Pictures Dave Bastock
Report Mark Paulson
Stevenage’s 150 Mick Sworder laid down a marker at this year’s BriSCA Formula One Stock Car World Final venue with an imperious display at the Adrian Flux Arena, King’s Lynn, on Saturday night, 23 May. He roared to a heat-and-final double and was not far off a maximum score after claiming third in the grand national. The wins were shared around in the Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars, in which 26 Tommy Barnes claimed the meeting final. The Ministox were dominated by 180 Courtney Witts who raced to a hat trick of successes.
BriSCA Formula One
Another excellent turnout of 43 F1s was more than enough for a full format meeting, although the heats were slightly unbalanced due to several drivers arriving late having had difficult journeys on the bank holiday weekend. But before the meeting proper, a white & yellow grade race had a very healthy 19 starters. 451 Martin Spiers led initially but 32 Chris Farnell soon moved ahead and pulled clear. As everyone else scrapped and tangled he went on to win by more than half a lap from 293 Eliot Smith and 313 Karl Roberts
Heat one proper featured only one of the five superstars present, local driver 16 Mat Newson. He took full advantage to come home second but was no match for a flying 150 Mick Sworder who had risen to seventh by the end of lap two and was third just a lap later. Farnell had led until a half-spin let 24 Mark Adkins through, while Smith moved into second. After Sworder had despatched them both, they tangled, dropping further down the order and letting Roberts into second, but Newson put in a last bend hit on the 313-car to claim the position.
“We’re here testing for the World Final – I’m here to win,” said a pumped-up Sworder. “I’ve got the biggest name in the sport – Andy Smith – on the set up,” he added.
The slightly top-heavy heat two, with 22 cars, had a caution period when 285 Richard Earl was collected by 215 Geoff Nickolls, whose throttle seemed to stick, while late arrivals 55 Craig Finnikin and 212 Danny Wainman both suffered early retirements. On the resumption, 306 Ian Noden and 337 Dave Willis overtook early leader 415 Russell Cooper, as 515 Frankie Wainman Jr – who had suffered a breakdown on the way from Yorkshire – and 318 Rob Speak scythed through the field. Wainman had a couple of moments, however, and slipped to 11th (a non-qualifier) at the flag, while Speak pushed inside Noden for the lead with two laps to go, as most of the other red-tops struggled to make an impression. Noden held on for second with 335 Mark Woodhull third.
The 18-car consolation featured three superstars. Two of them – the Wainman brothers – qualified with ease, but World Champion Finnikin was out before the race even got going. Spiers again led for several laps but it didn’t take long for Junior Wainman to challenge and move ahead. He had younger brother Danny following in his wheel tracks, but the latter was delayed by Farnell half-spinning in front of time. Next time around, Farnell was dispatched into the fence in no uncertain terms as Danny Wainman recovered to third behind 445 Nigel Green.
All 30 qualifiers except 208 Steve Malkin made it on track for the final which Spiers again impressed by leading the opening stages, while Sworder was again carving his way through the field in rapid fashion. Spiers’s lead increased when second and third placed 316 Billy-Tom O’Connor and 422 Ben Riley momentarily tangled, but O’Connor then called for yellow flags to allow his escape to the infield, closing the field back up. Spiers, who was lucky to escape his own moment when the yellows were called, had the cushion of a couple of backmarkers to his pursuers, but 259 Paul Hines quickly unlapped himself, while Sworder – around sixth in the queue – charged around the fence to make up a few places and quickly found himself in second. Spiers was driving beautifully but either pressure or excitement seemed to get to him when he spun from the lead with just a lap left to run, just as Sworder was homing in. The 150-machine swept past to take a comfortable win. Second was Speak after dispatching a pair of backmarkers on the final bend, while Noden impressed with third. Wainmans Frankie and Danny sandwiched Newson for the remaining places in the top six.
Twenty-eight returned for the grand national which proved to be an excellent race. An early pile up among the yellow tops removed a few and left Willis with a very second-hand wing – it heralded the caution that Sworder needed to give him a realistic shot at a maximum score. As Spiers led, Sworder had reached fifth position when Frankie Wainman dumped him out wide but he quickly recovered. Meantime, Spiers threw away the lead into a second bend pile-up, necessitating another caution period. 338 Chris Brocksopp had moved in front from 217 Lee Fairhurst and 191 Josh Smith. Fairhurst mounted a successful challenge for the lead but Brocksopp hit back, only for Fairhurst to return the favour, this time followed through by 21 Mark Gilbank. Fairhurst then spun, leaving Gilbank to lead from Brocksopp, Danny Wainman and Sworder until the latter pair passed the 338-car. Sadly Brocksopp’s good effort came to an end on the final lap when he tangled with Frankie Wainman, leaving Gilbank to win from Danny Wainman, Sworder, Newson, Smith and 220 Will Hunter.
