KLWF11 - 10 days to go - 2000 Flashback

Now 11 years ago it was King's Lynn turn to hold it for the first time. The first world final of the millenium was due to be held on the 17/18/19 September on the shale. However, in the week leading up to the final, the UK was paralysed by fuel blockades at the terminals and refineries across the land. All because the price of a litre of fuel reached an astronomical 89.9 pence a litre!

Panic stricken fans and drivers alike were worried about getting enough petrol to go across the country to watch- and considering at the time it was Scottish and Westcountry F2 fans that were responsible for the majority of the spectators at the time, the decision was made to move the Big One to October 13/1ttl

It was also the first World Final held in deep autumn - it was very cold on the terraces at the Saddlebow Road arena. It was also the start of new era. The behemoth that stood over the gold for many years, Rob Speak (218), had left for the F1's but returned to play with a Randall Motorsport car, that in season 2001 was driven by Dave Luscombe (642) (and is still racing in the capable hands of westcountry newbie Lewis Holden (950)), As defending title holder, he took his place at the very back.

Pic of Speak in 2000 WF Courtesy of Robspeak.com

At the front of the grid was front row starter from 1998 and 1999, Daz Kitson (732) and alongside him, was westcountry warrior Peter Gilbert (542). First corner saw, Gilbert go round, and not come back, and with that Kitson drove away, but got caught up with an incident with about 5 to go. The man on shale at the time Bert Finnikin (559) was catching and catching and catching, and the last bend just wasn't close enough. That was the closest Bert came to doubling up his F1 title. Kitson held on to take his first title, taking the big step up from 2nd place to the top step. The gold went to Huddersfield and remained there until August 2002.

Why my knowledge of the race is sketchy, is because of what happened afterwards. It was a late finish, and there were 4 of us going, me, Lampy, Grampy Lampy and our then mechanic, Tool. All in a Nissan Terrano. With wheels picked up from Wayne Helliwell in the boot, we park in the complex.
A gift of the stock car gods was given - a Sierra had been abandoned by the roadside of the track entrance, and to the Saloon Stock and F2 boys, result says they, free spares. In fact many a person were heading over to the car to strip bits from it. We parked fairly close to this car, the right side of the boundary.

So, in a state of serious CBA'ness, the decision was made not to go for the tent option, and all of us deicded to sleep in the Terrano. Not the most pleasent nights sleep, and those who have shared speedweekends know that I simply don't sleep. Add my figidityness and the monumentual sound of Tool's snoring, meant I was wide awake and bored. Having read Unloaded, the paper and the programme best that I could at least 5 times over. I turned round, and I saw an orangey glow coming from the Ford behind.

The following is an accurate representation of the events...

"Marc"
"uuuuuhhh"
"Marc" (nudge in the chest)
"Fuck off Jonny, go back to sleep"
"Marc!!!"(more frantic nudging) "That car's on fire"
"Fuck off Jonny, you're seeing things"
"Marc - that fucking car is on fire behind us"
(a turn round) "Fuck it is too! Neil!"
"uhh?"
"Neil, that cars on fire behind us"
"eh, fuck it is too!"

Cue Lampy getting out of his sleeping back in record time and driving the Terrano to  a safe distance away, as Tool rung the fire brigade and me and Grandad roused others nearby.

After the fire engine and fire was put out, we set on our merry way down the M11 at silly o clock, stopped at the services for some fried scran and ended up at Lakeside- awaiting the Novice of the Year at Arena.

I'm hoping that I remember this years event for the racing!

KLWF11 - 11 days to go - Last Chance ?

Qualified for a Semi? Crashed out? Engine expired at the end of the straight? Got hooked up with someone you've never ever seen before today? Track too clean and not dusty enough for you?

Help is at hand for those drinking in the last chance saloon. 6 places are up for grabs, and as we all know from the last couple of runnings of the big one - you have to be in it to win it!

The consolation semi final are taking place, here's the runners and riders...

