Report: Mark Paulson

Pics: Kevin Wickham

NATIONAL GLORY AT LAST FOR ALDOUS

Day two of the early-August speedweekend at the Adrian Flux Arena, King’s Lynn was a day to remember for David Aldous who, after being runner-up on four occasions, finally added his name to the Two-Litre Saloon Stock Car National Championship roll of honour, alongside that of his father. Local youngsters Jake and Craig Banwell also impressed once more with a 1-2 in the third annual Steve Newman Memorial. The 1300cc Stock Cars were also competing for their version of the Steve Newman Memorial which was successfully defended by Jimmy Morris. Completing the bill were Two-Litre (non-Mondeo) National Bangers in their final world qualifying round, where James Jackson scooped a heat-and-final double.

Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars

With 28 cars having already qualified for the National Championship via the previous night’s heats (see separate report here), the remainder that were still running had to fight for the last eight spots via the last-chance qualifier that opened proceedings. There were 15 cars on track, with 888 Shane Emerson leading them away before an early caution to retrieve 800 Scott Greenslade’s lost bonnet. On the restart, the second placed 573 Marty Lake spun, along with 214 Tom Yould who was collected by 106 Jamie Stafford. The latter rode up the side of Yould’s car and got stuck in his passenger window aperture. They eventually freed themselves, leaving Yould with a lot of bodywork damage, but despite being a few laps down, there were now only around 9 or 10 cars left running, so it was all to play for. Further forward, Emerson had retired, with the lead being taken up by 998 Wayne Cottrill Jr, but British Champion 428 Lee Sampson was on a mission, scything through the field and taking the lead on the final lap. Cotty came home second, ahead of 220 Casey Englestone and 350 Thomas Parrin, with Yould making it through in seventh, as only nine cars were classified finishers.

The 36 qualifiers had a grand parade before the National Championship race, led by front row men 360 Carl Waterfield and 128 Craig Banwell. Row two would constitute 391 Jake Banwell and 306 Daniel Parker, ahead of World Champion 499 David Aldous and 349 Michael Allard. When the green flag flew, Waterfield shot into the lead, but Jake Banwell found the traction to move ahead on the inside, only to spin out. So Waterfield was straight back in front, followed by Aldous, Parker, 512 Darren Barnett, 641 Willie Skoyles Jr and Craig Banwell, with carnage going on behind them. Skoyles passed Aldous for second but then both spun at the start of lap three and were delayed for some time, Skoyles recovering slightly quicker.

Barnett had moved into second, and he and Waterfield started pulling a gap to the rest of the field. But as they battled their way through the backmarkers, Barnett was pushed wide, giving Waterfield a little bit of breathing space. Shortly afterwards, 144 Daniel Bullock was tipped into a roll on the home straight, bringing out the red flags. But before the field had come to halt, Barnett clipped a third bend marker tyre and performed a massive double barrel roll himself, shedding a rear wheel in the process and bringing an end to his promising run.

That let Craig Banwell back into second for the restart, but he had nine lapped cars between himself and the leader. Although we still hadn’t reached half distance, the race was now surely Waterfield’s to lose. Sampson and Skoyles passed Banwell for second and third, only for Skoyles to then suffer another spin and eventually retire, with Sampson also dropping back before pulling off. So Banwell was back to second again, but Waterfield had long gone. Next to challenge Banwell were Allard and the recovered Aldous. That pair moved into the trophy positions and Aldous then demoted Allard back to third. So despite his early spin, Aldous was now in second, but a long way behind the leader; surely he couldn’t mount a challenge from there for the title he so craved?

Over the next few laps, Aldous scythed through the backmarking traffic, and with Waterfield perhaps picking his way through more carefully, the gap was rapidly shrinking even if it remained a big one. Then with four laps to go, a fire on board 912 Andi Newman’s machine necessitated a caution period. With only one lapped runner (Yould) between him and Waterfield, this was Aldous’s chance. Allard still held third at that stage but a front puncture would rule him out, while the next runner 26 Tommy Barnes also exited, putting 217 Sid Madgwick third, Craig Banwell back into fourth and 570 Simon Venni fifth.

On the resumption, Waterfield quickly pulled a slight gap as Aldous negotiated Yould, but it didn’t take long for the 499 machine to latch onto the 360 car. A few nudges from Aldous suggested he didn’t want to risk Waterfield taking him out, and indeed he waited until the final bend to launch his attack. Waterfield tried to slow him but the hit came and the leader was cannoned into two lapped runners on the outside. Waterfield held his nerve as Aldous slipped inside. It would be settled in a drag race to the line. Aldous prevailed by the narrowest of margins – timed at just 0.019 seconds – to add another title to his bulging CV. He parked up in front of his family and friends to celebrate, before performing some ‘donuts’ for the crowd.

