Day 2, and with the headaches kicking in for all and sundry, and after the thunderstorms the night before, a soggy grassed area, and after a good nights sleep and shower, it was off to Taunton, albeit more sprightly and without the 5am toilet run to Exeter Services!
It was time to Salute Colin Higman, the reknowned former World Champion, car constructor, scrutineer and all round legend. With a commerative programme with lots of nostalgia and memories of a by gone era, I contributed my own little tribute to him in it aswell.
Autospeed has really excelled itself in the nostaglia front in the past and this was no exception. Two of Higgy's old steeds where on display, including the car in which he won the 1976 World Final, now owned by Brian Taylor (ex547). After a few words from the Higster, Chris Bradbury presented Colin with a silver replica of a stock car, celebrating 50 glorious years of stock car history.
After the Moodie masterclass the night before, and of course the mention of a certain Robert the Great, all eyes were on Autospeed's heat split. Like the semis the weekend before, one was very top heavy, the other less so.
With a stellar line up of Moodie, Speak, Kitson, Hooper, Goldin and Wagner, in Heat 1 it was going to be lively. After early laps were led by Ryan Cattell (904, the runner up from Saturday night Ritchie Meads (596) sped away. Meanwhile, Speak led away from the reds and Moodie wasn't too far away. A quick tap and unwrap saw Gordon move Speaky, but Speak had other ideas as he went into the pit bend caught the #7 RCE and overshot and spun himself. However, after a half spin for Moodie, both recovered, but it was too late. Meads held on, from Neil Hooper (676).
Heat 2 had the rest. After the early laps were led away from Mike Lees (135), a resurgent Adam Deeble (685) took Paul Rice (990) along for company. However, as the boards came out, it was Chris Bradbury (886) in another car borrowed, only this time it was his old Higman from 2011, which its new owner allowed him to race. "A Higgy for Higgy" was his proclamation and it brought a smile to the infamous car constructor, as he took the win.
Heat 3 doubled up as the "Teen Sensations" and in reverse national points order, the closed grid was formed with the whites at the front and the reds not to far behind. Indeed after the green flag was displayed the youthful exhuberence got the better of them, and the push from the back meant they all went into the corner like a pack of fatties at a Weightwatchers meeting when someone has thrown in a Big Mac. Taking the brunt was Tom Mallings (111) and Luke Loveland (120) and half the field was obliterated, leaving 8 cars left for the restart. The Early laps were led away by Ryan McCrory (NI944). The Irishman led up until the last board, when Jack Aldridge (921) took a clean sweep of the whippersnapper titles.
Consolation time and it was led away by Saturday's consi winner Ryan Hoskin (991) and he had Paul Milsom (245) for company. However, it was battling blue tops Chris Rowe (76) and Dale Moon (302) who took it up. Rowe crossed the line first, however, he joined of the double Pringle, making it a six way fight for the title now. Moon inheirited the win and away he went!
After the youthful exhuburence, it was time for a blast with the past, as star of the show, Higgy, got reunited with the 1976 World Final winner. Filmed by me on my phone, here's those laps!
The Final was again a frantic affair. Only one yellow top lined up, that was Meads, and he sped away
from the scrapping packs behind. After more engine problems for Speak and yellow flags galore as fancied runner Ryan Hoskin (991) tripped over Mike Priddle's (14) new Motorworld, complete with Pyramid of Doom bonnet, whilst leading, Meads took it up and sped away. Moodie couldn't catch the yellow top and it was roles reversed.
In the national, Moodie sped away to a faultless GN win, to round off a good weekend for the National Points champ, and one final lap of honour for Colin who beamed like the glorious sunshine that befell the track at the end of the meeting.
Other points of note from the weekend....
Andrew Bennett (830) unleashed his new Motorworld car. "The Spinney Chair Special", paid homage to John Harding's chair of thought. John said it would be a "Marmite" car, you'd either love it or hate it. Different it certainly is, although the Dulux colour chart for "blue" is a point of discussion. Plans are afoot to avoid confusion from Farmer Bennett, something predominantly blue will adorn the car on its next journey out...
