Report: Mark Paulsom

Pics: Darren Garwell

Two years after winning the World Championship, 129 Will Morphey added the British title to his 1300cc Stock Car honours at King’s Lynn on Saturday night (13 May). Also in action were the two-litre Saloon Stock Cars where 220 Casey Englestone claimed the final, his first win for over two years. Completing the bill were 1500cc National Bangers.

1300cc Stock Cars

An excellent 58-car turnout was present for the British Championship, with the last-chance qualifier and championship race serving as heats in a full-format meeting. The LCQ had a couple of stoppages after 514 Sherrie Martin and 794 Chris Brown had taken big hits, with top white-grader 550 Terry Hannant then coming through to take his maiden victory from 390 Karl Morris and Ministox graduate 268 Dan Santry, who was making his first appearance at the track. 

The British Championship race was next up, with the 38-car field formed of 28 qualifiers who gridded according to an Incarace draw, plus the 10 who had progressed through the last-chance race. The draw left Scotsman 631 Peter Low and local lady 444 Natasha Street on the front row, with the full grid as follows:

When the race got underway, there was an immediate pile-up caused by 316 Danny McCluskey getting turned across the pack, which the majority of the field got caught up in, bringing out yellow flags. Just after they came out, 46 Paul Aylward dumped the leading Low and Street into the pile-up but they were allowed to resume their places at the head of the field, only for Low to retire anyway. 

So Street got the jump as the rest, headed by 124 Andrew Mathieson and Aylward, scrapped among themselves. Defending champion 171 Adam O’Dell managed to get himself into second before the next suspension was required, but Street still had the cushion of the backmarking 422 Martin Taylor behind her. It took O’Dell two laps to dispatch Taylor by which time 129 Will Morphey had got into third and dived inside O’Dell too. Morphey quickly moved inside to take the lead, and then Aylward followed him through as he scrapped with O’Dell and Morphey’s father George (29). Another stoppage was required with eight laps remaining after 167 Jimmy Morris heavily collected the stationary 760 Robert Spinks on the home straight, with the Morpheys first and second, Will heading George.

Team tactics looked to come into play on the restart when Will escaped as his father held up the pack, but the steward wasn’t happy and another attempt was required. Though he didn’t hold back as much second time around, George was still able to allow his son to break away while he held up his pursuers. George then pulled off, job done, as Morphey Jr eased to the title. Behind, there was a big scrap for second involving Aylward, O’Dell, 116 Diggy Smith, 317 Lauren Overy and 713 Ian Beaumont. The last-named prevailed, from O’Dell and Smith as Overy hit problems and dropped back in the closing stages. That allowed Hannant to claim an impressive fifth, with Morris completing the top six, as 303 Dougie George ended the race with a bang, rolling on the final lap.

“The car was good,” said Morphey. “That’s the best it’s ever been on shale.”

The consolation race was won by 681 Dan Moore, who then dedicated it to son Leo who had recently turned 11, from George Morphey and 400 Kevin Shinn. The 35-car meeting final featured a big pile-up on the scoreboard bend and was then notable for 341 Austen Freestone, having only just returned from suspension, delivering a follow-in on the new champion. Hannant claimed the race to complete a very profitable night for himself, but he only just held on after Morris attempted a huge last-bend lunge. It didn’t come off – he took himself into the wall – but he just held onto second from Aylward and O’Dell. The action was completed with a win for Scottish visitor 77 Jordan Cassie in the allcomers race.

Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars

The 32-car entry of bigger Saloons – their lowest this season at King’s Lynn – was affected by some drivers racing in Ireland, but was nonetheless healthy enough, and notable for 171 Adam O’Dell doubling up in both formulas. 

Coming home first and second in the white and yellow grade opener were recently-downgraded duo 888 Shane Emerson and 304 Martyn Parker. Both will be hoping for a profitable month of May. Heat one proper provided a comfortable win for 360 Carl Waterfield from 128 Craig Banwell – who had led for several laps – and new English champion 6 Simon Welton. It also featured what looked more like a Banger-style blitzing when 349 Michael Allard was unsighted and ploughed into the rear of 270 Matt Fuller at high speed, leaving the latter with a heavily-damaged car.

425 Tom Balls impressed in heat two, leading until a yellow flag period, after which 304 Martyn Parker moved ahead, and then 306 Daniel Parker spun Balls out. Parker Sr went on to win, but Parker Jr slipped back, with 570 Simon Venni and Waterfield coming home second and third.

The final raised 28 cars. In it, 131 Timmy Barnes reprised his attacks on Welton, blitzing him into the fence. But out front, Balls continued his much-improved form, pulling clear. He led all the way until five laps from home when 220 Casey Englestone found a way through and went on to win. Balls still held on to second for a few laps but ultimately lost out to Allard, finishing third ahead of 218 Jacob Downey, 730 Deane Mayes and O’Dell.

1500cc Bangers

There were 46 of the medium-sized cars in action, with nearly half taking part in the lower-grade opener which was won by 315 Nathan Webb, while 551 Brett Jackson earned an entertainers award for a big follow-in. 

There was lots of action in heat one proper, including 633 Leeroy Haywood following in 12 Troy Cobbett, as 330 Karl Jones claimed the win and 513 Sean Harvey and 691 Ryan Bartrum took entertainers’ awards. Webb claimed his second win of the night in heat two after long-time leader 256 Matt Tillow was dumped into parked cars by 337 Ashley Garrod, earning the latter an entertainers award, with a second claimed by Jackson.

Come final time, 245 Stephen Lown provided the action with a follow-in, while Webb secured his hat trick with another impressive display, heading home 830 Lee White and 326 Shane Lynn.