Practice (St) Day - The Track Attack

So you seen them stationary with a pretty lady, and an astonishing 20 F2's for practice! Now some meetings last year struggle to have got that in previous times, so it bodes well....

One tooth too many and your engine might turn Bertie!

Now the track was a tad muddy and damp, so early laps struggled with grip and mechanical problems struck both cars of Dan Moss (797) who was ready to shake it down, ahead of his attempt to drive all 19 tracks this year. Also cursed was returnee from injury Simon Bassett (31) who suffered with engine problems, but was happy to be out again. Fellow Clay Country resident Jay Tomkins (290) also had the bonnet off more times than was deemed satisfactory.

Ralph races

Blasts from the past include Ralph Tracey (838) who probably last raced when St Day's first incarnation was about! He had an ex Dave Luscombe Randall to play with, and bear in mind some 25 years have passed since he last drove in earnest, and I can't for the life of me remember his old number!

Ivor "the Driver" Collins (505) was there, with the self built car he debut in the middle of the season. Looking very quick also.

Gotta get a move on, I got coursework to do!

On the other end of the age spectrum was current Autospeed Points Champion, and still very much mini stox Ryan Hoskin (991) who has to wait until July to race. Taking the school of thought of Jon Palmer - he intends to practice, practice, practice! Come when the 16th candle is lit, I reckon he will be on the money, although he might well be introduced the hard way if he gets too good!

 Another convert from Stock Rods, Glenn Sanders (734) took the ex Stock Rodding Neil Truran's ex Jonny Kind, ex Adam Pearce Motorworld for a spin!

Glenn goes...

"He'll be alright, never been black flagged for a loose wheel guard"

On the shiny new car front, Liam Rowe (605) got his Higman out, complete with funny front panel. Ross Rowe (105) banished the green curse as he returned to the grey that got him the track championship at the Cornish circuit. Although Ross did not follow Higgy Wan Kenobi's sage like advice and became the first person to be black flagged in practice. I think they left the technical disqualification flag at home. Fellow Janner Alumni, Adam Deeble (685) and Liam (785), and the returning Jason Walters (540) all turned up for some fun!

Jase the Ace races again

Luke Thomas (916) turned up with the silver Neil Hooper car now in new colours, and looking the danglies. Double final winner last year Jamie Avery (126), has a new Harding motor, and looks very smart indeed.

Jamie Beere (954) took over the ex his dad, ex Todd Jones Higman to further his career.

Paul Rice (990) has gone old school wing and his car looks fairly low.

But in an omninous fashion, last season's triple final winner at United Downs, pensioned off the spinny chair (whatever the hell that means) and donned a shade of Truran Purple, Neil Hooper (676) set the fastest lap of the day.....

Black Sheep pursued by Spinny Chair

So.... the practicing is over. Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time to go racing!

Practice (St) Day!

So it was another trip down the A30 for that proverbial dip in the water, before the jump into the deep end. Practice Day was back at St Day after a year's break.

The Blog was there, with the Lovely Lucy in tow.... Race pics to follow along with analysis

Ivor the Driver back for go

Chris Rowe (76) with another go

Beautiful new Motorworld of Jamie Avery (126)

Jason Phillips Randall out for another go!

Jay Tomkin's (290) Motorworld, fresh from NEC

Liam Deeble is shown by Lucy what the wheel does

Another day, another girl hanging of the purple Hooper Super Dooper

Lucy... with a perfect advert for Janner Motorsport

He's not yet old enough but Ryan Hoskin is so keen to get started, he's started practicing

Bertie Bassett'(31)s Back from his Bad Back

Off to Lynn next weekend with his shale motor is Dan Moss (797)

And his tar car, ta very much

Little foil, for Special Fried Rice (990)

Jason Walters is back and ready to play

Luke Thomas (916) former Hooper Trophy Scooper

Jamie Beere (954) in the Higgy abused by Dad, and abused by Todd

A Dam Nuiscance alongside Adam Deeble (685)

Liam Rowe's new Higgy, so we pointed it out

The Big Interview - 105 Ross Rowe

So first interview of 2012, and we return the glamourous surrounds of Redruth. Well do one brother and well you got to do the other. Fresh from his latest galavant round the world, its Cornish racer Ross Rowe (105)....

