Report: Mark Paulson

Pictures: Kevin Wickham 

Form driver 218 Jacob Downey was crowned 25-and-under British Champion in the Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars at the Adrian Flux Arena on Saturday night (27 March) with an impressive display before track champion 499 David Aldous mastered the wet conditions to take the meeting final. Also in action were Micro Bangers in their opening UK Championship qualifying round, with 322 Tom Fox winning the main event, and Junior Bangers where 487 Owen Ketteringham managed a heat-and-final double.

Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars

For the third meeting running, there were well over 40 cars in action – 45 in total – including visits from Scotland for 74 Tam Tweedie and 600 Barry Russell, a return for 37 Kev Fulton and a birthday present outing for 530 Brandon Mayes. 

Mayes started the 19-car 25-and-under Championship of Great Britain from pole position, the grid being formed in closed-up graded order. 270 Matt Fuller suffered car trouble before the start, leading to 18 cars taking green flag, with 888 Shane Emerson quickly moving in front. 389 Ryan Santry, who has had an impressive start to the season, then moved ahead before a brief spell in the lead for 858 James Bruce. Santry quickly resumed the lead but form driver 218 Jacob Downey had risen to second place by the end of lap three, signalling his intentions. He chased down Santry and latched onto his tail when the backmarking 350 Thomas Parrin pushed the leader wide. Downey spun Santry on the back straight to take the lead from 537 Tom Alsop, 214 Tom Yould and former champion 306 Daniel Parker, with Santry resuming in fifth. Parker worked his way into second and worked on closing the gap to the leader. Coming into the final bend he went for the last bend lunge but couldn’t quite make contact, allowing Downey to take the flag with Parker second. Alsop spun from third with three laps to go, so 16-year-old 321 Marcus Skeels completed the trophy placings with Santry in fourth.

The younger drivers were then split between the remaining two heats in the two-thirds format meeting. The first of those fielded 35 cars and proved to be a cracking race. Punctuated by three yellow flag periods, the last with six laps to go had left 525 Wes Starmer leading from 600 Barry Russell and 74 Tam Tweedie. On the resumption, charging stars 6 Simon Welton and 641 Willie Skoyles Jr quickly moved into second and third behind Starmer. Skoyles passed Welton and both demoted the erstwhile leader. Welton then seized his chance to spin out Skoyles, going on to take the win from the quickly recovered 641-car and Daniel Parker.

The heavens opened before heat three which was held on a very wet track. Santry again impressed, leading the opening stages before Yould led much of the remained until two late spins on the tricky surface. Russell therefore came through for the win from Skoyles and 730 Deane Mayes.

The 30-car final began in strange fashion when Parrin got followed in before the green flag had even flown. After a restart, yellow flags were required when Marcus Skeels was stranded facing the traffic. Emerson, Santry and Skoyles then had spells in front, while Welton was spun out of fourth by Downey. Aldous and Santry moved past Skoyles who then spun out of third. He recovered to fifth at the flag, behind Aldous, Santry, 349 Michael Allard and Downey.

Just 10 cars returned for the allcomers at the end of the night. Emerson built a big lead but a charging Aldous showed his mastery of the conditions by carving his way through the field and whittling the lead down to give himself a chance at a last bend lunge. He pulled it off to perfection, with Emerson holding on to second and Mayes third.

Micro Bangers

The 81-car turnout was plit three ways for some uncharacteristically quiet heats won (before the rain came) by 542 Paul Unwin – on his first appearance for eight years – 566 Tony Pallett and 9 Bruno Norman. The consolation came after the rain and was much more lively. The 39 cars all piled in on lap one with a big pile-up forming by the pit gate. After the restart, the shots continued to go in at the same place, leaving some crumpled cars and earning an entertainers award for 319 Shaun Clarke. 721 Dan Clarke won the race by some margin.

It had stopped raining by the time of the 32-car final, though the track was still very wet. A lively race was led much of the way by 217 Jason Clow until he retired. 41 Kevin Freestone put himself in a position to take the win, but chose a good scrap with 135 Donny Mann instead. So 322 Tom Fox came through for the win from 338 Terry Garrod and Mann, with 100 Callum White and 89 Joe Barrett earning entertainers awards.

The day was rounded off with an allcomers into DD. The first part was won by Clow, with 248 Nick Ashbridge the race entertainer. 744 Liam Barton then took the destruction derby.

Junior Bangers

Restricted pit space allowed for home youngsters only but still saw 23 cars in action. Unfortunately, they bore the brunt of the weather, with an almighty cloudburst accompanying their entrance to the track for heat one. That was won by 4847 Owen Ketteringham from World Champion 364 Bradley Lee and 340 Will Brazier. The latter then came out on top in a good scrap for the win with 56 Matt Tillow in heat two, Lee completing the top three. Ketteringham doubled up to take the final, dominating on his way to victory from 715 Josh Prince and third top-three of the day for Lee.