401 Barry Goldin 905 Rob Mitchell
641 Dennis Middler 59 Lee Dimmick
70 Brian Shadbolt 270 Mark Gibbs
844 Darren Phillips 871 Mark Simpson
126 Jamie Avery 768 Tom Adcroft
662 Steve Wycherley 494 John Dowson
990 Paul Rice 377 Daz Shaw
888 Paul Ford 259 Simon Farrington
302 Dale Moon 677 Chris Roots
488 Liam Bentham 725 Paul Broatch
650 Gary Stirk 744 Tom Smart
571 Darren Clarke 150 Mark Thoms
124 Ollie Skeels NI271 Gary Chambers
541 Luke Phillips 977 Dave Massey
143 Marc Lammas 103 Carl Issitt
448 John Wright 276 Murray Jones
231 Matt Clayton 116 Ashley Rundle
72 John Broatch 615 Josh Coleman
798 Mark Sargent 742 Nick Rogers
710 Brett Townsend 326 Johnny Hall
290 Jay Tomkins 254 Richard Beere
189 Paul Butcher

So with potentially 43 cars starting, who is likely to make the cut. With the total tarmac extremities of Hednesford taking their toll on the shale specialists, it's not surprising that the majority of the field are shale drivers. The biggest casualty from the semis, was 2003 World Champion, and reigning European and British Champion, Barry Goldin (401) who suffered from power problems. Indeed, when he was drawn in a semi, he was seen as a favourite for the title itself, cnsidering the British was won at Belle Vue. Many fancied shale drivers are there along side him, with Rob Mitchell (905), Daz Shaw (377), Brian Shadbolt (70 and the last shale world final runner up Mark Simpson (871) all with shale wins and considered favourites.

Hope is not lost, you are not making up numbers. Paul Broatch (725) almost pipped Bill Batten (167) at Barford in 2004, Batten himself almost nicked the title from Alister King (74) in 1990. Shale is unpredictable at the best of times and you could fall over anyone - and there is a precedent already - the Saloon Gold Roof won by ex F2 Driver Eddie Darby (677 (877 in F2)) who started in position 29, after winning their last chance!

Remember though....

You gotta be in it to win it!

KLWF11 - 12 days to go...

Okay, we are getting a little bit excited about the prospect of the World Final, which is now 12 days away!

Event sponsors Randall Motorsport are getting excited too as the trailer video show below....

Loving it....a good trailer? Damn that trailer's so fine it almost by Brian James!

Coming up in September

Pinch punch, white rabbits, all that palaver. Yup its September, the business end of the season starts now. When I mean business, we mean that all roads lead to Norfolk, and to King's Lynn for the 2011 World Final

So what are you going to do about it, I hear you cry....

Firstly..... The site has had another spruce up to make things easier to update, and more user friendly. I've also added some new features too...

• A full points chart for the Dominator Series so you can check your ranking
• A link to our new Flickr stream, where pics from the tracks and various photoshoots
• The Blog Babe - a girl posing for your entertainment

Secondly..... With the world final coming up (and after the Blog was responsible for the only Semi final profiles to be seen!) driver profiles, predictions, interviews with some of the main players, pundit predictions, history and trivia will all becoming in the near weeks in the run up to the big one. Updates coming as often as "Gears and Tears" gets shown on Dave.

Thirdly... We will have reaction to the result and hopefully the quickest response to the result giving those who miss it the opportunity to see it as quickly as possible

Overall its gonna be a busy one this month. I might not see daylight!

Slick Mick and Steady Eddie show us the way....