Madgwick and Banwell lost out in the closing stages as Venni came through to complete the top three, ahead of Englestone and 698 Danny Colliver, the only remaining cars on the lead lap.

Waterfield was gracious in defeat, saying: “I’ve been beaten by the best that’s out there, so I’ll take it on the chin. Congratulations to Dave.” The delighted Aldous admitted: “We haven’t had the best of years... but it all came good today. Carl’s a brilliant stock car driver. Thankfully the parked cars were there because I only just got by.”

After that came another title they all want to win: the Steve Newman Memorial. Emerson led for several laps as defending champion 591 Aaron Morris spun and Lee Sampson was another big-name casualty early on. Eventually, just before half distance, Jake Banwell moved ahead, with Emerson then spinning a couple of laps later and handing second to Jake’s cousin Craig. From there, the two youngsters reeled off the laps in impressive style, coming home ahead of the new National Champion in third. Waterfield’s efforts for the day had not gone unnoticed as Newman’s children Billy – who had led the field out in his Junior Rod – and Charley choose him as their driver of the day, for which another shield is awarded.

The meeting-closing allcomers race was led by 537 Tom Alsop until he tangled with the lap-down Jake Banwell, then new leader Lake tangled with 733 Kyle Picton. That let Parrin into the lead but he clobbered a marker tyre, allowing Craig Banwell in front. He then enjoyed a broil with Colliver which culminated in a last bend lunge from the South London man not paying off – it allowed Skoyles and 730 Deane Mayes to slip through for first and second, as Craig Banwell recovered to third and Colliver was left to reverse over the line in tenth.

1300cc Stock Cars

Another excellent entry of 32 of the smaller stock cars included 67 Craig Haxton from Scotland and a few Spedeworth runners – including defending Steve Newman Memorial winner 167 Jimmy Morris – after their meeting at Aldershot was cancelled. 

The memorial race was first up, with all cars making it on track. The lead changed hands multiple times between the white- and yellow-graded drivers in some spellbinding opening laps before the race settled down with the returning 499 Gavin Payne in front, ahead of charging blue graders 333 Dan Weavers and 704 Stuart Henderson. But Weavers dropped back and Morris was the man on the move. From the superstar grade he showed prodigious pace to work his way through, eventually catching and passing Payne with two laps to go, and going on to retain his title. Payne impressed in second, ahead of Henderson and 218 Richard Smith, another from near the back of the grid.

Two allcomers races followed. The first was led by 590 Chris Morley until a yellow flag for 1300 debutant 389 Ryan Santry being stranded on the racing line. Payne then moved ahead, joined out front by Spedeworth revelation 149 Todd Payne who charged around the plating into second, before dropping back, losing control and taking out 781 Scott Sparrow. The latter’s brother 780 Simon Sparrow eventually found a way through to take the win from Gavin Payne and 473 Dean Moat.

Gavin Payne again showed impressive form as he finally took the flag first in the second allcomers race, heading home 316 Danny McCluskey and Todd Payne.

Two-Litre (non-Mondeo) Bangers

There was also a 32-car field of Bangers, rear-wheel drive interest coming in the form of 293 Nick Houghton’s (used) Triumph and 791 Nicky Young returning his 5-series BMW from the night before for its third meeting in all.

The pick of the action in heat one saw 547 Tony McNeil launch Houghton into the parked 375 Jamie Childerhouse, with a red-and-chequered finish being called to assist erstwhile leader 634 Ben Green. That gave 183 Karl Thorpe the win from 337 Ashley Garrod and 557 Paul Bowen, with McNeil and 392 Sam Baines (in trademark Nissan Bluebird) named race entertainers.

In heat two, 730 Brandon Mayes got taken in by 213 Carl Musson who was then blasted, full-chat by Baines, leading to red flags. On the restart, 8 James Jackson pulled clear of the trouble behind for a comfortable win. 830 Lee White 26 Daniel Holmes had a good battle for second until dropping back in the closing stages, allowing 128 Andrew Shipp to take the position.

Down to 20 cars for the final, which 390 Dan Stacey led until followed in by 322 Tom Fox, who was then blasted by 170 Chris Shipp, with Young and Andrew Shipp piling in as well in turn. Green moved in front but lost a wheel and was followed in by 551 Brett Jackson. That allowed 897 Matt Battle ahead, but he was caught and passed by James Jackson for his second win of the day, from Battle and Lee White.