Sworder had fallen just short of the maximum score but it was an extremely impressive performance nonetheless and will certainly give his rivals something to think about ahead of September’s World Final.
Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars
The season-long run of 40+ entries continued with a 41-car turnout of Saloons, including a debut in the formula for former 1300cc star 997 Rob Jackson, a first appearance by 549 Terry Newell in the Deane Mayes hire car, and a brand new machine for former British Under-25 Champion 573 Marty Lake.
The regular two-from-three format, split by grades, was adopted, with the first race for whites and yellows only. 888 Shane Emerson and 682 Paul Sparrow traded the lead in the early stages until Emerson was spun out by 912 Andi Newman who then took up the running. He motored to a comfortable win, secured in spectacular style as he was turned into the fence just feet after crossing the line and rolled onto his roof. “I thought I’d make a good photo finish,” laughed Newman. “It was a good race until then.” Veteran 4 Paul Brown scored his first points since returning to the formula with second place, ahead of 22 Karl Petters.
Heat two, with all except the yellow grade, was again led by Emerson and Sparrow, but this time the pair spun out together and ended up taking most of the white grade with them. Grateful blue-tops 730 Deane Mayes and 641 Willie Skoyles Jr moved ahead and had a good battle between themselves. Mayes managed to stave off Skoyles for several laps but Skoyles found a way through on the inside, only for Mayes to blow up shortly after. So Skoyles held on to win from 131 Timmy Barnes and 349 Michael Allard. “I didn’t want to get tangled up with [Mayes] too early because I know he’s quick round here,” said a circumspect Skoyles, adding: “but then I took the opportunity.”
Heat three, minus the white graders, began with a big pile-up and yellow flags to aid 391 Jake Banwell. 312 Neil Payne led but was soon overhauled by 218 Jacob Downey. Payne hit back but was then turned into a spin, handing Downey a big lead from 18 Jamie Clayton and 26 Tommy Barnes. Many of the stars were having some good battles amongst themselves, with both 401 Steve Webster and 499 David Aldous suffering spins, the second of the day for Aldous. Clayton eventually closed onto Downey’s tail with two laps to go. His attack on the first bend of the final lap didn’t work, but then the backmarking 570 Simon Venni took Downey wide on the final bend and Clayton slipped through to take the win. It would not have been a win for Downey anyway as he was docked two places for jumping the start. Mayes and 306 Daniel Parker completed the top three. “I missed him on this corner,” Clayton admitted, “but then I slowed down and let Venni past so I could use him as the bullet – or the cue ball!”
The all-in final fielded a massive 39 cars and provided the predictable carnage in the opening laps. Some order was restored when yellow flags were called for after 84 Carl Boswell had collected a marker tyre sideways at great pace, bringing it onto the track where it was collected by several others. Top rookie 321 Marcus Skeels was the leader and continued to lead until almost halfway until nudged into a sideways moment by Tommy Barnes. Barnes then pulled clear to take his first meeting final win of the season, while Aldous and Mayes battled over second. The World Champion spun fellow Diss resident Mayes on the final bend to secure the place, with Webster also passing before Mayes recovered for fourth.
With erstwhile track points leader 6 Simon Welton not present, Aldous did just enough to resume his customary position at the top of the track championship, despite being yet to take a race win – anywhere – this season. Welton is second, with Allard remaining in third.
BriSCA Ministox
With 24 Ministox present, there were three straight races and all were won in dominant fashion by National Points Champion 180 Courtney Witts. In the first she moved ahead with three laps to go, winning comfortably from 8 Catherine Harris who pulled off a successful last bend lunge on 152 Charlie Sworder. Witts was made to work for it more by Harris in heat two, the pair swapping positions on several occasions in an excellent dual.
Witts’s performance in the final was even more dominant as she quickly carved her way to the front. A good battle for second ended with 1 Frankie Wainman and 242 Joe Nickolls tangling on the final bend, Harris taking the position from 287 Jansen Wilkinson and the recovering Wainman and Nickolls.
“Pretty good,” admitted Witts. “Especially round here – I always struggle. It’s my first hat trick of the season.”