Report: Mark Paulsom
Pics: Colin Casserley
Five years after scoring a hat trick in his first-ever meeting on shale, 150 Mick Sworder produced another masterclass to win the main event for BriSCA Formula One stock cars at King’s Lynn on Saturday night (25 March). BriSCA Formula Two honours on the night went to local favourite 103 Carl Issitt with another consummate display.
BriSCA F1
Sworder qualified for the final via the consolation – which he won in dominant fashion – after crashing on the first bend of his heat. He started from the back of the red grade in the 31-car final and initially followed 55 Craig Finnikin (who was second in the consolation) as they set about carving their way through the field. By the time yellow flags were called to assist the stranded 207 Ben Hurdman at around one-quarter distance, Sworder had risen to fourth, just ahead of 166 Bobby Griffin, with whom he was having a good battle, with 326 Mark Sargent and Finnikin next. At the head of the field were white-tops 348 John Wright and 32 Chris Farnell, with H295 Willem Zwerver – one of three Dutchmen in action – completing the top three. Superstars 212 Danny Wainman and 445 Nigel Green were already on the casualty list, exiting with punctures.
On the resumption, Wright was immediately dumped to the infield, while Griffin – debuting a terrific-looking new Daz Kitson-built car – was turned across the traffic, delaying several. At the end of a hectic lap, it was Sworder who emerged in front. From there, it was plain sailing, as the Stevenage man pulled clear for an easy win.
“We’re here to win this year,” said the man who is now joint-fourth on the all-time final winners list at King’s Lynn. “There’s no other track in the country like this. It’s so smooth and lovely.”
World champion 1 Frankie Wainman Jr eventually managed to break clear of the pack to come home second, albeit around a third of lap behind Sworder, with Finnikin completing the trophy places. 259 Paul Hines was fourth, with Farnell driving well to hold onto fifth at the flag.
Wainman had earlier won his heat ahead of silver-top 4 Dan Johnson. Griffin had looked comfortable in front but a slight mistake with four laps to go let Wainman onto his tail. He snuck through a lap later, with Johnson then catching and taking second on bend two of the final lap. 335 Mark Woodhull demoted Griffin to fourth on the final bend.
“I’d like to apologise to all of the drivers who thought they’d caught up a bit last week at Belle Vue,” Wainman smiled, knowing he was back on form after a difficult showing in Manchester six days previously.
Fans’ favourite Sargent claimed the 2016 White & Yellow Grade Series final, which doubled-up as heat one on the night. He made quick progress from the second row of the yellow grade, moving into second behind 307 Tim Warwick after most of the whites crashed on the first bend. Sargent hit the front straight after the yellow flags that followed, but third-placed 36 Jordan Falding was spun by Warwick as he attempted to pass. So 45 Nigel Harrhy moved into second and looked like he had a sniff of victory when Sargent was delayed by the spun 54 Sierd de Vries, but the Spalding driver held on from Harrhy and 192 Luke Dennis.
Of the 44-car entry, 26 returned for the grand national which closed out proceedings. Johnson was making the most progress of the superstars but was caught and passed by FWJ. The world champion took the lead but was forced out by a broken differential with just a lap to go. That let Woodhull back in and he took the win – ending the day as top points-scorer – from Johnson and 84 Tom Harris,
BriSCA F2
The massive entry of 66 F2s for this World of Shale qualifying round required three heats (with white tops allowed to race in two each). And like the F1s, it was a driver who needed two bites of the cherry who prevailed. Spalding-based 103 Carl Issitt prevented 225 Tony Blackburn from taking a second consecutive King’s Lynn final win, having earlier finished second to 55 Courtney Finnikin in the consolation.
Taking advantage of his start-of-season blue grade, Issitt made quick progress through the field in the final and had risen to fifth place by the time of the second caution period, mid-race. The favourites at that stage though were Blackburn – final winner at the season-opener three weeks earlier – and 823 Sam Wagner who were placed fourth and fifth behind hometown driver 715 Scott Aldridge and 81 Mark Clayton. Aldridge in particular would have been dismayed to see the yellow flags as he built a big lead when a back straight pile-up occurred behind him. Clayton briefly nosed in front when racing resumed, but Blackburn was quick to pounce and take up the running. Issitt followed through and then homed in on the leader, moving ahead with three laps left and then motoring to victory, with Blackburn holding onto second. Behind them, Clayton tangled out while still well placed, as star men Wagner, 871 Mark Simpson, 783 James Rygor and 905 Rob Mitchell were going at it hell for leather. They delayed each other with their hard hitting, and it was 7 Gordon Moodie who eventually came through for third, from Mitchell, 38 Dave Polley and H129 Michael Schutter, one of a staggering 10 Dutchmen in action in the class. “I didn’t make a good start to the evening,” said Issitt, “but got it sorted.”
Moodie too built up to his best performance in the final and the 2006 King’s Lynn track champion is clearly relishing his return to regular outings on the loose. He said: “I’m really enjoying my shale racing again, meeting different people and racing these guys.”
Earlier, the night had started very well for the Dutch, with H218 Sjeng Smidt Jr claiming heat one from Schutter. Mitchell then took heat two after the leading 235 Bradley Blyth spun himself out on the final lap, under pressure from the Lancashire driver. Blyth did manage to recover for seventh, which was more than could be said for long-time leader 88 Stefan Millar who again looked quick but claimed no reward after spinning out with three laps to go. Holbeach-based 662 Steve Wycherley won heat three from track champion 226 Billy Webster.
After Finnikin scooped the consolation, she came back down to earth with a thud in the grand national, achieving her second rollover in two meetings at the track. She’s building up quite a collection of crushed aerofoils to go with an equally impressive haul of trophies. “I could see [Issitt] coming,” she said after the consolation, “so I knew I had to do that [last] corner pretty good if I wanted to win it!”
After Finnikin’s roll, 464 Matt Linfield resumed in the lead of the grand national, but he tangled with 524 Michael Wallbank when the latter made his move, which let in 995 Michael Lund for the win – also a repeat of opening night – from 298 Jake Walker. Issitt did well to rise to eighth from the lap handicap, picking up another hefty points haul which gives him a 13-point lead over Mitchell in the track championship standings, with Blackburn a further seven points behind.