Photos: 1 - 13 Dave Bastock, 14 - 21 Jim Harrod, 22 - 33 Kim McPherson, 34 - 45 Kieran Bonsall
Report: Mark Paulson
BriSCA Formula One stock cars and Unlimited Bangers jointly topped the bill on a warm and dry summer's night at the Adrian Flux Arena. British champion #197 Ryan Harrison was in unstoppable form in BriSCA F1, charging to a hat-trick of wins. In the Unlimited Bangers War of the Worlds, the Gladiators dominated the overall standings, while Team Black 'A' claimed the day's Entertainers' League. Ministox completed the bill in a non-points meeting, with #269 Freddie Rogers scooping the final.
BriSCA F1 Stock Cars
In the midst of a busy spell for the formula, a 33-car turnout was still a reasonable entry, with heats run to a two-thirds format. The opening race, for White, Yellow and new drivers, was led until the final lap by #319 Sheldon Wadsworth, when #545 Will Adams chased him down and passed on the inside. But Adams then tangled with a backmarker on the final bend, and Wadsworth nipped back through for the win. Adams still managed second ahead of #338 Chris Brocksopp.
Superstar trio #197 Ryan Harrison, #55 Craig Finnikin and #1 Tom Harris made light work of the opposition in heat two. Harrison passed #211 Phoebe Wainman for third on half-distance, with Finnikin and Harris following in his wake. Adams pulled up from second, promoting Harrison further, and then long-time leader #93 Sam Makim got increasingly out of shape in the closing stages on the drying track. Makim ran wide and Harrison got underneath with two laps to go, Finnikin following through. Harris was there to take third when Makim had another moment a lap later.
Harrison and Harris produced something of a repeat performance in heat three, as Finnikin spun early on. The stars' task was made a little easier by a caution period after #360 Billy Queenan was stranded facing the traffic at the end of the home straight in his FWJ hire car. #541 Willie Skoyles Jr, who showed good pace in heat one after getting hooked up early on, led much of the race after taking over from Brocksopp. But Skoyles lost out to Harrison with four laps to go, then lost out altogether with a late spin. Harris followed Harrison home after the pair had tussled mid-race. That occured when Harrison shoved #501 George Elwell wide and got slightly delayed by Brocksopp in the process, allowing Harris to attack and briefly move ahead, only for Harrison to immediately hit back.
With the midsummer sun still shining, a heavily watered track for the final claimed a few at the start, including Harris, who was spun by #16 Mat Newson as his momentum was checked by spinners in front. Wadsworth led much of the opening half of the race but, once again, the superstars were flying through the pack. Finnikin initially had the upper hand, and rode out a hit from Harrison while they were second and third just as yellow flags came out after #415 Russell Cooper collected some parked cars. On the resumption, Finnikin moved inside Wadsworth for the lead but Harrison got inside both as Finnikin struggled for grip on the watered track. #259 Paul Hines and a recovering Harris followed into third and fourth, with Harris then passing Hines for third only to pull up under a second set of yellow flags which came out on half-distance after #346 Ashley England was stranded broadside on the back straight. The second half of the race was very quiet as Harrison bolted to his hat-trick ahead of Finnikin and Hines.
Harrison charged through the field from the lap handicap in the grand national. He had just taken fourth, without the aid of yellow flags, when a caution was called with two laps to go. From there, as Harris cut under Skoyles, Harrison thundered in and passed both before setting after race leader #463 James Morris who had had clutch problems earlier in the night. Harrison came from some distance back to attack on the final bend but just failed to make contact. He ended up charging around the wall as Morris just held on for the win.
Unlimited Bangers
Over 60 cars across a dozen teams contested the six-a-side War of the Worlds team meeting, with Mercedes by far the most popular car and no material to speak of. The opening heat raised 35 cars and began with #307 Martin Kent (Predators 2) dishing out a big hit to #697 Brandon Lawton (Bad Boys), requiring a red flag and a complete restart. Racing for Team Black 'A', BriSCA F1 world champion #84 Tom Harris was unable to restart having picked up a puncture. The much anticipated clash between the Predators and Team Black - each fielding three teams - kicked off in the restarted race, with plenty of hits, including #199 Shady Gough's head-on with #279 Brad Bowman, before another stoppage was required after #721 Dan Clarke (Bad Boys) felt the force of a shot from #800 Jacob Rushton (Predators). #399 Jonny Atkin (Team Black) also copped plenty of damage, while #356 Harry Overy (Black) and #307 Martin Kent (Preds) were among those to turn around to pile in. #21 Jason Colbert (Orange & White, Jaguar) took the flag but had been shown a black cross on a restart so was classified third behind the Jaguar of #549 Phil Smith who scored a Gladiators 1-2 with #93 Dylan Goodman (Toyota Previa). Colbert then piled into #634 Ben Green (Preds), copping a shot from #107 Taylor Pratchett (Gladiators) in turn. Kent, Atkin, #209 Tom Waller (Team Black 'A', Scorpio) and #214 Connor Osborn (Glads, Jag) were named the main entertainers of the race.