So there I am, minding my own business, planning to go home from my big long stock car week after a decent night's kip from the Stoke darkness, and well I was weak, gave into temptation, did my work from my Notts base, and after much persuasion from the missus and from a certain very big Rob Speak fan, that her birthday is 21 8, to come to the Skegness Spedeweekend. So after surviving a trip through Deliverance, or Boston as it's known locally, and venturing into the town for a spot of "shopping". Going into Skegness in high season should come with a health warning. Motability scooters left, right and centre, I'm surprised Hazel hasn't thought about capitalising the monopoly on Scootstox. The obligatory chips and ice cream purchased, it was time to head to the track

I said, "not another", but this one was special. It was the Saloon World Final. Saloons of late had been rather dull, but this season, a lot of the big names were back, and with a half decent field can produce better racing than the 2's on occasions. In fact the Saloon World Final of 1994 at Newton Abbot will forever live long in the memory for me. Why? The Atmosphere was something else that day, anyone who was there will tell you that Harry Burgoyne (68) won it by default, after long time leader and local boy Mark Gray (900) got taken out as a result of some Nick Courtier (114) and Jammy Jarman (490). Gray was asked to come on the lap of honour and as he walked out of the pit gate at Newton Abbot. The place erupted a standing ovation, from that short walk from pits to the start line - a lasting memory of that place for me.

Now Skeg also has an atmosphere, and is probably one of the few action tracks left for Saloons, so with a lot of big names, we looked first and foremost at the last chance race, with a stellar line up of returning champs Webster, Darby and Hunt. Hunt's motor expired at the wrong time, and such was the committment, that a real scrap for 6th started! The first couple of laps were brutal, with the Skeggy fence once again crumbling worse than a packet of value biscuits. After a couple of restarts, including one that saw the top 3 taken away, it was clear to see that the title was heading to the Westcountry, and from his lowly 29th position, fought his way to the front, in one of the best drives I have seen. Without my sometimes Westcountry blinkered glasses on, it was a delight to see him finally capture the title. Further proof, if it was needed, that you've got to be in it to win it. See Barry, all is not lost!


Courtesy of Saloon22 on Youtube.... a great video, numerous others out there - but this one captures the Brown/fence best!

Note to Incarace- this is how you put on a championship meeting. A proper programme with individual driver previews, full colour.Good banter between commentator and presenter, post race interviews, fireworks and plenty of build up and geeing up! Skeggy/Trackstar have always been good at it - and I for one are looking for their presentation of the F2 World.

The support for the Loons were the 1's. Now, I will confess, in my lowly position, I don;'t see the ones that often. Despite the attraction of clogs, a reasonable turnout of Ones where there. Now to the Tooz fans, Mick Sworder was something of bete noir. An object of hate and despisement to many - he finds himself like Rob Speak with a new found army of once haters, now loving him for "putting it up 'em". The 'em being the racing dynasties of Smith and Wainman. Whilst the Juniors, Smith and Wainman were delving with the Dutch, Andy soon found himself acquainted with the bumper of the Sworder machine, as Drippy dispatched the World Champ around the fragile top bend fencing! He singlehandedly livened up a rather dull display for the 1's- please tell me how these are the premier formula?, I was bored rigid.

So with a Skeg weekend comes the apres stox. We thought Boathouse, everyone else thought stay for the disco! So with the girls dancing the night away and getting thrown off a dancefloor for getting too carried with Katy Perry, I was assisting with the finishing touches to Mark Meeds (458) car- also the hotel for the night!

After the numerous Westcountry fans nursed their celebratory heads in the morning, and birthday gifts were given one member of our spectating crew had a "member" that a certain former national points champion says was modeled on him.

Now the F2's on the Sunday weer on the hole a little hot roddy, apart from one moment where Richard Beere (254) was the recipient of aggressive fist shake of Barry Clow (597). It was a consistent day for Jason Wilkinson (287) with 4 2nd's - the win eluding him.

There are questions to be asked about turnouts over the weekend. Not many at Cowdenbeath or Northampton. Arena was to be expected, but I was surprised by the amount of F2's at Skeg, considering there were a fair few travellers, from both Westcountry and Scotland. Perhaps if they had them on both nights, a few more might have popped along for the ride! It is disheartening to see such poor attendances, the amount of drivers hasn't dropped - it's just that they are being more choosy.

Still a great weekend at Skeg and long may they continue!

