"......and away we go"

So with those immortal words, the green flag had dropped. Time to believe the hype, as it all starts all over again.

A SINCH FOR GUINCH

For Saturday night, it was a return to the venue where the 2011 season ended. Britain's second city was the destination of the Golf, as once again the sat nav took me on another round trip of Birmingham's lesser known sites, and which also took me through St Andrews at 4:55pm on a match day. Needless to say, when we arrived at Wheels, it was a relief.

So with the news that Liam Rowe (605) had stacked his new Higgy into the plating in pre meeting practice, and that National Points Champ Lordy Gordy Moodie (7) was aiming to go west for his second day of racing, the pits were full of chatter!

The honour of first race winner on the tar went to Lee Carlin (963) after taking up the running from James Rogers (544). Indeed, that was the way it finished officially as Nigel Green (445) was deemed to have jumped the start, and became the first name in the Pringle Hall of Fame.

Heat 2 saw Brum specialist Adam Rebel Rubery (700) take the victory, despite being chased by Mickey Brennan (968)

The consolation got lively. Ian Ollernshaw (919) got it all wrong and ended up broadside up the straight, and when the burgeoning throng of yellows and blues decended on the white top, a trail of destruction was left, akin to those recent twisters in the states. Worst off were Luke Loveland (120), Chris Mikkula (522),  Ross Rowe (105), and Aidy Whitehead (960) who requested a withdrawl from the bank. After the restart, Tim Bailey (817) and Stephen Smith (299) led away, with Smith taking the chequered, only to have jumped the restart, and cut the corner onto the rumples. This allowed Jay Tomkins (290) to give the West country something to cheer about, when there was nowt about, as he inherited the win.

Final time, and all eyes were on both Green and Moodie, however eyes should have been forward, as fellow Pensilva School alumnus, Mark Guinchard (183) sped away to a clear half a lap lead. Indeed, after crossing the line an astonishing 4.5 seconds ahead of Rubery and Moodie. Don't let Guinch's hard guy personna fool you, I can tell you he once made an Arsenal cushion! I expect playground beatings like 25 year ago for that comment!

The GN saw Nige take the win from Darren Clarke (571) who isn't bad for a golfer.....

The ORCi minis stole the show, with drivers far and wide, and it was the Autospeed ones who did the majority of damage. Some brutal hits from Steve Gilbert (942), which were very reminiscent of his old man back in the day The Undertaker, Peter!

BRADDERS KING AT LYNN

Of course, many of last seasons Brum regular decided again to start on the Road to Gold where it ended last year. With the traditional season opener and opening qualifying round at King's Lynn. Heats went the way of William Clement (158), Allen Cooper (702) and Chris Big Boy Bradbury (886). With the final a relatively lively affair, and after silly boys Martin Love (548) and John Davies (77) got out their cars after a yellow flag, it left Bradders to pick up a maximum on the road to gold. The GN was again a lively affair as both Cooper and Bradderz clashed, with the latter on the road to a potential maximum, clashed on the last bend, which didn't help. First dummy spat of the new season, and that goes to Allen Cooper, who's spot of afters with Bradbury might bite him on the bum.


NATH PLAYS IT COOL AT COLD TOYTOWN

Sunday, and like many of the saloon boys, I got caught up on the M42, where the torrential rain saw plenty of pile ups to slow the traffic down. Arriving about an hour later than I should of, I arrive to see a few new cars, and a fairly busy pits. Some finished cars, ready to rock and roll.

"Is that gay enough"

"The last car I will build" Batten signals he's still got it

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Butch back with another

So with stragglers coming in due to the abysmal weather conditions experienced on the journey down, a greasy track in freezing conditions. It was bitterly cold, but that didn't stop 30 or so hardy souls. A 2 from 3 format was applied. James Rogers (544) led away heat one with Lewannick stalwart Andy Sobey (550) - and the whites couldn't be caught. Heat 2 saw a last corner shove from a Moodie with intent! Gordon shoved local challenger Neil Hooper (676) in the 2011 Black Motorworld out of contention, and then found himself nuzzled in the middle of two tarts, and he wasn't even racing at Skegness... The Tarts in question were Nathan Maidment (935) and Dan Moss (797) who let Nath take the brunt of the last bender, and the canny Scot cannae play a decent game of snooker, a nice pot giving him heat 2. Moss got the pringle, much to his delight! Heat 3  gave Andy Sobey a flag to flag win which is more than likely going to see him hit the dizzy heights of yellow again. So with Bradbury and Moodie, and a selection of quick lower grades, the final looked good.
 Rogers again took up the early running, but it was Moss and Maidment who took up as the track was slippy on the Honiton bend. Standing beside an extremely nervous dad in Andy, who counted down the laps, and when he crossed the line, the look of joy. Nathan took the win and a return to the red grade.

Sadly it seems the senior TARTS, Mummy Moss and Andy Maidment have taken to the petty theft of steering wheels, mastered by Mike Priddle (14), as sneaky tactics between the two reached new levels! I think only a Rattler or 5 will sort it!

Cheeky boy Dale Moon (302) who questioned why I was still here, and jumped for joy in waterfalls of rapture at the news that Birmingham would be my closest track, when I move to my new base, won the GN with his new Flintstone style aerofoil (think of Fred's spare rib)

DAZ MAX

Soggy success for Meeds

Daz Kitson (732) announced his intentions for the new season, with a faultless maximum in the soggy conditions. Future brother in law, Mark Meeds (458) took the win in heat 2, cue a happy fiance on the phone! The other winner was Marc Fortune (64) in the Speak Elite, who took the Consolation!


So first weekend back, and doesn't it feel good.....

Check the Pringle and WCQR points...