A quieter heat two provided a dominant win for #673 Darren Fendley (Dover Boys) from #123 Kieran Gray (TMT) and #830 Lee White (Team Mates). In the continued battle between the Predators and Team Black crews, #41 Louis Fidment (Volvo 740 estate) took some hits from #219 Harry Steward and #760 Joey Reynolds, with #299 Tommy Callaghan then piling in to Reynolds, while #178 Kieran Bowman attacked #67 Rickie Beasley. The action was completed by #129 Joe Skutela (Predaotrs 1) turning around for a big hit on Steward, which earned the former an entertainers' award, with the other going to #623 Ricky Hutton (TMT, Jag).
A big field of 38 cars returned for heat three which featured a Team Black/Predators wrecking train on the roadside turn as Atkin was blasted by #595 Drew Burdett (Preds) before Skutela, #400 Lee Kingsnorth (Preds), Kieran Bowman, #180 Mark Foster (Black) and Waller all joined in. Foster extracted himself and then delivered a big t-bone to #403 Steve Parrish (Preds) which brought out red flags. Further action in the restarted race included #617 Jack Overy (Team Black 'C') blasting #87 Damien Matthews (Predators 3), and head-ons between Skutela and Waller, and #459 Blake Platts (Team Black 'A') and Rushton. Overy then piled into the back of Rushton, with #51 James Licquorice (Dover Boys, Jaguar S-type) blasting Overy in turn. Out front, #174 Dave Osborn (Gladiators, Jag) took out leading duo #155 Sam Coote (Volvo 940) and #188 John Reeves (both of the Dover Boys), which allowed Phil Smith to come through for his second win of the night. His team-mate Connor Osborn was second, while Beasley (Team Black 'C') pipped Reeves to third.
Heading into the final, the Gladiators held a big lead in the overall standings, while Team Black 'A' led the big-money Entertainers' League ahead of Predators 1. In a quieter race, despite the 41-car field, Smith made it a hat-trick to secure the Essex team the title. He had to surive an on-opposite attack from #623 Ricky Hutton (TMT, Jag) to do so. Tom Harris's second position clinched second overall for Team Black 'A', with the Dover Boys third. The Predators/Team Black battle had continued but without quite the level of action of previous races, but Team Black 'A' had done enough to clinch the day's Entertainers' League ahead of Predators 1 and Team Black 'C'.
As the last remaining Predator, Callaghan took some big hits from Team Black in destruction derby. Licquorice was well involved in the action before the last three cars running were Reynolds, #455 Ricki Finney (Team Black) and Goodman. The Team Black duo combined to finish off Goodman's Previa with some big hits, with Reynolds then blowing up to leave Finney the last man standing.
War of the Worlds Final standings:1st Gladiators 1552nd Team Black 'A' 503rd Dover Boys 45War of the Worlds Entertainers' League:1st Team Black 'A'2nd Predators 13rd Team Black 'C'
National Ministox
Another addition to the Ministox fixtures, and therefore with no points on offer, raised 22 cars. #43 Liam Ross took over from #267 Jack Simmonds out front, with #611 Jamie Hanson following through. Hanson then moved ahead and held the lead to the chequered flag as sole superstar #186 Kasey Jones climbed to second. Jones spun Ross on the final lap and then withstood #269 Freddie Rogers' last-bend challenge. Ross impressed in a quieter heat two to take a comfortable win from Simmonds who himself was well clear of leading star #64 Sam Critchley in third. Rogers came through for a dominant win in the final, relieving Ross of the lead and pulling a significant margin out front. Ross just held off #21 Jack Pooley for second, while Jame Hanson did likewise to Jones for fourth.