NAME: Ross Rowe
HOMETOWN: Redruth, Cornwall
AGE: 26
F2 DEBUT: 2005 (St Day)
NUMBER: 105
PREVIOUS FORMULAE RACED: None
CURRENT F2: Higman with my own extras
HIGHEST GRADE ACHIEVED : Star (red)
ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE: Plymouth Driver of the Year 2005, Benevolent Fund Trophy 2007, Ladies Trophy 2008, St Day Track Champion 2009
SPONSORS: Jeffers and Stock, Cardew MOT Centre, Gav Signs
NICKNAMES: Rossy
FAVOURITE TRACK: St Day
TRACKS RACED AT: Birmingham, Barford, Arena, St Columb, St Day, Taunton, Bristol, Ringwood, Northampton.

Jho - So how did it all begin....
Ross - Used to watch it with Liam and the rest of the family when I was younger. I loved cars, and loved the racing and decided to buy and went crazy and bought one never looked back!

Jho- What made you get the fast side of the track
Ross - Thinking it was easy and anyone could do it. How wrong can you be!

Jho - Talk us through your first meeting...what happened?
Ross - That's a good one. Bent the chassis. It was Gav Pikes (ex752) car and I crashed into Mick Weber(ex855) who had Roy Goodmans car. I crashed into him and split the fuel tank, and chassis. He got out unscathed damage wise. I remember it took us 2 to the 3 hours to take the engine out! Now, its a lot quicker!

The Green Machine (No longer!)

Jho -You've been a Higman man thoroughout, Why?
Ross - If it wasn't for Colin, we wouldnt be were we were today. When we went to his workshops, he said "These boys have no idea and will never get anywhere in a F2". He still wanted to give us a go, but now realises he if he can teach me he can teach anyone!
When I first started I was looking for a complete setup, and it came in the form of Gavin Pikes (752) Higman. Then the ex Derek Sillifant (607) car which Ian Jefferies (992) has now, and an ex Bradbury car, whih to be fair was the best car i ever had, should never had sold it.
I currently have a car that is a Higgy chassis, which I put the cage and suspension on with from Mike Lampshire, haven't had the same success with it

On top of the world.....

Jho - Why do think that this car hasn't had the success?
Ross- Lack of interest really. I wanted to travel. I went to Australia at the tail end of 2010 for 6 months, came back and still wanted to be away from home. I had gone to Africa and climed Kilamanjaro in 2006, and late last year went to South Africa and worked my way up to Kenya. I worked a lot of time on creating the ar, and it can be tiring, when it only lasts one corner. Plus I haven't had a full season with it yet.

Jho- What has been your low points in the sport?
Ross - Getting chassis bent and knocked out after being followed in at Taunton.

On rails in the wet

Jho - High points?
Ross -Winning my first final from red - the Ladies Trophy, at Taunton, a track I don't really like.

Jho- You a magic wand - what stox based wish do you grant yourself?
Ross - Another track in the South West, maybe the ability to pull more of a crowd. It would be great to have a crowd. And to tell all the haters, those who complain about noise etc to shut up. Bloody emmets!

Jho- What ambitions do you have left in the sport?
Ross - Finish a few races for a start, I want to get my red roof back. Maybe a world final too, got close but rolled on last lap of semi!

Racing hard at Skeg.......

Jho- You are probably Brisca's most active southerly driver (by a couple of meters) what geographical problems does this pose?

Ross - Lack of meetings and lack of tracks close by, and the expense of travelling. We like going to Skeg, but not necessarily for the racing!!! Bristol is a local track, but it would cost us £250 exluding damage, and we seem to get a lot of there! We have 90 minutes more to travel than the majority of the other top drivers in the region.

Giving it some welly - at Chris Cuming's stag do!