Bill Dalley - THE voice of Westcountry Stock Car Racing

I am saddened to hear about the passing of Autospeed commentary legend, Bill Dalley.

Imagine a 5 year old Jonny, stood on the terraces at the Cornish Stadium, with Grandad and Uncles Neil and Mike. This bloke tells me who the drivers are, and the results. I listen to his style

For the next 25 years, this man would be the voice of my Sundays, Bank Holidays and holiday midweek meetings, and well, be the standard for other commentators I would hear up to now.
With a broad Westcountry accent, he approached Trevor Redmond and is famed to have said "that he could do a bit of commentary", and lo, a partnership was born. Many a final would end with "It's over to Mr Autospeed, our promoter, it's over to Treeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevor Redmond", to which TR in his Kiwi tones "Thank you, Bill".

Ever the shy and retiring type, he didn't like to get out and interview drivers, preferring to give that duty to his promoter colleague Trevor Redmond. He commentated on numerous World Finals, including the infamous trip to Wembley in 1974, and numerous tracks under the purple Autospeed banner.

Whether it was a Sunny St Austell, a night-time Newton or a torrential Taunton, his voice meant stock car to me.

The next generation of Goddard, Linfield et al have learnt a lot from his style. In fact in Steve Linfield, we have a near carbon copy in delivery.

Although he officially retired at the end of season 2009, for me, every meeting starts in my mind with his dulcet tones

"Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight then....."

Rest in peace, Bill.

Somebody Stoke the Lights!!

Up'anley m'duck fetch me an oatcake, cos the Jho Midland tour rolled in to Loomer Road, Chesterton in the People's Republic of Stoke on Trent. It's forefathers of Matthews, Taylor and Williams would have been proud. But Stan, Phil and Robbie would never have foreseen what was about to occur.

Front row sitter, and Mr Talking point from the weekend (well, apart from me), Rob Speak (218) turned up for his first shale F2 meeting for over 11 years, in a field of about 34 cars, with his old Elite to play with. 2 out of 3 was the format of choice. A white top charge took hold as the reds of Palmer (606), Bradbury (886) and the aforementioned Speak scrapped, with Speak dispensing with Palmer into the wall allowing his wheel guard to come adrift, which called time on his race. Speak then fired Bradbury into the traffic to move to which, to which Bradbury didn't recover and eventually pulled off. In Speak's eagerness to get to the front he tripped over a slow moving yellow top which meant progress slowed. Martin Love (548) took the win - his first - and such was his delight he didn't know what to do when he won.

Heat 2 saw Liam Bentham (488) take the early running, but it was the battle for red top supremacy between Bradbury, the rapidly improving Whippersnapper Jack (921) and Sam Wagner (823) which saw all 3 cars trade blows on each corner for 5 laps, and come the charge to the line it was 3 abreast and by the skinniest rizla paper, Bradderz took it from Wagner, however Bentham had long since crossed the line.

Heat 3 saw the PA go, and after an early pile up involving 418 and Aldridge, the rapidly moving Robert the Great, got re accustomed with the shale, and re accustomed with the chequered having skillfully defended his position from Palmer. With the light rapidly dimming, and with the "attraction" of a handful of grasstrack motors and 1600cc Bangers left over from the Cov at the weekend, it was final time. A little bit dark, but fair play to the drivers for continuing in near darkness. My video (complete with commentary debut) shows how black it was. As it was shot using a camera, and no tripod the darkness hides a multitude of sins.

o

So Bradbury took the win from Palmer and Speak, in a track littered with cars, and putting a show on for the crowd who were extremely patient with the Startrax officials. Impressions of Stoke were that it does look like it has been neglected and needs a bit of TLC, I'm sorry but orange bunting fencing won't stop it. Other than that, the racing was good, and for me, I love a midweeker having being brought up on a diet of St Austell, Newton and latterly St Columb, there is something about going to a stock meeting on a school night!

Right, I'm off to buy some carrots and find some 50p's for Mr Rees!