So the nights have drawn in. Woolies have be pulled out, and well hark, if thats not the dulcet tones of one Nodward Holder being gentled warmed in prepartion for its annual slice of yuletide PRS.
But, one last meeting please Mr Brisca man.... Ah ok.... Hows about a spot of Birmingham Wheels, share it with the 1's, ok, chuck in a few gimmicks... that makes it exciting...
So, there we were, parked oursleves on the West Bend, and for the first time this year, a meeting was held in entire darkness, including practice too.
Yep, it was time for the first time in a few years for Jonny to decend on Brum for the first time in ages. The racing didn't disappoint either. A packed crowd - I don't think I've ever had so many people barge through or try to nick our spot, bloody rude and the clipboard crew gave me evils! By the way, with all the results on the internet, and Mylaps, do they really need to do that. But then they are F1 fans, happy with the same old same old. No need for rudeness and especially some consideration for the smaller fans who couldn't see cos some fat arse was in the way.
So heat 1 saw a few jnames that failed to make it in the Shoot Out have a play for the remaining two places. Such was Nigel Green's (445) keenest to get going, perhaps the biggest pringle of the year was missed by the steward. When the yellow was removed and the Green dropped, the Green was already dropped and he saw yellows! Anyways an easy win.
Next up was the main event. A graded race in closed grid, it was always gonna be carnage on Lap 1, and favourite Gordon of The Moodie (7) crashed out, leaving Pretty Polley charging into a clear gap with a charging Jonny P (24) and Big Boy Bradders (886). Bradders dispensed with the Plymouthian, and set out charging down Anakin! Now the talk of the 'net was Bradderz right hand down on Nigel the previous week. He wouldn't do that again would he? Oh yes he would, and to make sure he drove towards the parked cars. This slowed Bradbury, but slowed Polley more! This allowed Jon Palmer (24) to catch, and with 2 to go, it appeared to far back...with one to go, Bradbury looked goof and as the final turn came, the Motorworld went in like an Exocet and aimed for his target. Said missle must have be fired from an American war ship as it missed its intended target, but full marks with distinciton for having a crack, Jon! Biggest last bend lunge ever....
The meeting final turned into a clash of the titans, however it was Moodie who took the win from Bradbury, and it could have done with a yellow or two more, to have made it more exciting....
And then, F2's first dalliance into the murky world that brought down and sullied Ant and Dec's squeaky clean image- the text vote for the "People's Champion" race. It gave some interesting results, more a case of rousing family members and facebook friends to text to the comm box there racing number. Some lovely touches in the race. The retiring Andy Catell (909) and Nathan Maidment (935) were two worthy entrants. I voted for Nath about 10 times, 1. cos Andy told me too, 2. I thought it would be nice and his mum would be proud, and 3. he took one for the team with the Stoneman incident!. Sadly only one vote counted as Dave Goddard said that, I felt cheated like a GMTV phone in contestant. Ah well, just a bit a of fun. It reminded me of the TOCA shoot out that the Touring Cars used to have, and I remember that time when Nigel Mansell fresh from his Indycar success guest drove in it and crashed spectacularly! Not a lot of laps, but a dash for the line. So they lined up 3 a breast, in 3 lines, and went hell for leather. Some of the favoured runners went out, including a brutal assault on Nigel Green by Jon Palmer, which left the RCE somewhat bent! With him and Polley bringing out the yellows, all eyes were on Paul Ford to see whther he could hold off the charging Moodie. All was good, and with a showman's hit, Moodie took the running, and rounded off a cracking nights racing.
Plans are afoot to make next year bigger than ever, with a bit more build up, and sponsorship, this should be come an awesome addition to the calendar. I would love to see a few more cars, and a mandatory race stoppage, with the half way, with one car dropping out every lap until there are 2/3 left. Then Stop them, and clutch start it, one lap to the flag! Now that would be freakin' awesome...
The Brisca Minis are interesting to watch for who might be coming over to annoy us in the 2's. It was the last meet for many of the youngsters, and it produced some cracking racing.
For the tractors, the only thing "gala" about the meeting, was probably the melon in the Wainman's picnic. It seems a lot of the star drivers chose to bow out the national series finale the weekend before at Belle Vue, including the retiring Andy Smith, leaving us with a reasonable field, but not one to shatter the earth. Lots of ex 2's drivers wer racing. Star of the show was Mick Sworder (150) now seeming to enjoy racing with a smile, such was the start line banter with Messrs Harris, Bradbury and Wainman. Add to that the Westcountry's former finest, Timmy Turtle and Jamesy the Singer, and remember that newly crowned Silver Roof, Craig Finnikin, had a daliance of the pinto kind in a former time. Sadly apart from this, they failed to ignite the crowd, and was very much a going through of the motions.
Now Birmingham has a special place in my heart, it remains the venue of Team Lampy's finest moment back in 1994, the first ever white top F2 final winner at the asphalt track, and it does produce some great racing, and I'm upset that the cruisers and boy racers that used to congregate outside on Landor Street are no longer there - maybe something to do with the speed humps! We must save tracks like this - if it goes for redevelopment we need to get a venue that is befitting to replace it. However, if it does survive, a bit of TLC will keep the wolves from the redevelopment door...
And the final word comes from the Maidment joke book. A christmas present for none of the family...
"What has Jon Palmer (24) and KFC got in common?"
"They both do Milky Bar Crush'ems"
See you at B&Q....
Jonny
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