But beyond all else you have to enjoy it. If your not enjoying it then you shouldnt be doing it!

Jho - Do you have some people to thank.....

Ross - Firstly Higgy for being tight and driving us mad. Liam, see Higgy. Dad for making the car look pretty. Mum for keeping us fed and watered and acting as security! And Lawrence Beckenham and James Chalk plus all other friends for support.

Ross Rowe was talking to the Stox Blog's Jonny Hoare

Workshop Watch 5....The Search for Workshop 6!

Bill goes looking for the nearing extinction lesser spotted full format Crimond....

So another installment of Workshop Watch for this closed season sees a veritable cavalcade of new cars from the lock ups and garages of the land. Whether its St Day or Belle Vue, tick tock there goes the clock!

Now one time interviewee and last year's casualty, Simon Bassett (31) has had a fair amount of time to prepare his Randall from last years mishap and lengthy layoff following the unfortunate shunt at Taunton, that left him broken!
With a return to red paint on his car, like he had on the ex Darren Wade/Neil Hooper HCD, Simon's hoping to get back in and get it on!

"Billy the Bus", is not the exiled Cornish midget's VOSA bothering method of transport but Ryan Cattell's (904) shale machine for 2012, has now had a lick of paint and is ready to go. Shale cars always seem be given names...."Lady M" was the name of Tim Farrell's last shale car! Come on then boys, we need to name your cars - works for Seb Vettel doesn't it.

But besides the shale car, Ryan's Tarmac steed for 2012, which we shall call here "Terry the Tarmac Tearer", is an RCE. No wonder father Andy (ex909) packed up, twice the cars to prepare! Boys eh, as many a stock car widow would say







Now from the exceedingly good sign workshops of Daniel Klyn come two excellent sign jobs. One is for the contininent, over to Belgium...

...and Dave Bale's (555) shale car looks well wicked. Some awesome signwork!

Practice Day ..... Skegness!

So the beasts of hell have been unleashed for the first time, and well a few cars turned up at Skeg, on a bitter, but reasonable day for giving the motors their first shake down of the year!

Jo Overton was there with her camera, and despite there not being a great number of cars, it was enough to get the juices flowing!

Richard Hill (202)

James Darley'(227)s delight - Jo Overton

Darley in his Ford, but no sign of a Deeble (Westcountry based joke for the Janners)

Thinking pink in the pits Mark Adkins (275) - Jo Overton

Adkins (275) at speed - Jo Overton

Fresh from starring at the NEC is Jody Griffin (284) - Jo Overton

The rear of Tom Adcroft (768)

Next week - its St Day, and already about a dozen to show...

Workshop Watch 4. Run out of Storylines!

Turn the heating up, I could do with it being a little 'otter

So with the new season, days away, things are gathering apace for the boys and girls of Briscaland....

So lets start with Paul Prentice (257). Very pretty looking car, however may fall foul of a pedant scrutineer (black on white numbers, not white on black) Still quite a looker!

 Over to the East Coast, and brother-in-law to be Mark Meeds (458) respray and rejig of his Randall. Gone is the yellow and blue, and in with the White and green- reminds me of those sweets called "Pacers" which were about  in the 80's - they were like Opal Fruits (Starburst to the Kids) but white with a green minty strip down them. Whether it is inspired by the much missed sweet I don't know, if it is, then we can see a Texan Bar and Spangles inspired colour schemes in the very near future.

It certainly seems to be this seasons colour, the white and green combo, as quite a few cars have come out with this combination! Full signs (including some new sponsors that rhyme with Hey Ho Fox Bog) will be out very very soon.

And finally, from over the water in Holland... Milou Mets has a new car for shale which look as though it is, an old school Higgy circa 1994. The cab panels and the "head rest" complete with union jack fire wall, give it away. Good to see, in this world of space age RCEs that an old school car is coming out there to play.....






So with the practice days coming thick and fast- the new cars, drivers and paint will be coming thick and fast, and of course you know where to find it first!