouthian. Once the celebratory donuts had been completed, Speak the enacted revenge on vacant Palmer car. Now whether it was right for either party, a lot of drivers dreamt of doing it, but these pair put these dreams into reality.

The dominance truly became the focus, as as Ringwood '95, in another Batten/Speak showdown, he showed us just how dominant he was. He left both Bill and Dutchman Toon Schut for dead at the Hampshire oval in one of the dullest World Finals in some time.

The World Final returned to Northampton for the first time in 15 years and the focus of attention was the returning Mike James (717) who started on pole alongside Speak. Speak got the jump on the Singing Cornishman til about halfway when he clipped a parked car, sending the hard charging Speak into a 360. Mick Sworder (152) was the Northampton specialist and the fastest man on the circuit, was catching James, but in his haste drove into the parked car of Daz Kitson, sending his wheel out. No damage for Speak and no chance to get back on terms for Jamesy. With Speak's car slowing, it became tantalisingly close for the Hewas Water steam enthusiast to hit Speak.

Scotland was again the venue, and the main challenger to the Speak Throne came from Tim Farrell (667) complete with t shirts and signwriting that it was time to crown a "champion". A champion we did! Sadly it wasn't the Plymouthian, who took a fine second, but the Manc Lion continued with the gold.

The radical Elite that startled the community was the car of choice for the 1998 running at Swindon. Not Speak's finest moment, as Dave Luscombe (642) took the running to him, and with a fair few yellow flags, including one that did for Luscombe, who missed a gear and was pounced upon by Mick Sworder. Then with 5 to go, the promotion, which was joint between GDC (Gerry Dommett (although he had passed away earlier in the year) and RDC (who were the current incumbents of the Swindon track) made the decision to water the track. This played into Bert Finnikin's (559) hands who came to the last bend almost nudged the back of the 218 car. Apoplectic with rage and convinced that the promotion had almost diddled him out of title, Speak refused to take part in the post race presentation, making a mockery of the sport's big day.

Buxton in 1999 was Speak with little interest the actual race was very very dull, he'd already started his F1 career. It was very much just another race, but it was the last time we saw the 218 machine win the gold roof.

At the time, I was getting bored of Speak's dominance. I look back now, and look at his recent form and that he entirely deserved his status in the Top 100 greatest racing drivers poll in the motoring press, beating the likes of Villeneuve, Coulthard and Nelson Piquet. When he went to ASCAR and various other motorsport, not only did he mingle with the stars of the UK racing scene, he won plaudits and friends in higher places, including current BTCC star Jason Plato, and the infamous "Stig" Ben Collins.

The moral of the story many have tried to surpass and pass Speak, but few, if any, have succeeded. Bradbury and Moodie are already aware of his prowess and have fallen foul to the 218 bumper.

Speak isn't even 40 yet. There could be potentially another 20 titles. I hope not, but one or two more wouldn't hurt!

For the generation who aren't aware of him, it would be good to see him win a world title. I started going to stock car in the Batten retirement period, and had never seen him with a gold roof. I was told he was good, but thought I had missed my chance.

Washed up banger driver, no. Bully boy - maybe. The best stock car driver to grace our formula. Definately.