Jack Aldridge's dad must have been aiming to make a swift exit as he had to be in East London to close the Olympic Closing Ceremony as lead singer of "The Who"....
J-ho stickers have been given out willy and nilly to all and sundry, including two former world champs!
So whats next? Serious amount of prep work for the countdown to the World Final....
It was time to Salute Colin Higman, the reknowned former World Champion, car constructor, scrutineer and all round legend. With a commerative programme with lots of nostalgia and memories of a by gone era, I contributed my own little tribute to him in it aswell.
Autospeed has really excelled itself in the nostaglia front in the past and this was no exception. Two of Higgy's old steeds where on display, including the car in which he won the 1976 World Final, now owned by Brian Taylor (ex547). After a few words from the Higster, Chris Bradbury presented Colin with a silver replica of a stock car, celebrating 50 glorious years of stock car history.
After the Moodie masterclass the night before, and of course the mention of a certain Robert the Great, all eyes were on Autospeed's heat split. Like the semis the weekend before, one was very top heavy, the other less so.
With a stellar line up of Moodie, Speak, Kitson, Hooper, Goldin and Wagner, in Heat 1 it was going to be lively. After early laps were led by Ryan Cattell (904, the runner up from Saturday night Ritchie Meads (596) sped away. Meanwhile, Speak led away from the reds and Moodie wasn't too far away. A quick tap and unwrap saw Gordon move Speaky, but Speak had other ideas as he went into the pit bend caught the #7 RCE and overshot and spun himself. However, after a half spin for Moodie, both recovered, but it was too late. Meads held on, from Neil Hooper (676).
Heat 2 had the rest. After the early laps were led away from Mike Lees (135), a resurgent Adam Deeble (685) took Paul Rice (990) along for company. However, as the boards came out, it was Chris Bradbury (886) in another car borrowed, only this time it was his old Higman from 2011, which its new owner allowed him to race. "A Higgy for Higgy" was his proclamation and it brought a smile to the infamous car constructor, as he took the win.
 |
| Free Sweets come and get em! (Alan Parkinson) |
 |
| Crunch! |
Consolation time and it was led away by Saturday's consi winner Ryan Hoskin (991) and he had Paul Milsom (245) for company. However, it was battling blue tops Chris Rowe (76) and Dale Moon (302) who took it up. Rowe crossed the line first, however, he joined of the double Pringle, making it a six way fight for the title now. Moon inheirited the win and away he went!
After the youthful exhuburence, it was time for a blast with the past, as star of the show, Higgy, got reunited with the 1976 World Final winner. Filmed by me on my phone, here's those laps!
 |
| Grandad Colin has a sit down |
from the scrapping packs behind. After more engine problems for Speak and yellow flags galore as fancied runner Ryan Hoskin (991) tripped over Mike Priddle's (14) new Motorworld, complete with Pyramid of Doom bonnet, whilst leading, Meads took it up and sped away. Moodie couldn't catch the yellow top and it was roles reversed.
In the national, Moodie sped away to a faultless GN win, to round off a good weekend for the National Points champ, and one final lap of honour for Colin who beamed like the glorious sunshine that befell the track at the end of the meeting.
Other points of note from the weekend....Andrew Bennett (830) unleashed his new Motorworld car. "The Spinney Chair Special", paid homage to John Harding's chair of thought. John said it would be a "Marmite" car, you'd either love it or hate it. Different it certainly is, although the Dulux colour chart for "blue" is a point of discussion. Plans are afoot to avoid confusion from Farmer Bennett, something predominantly blue will adorn the car on its next journey out...
Jack Aldridge's dad must have been aiming to make a swift exit as he had to be in East London to close the Olympic Closing Ceremony as lead singer of "The Who"....
J-ho stickers have been given out willy and nilly to all and sundry, including two former world champs!
So whats next? Serious amount of prep work for the countdown to the World Final....
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