The twin headline acts of BriSCA Formula One Stock Cars and National Saloon Stock Cars both lived up to their reputations to provide a thrilling night of racing at the Norfolk Arena, King’s Lynn on Saturday 24 May. Worksop’s 4 Dan Johnson and Spalding’s 18 Jamie Clayton took home the spoils of victory from the main events which featured some excellent racing. The BriSCA Ministox were once again in support, and while a little down on numbers, the stars of the future still provided some entertaining action.

 

BriSCA Formula One

The biggest turnout of the year so far at King’s Lynn saw 35 cars in the pits, including stunning new machines from National Points Champion 197 Ryan Harrison and his father 97 Murray, as well as a real head-turner from comeback man 390 Stuart Smith Jr. There was also two novices, 313 Karl Roberts and 511 Jake Hall. Both passed their five-lap tests and were thus allowed to debut.

 

A two-thirds heat format was adopted, with the first open to only white and yellow graded drivers and raising 14 cars. It was led away by 444 Paul-Jay Lemons’ smart machine, until he tangled with 207 Ben Hurdman on the exit of the first bend. Meanwhile, a pile-up on bend three also claimed several and so 293 Elliott Smith, in his ex-Yarrow car, took up the running. The white grader had a host of yellow-tops queuing up behind, seemingly taking turns at attempting to breach his defences, but none successfully. That allowed 76 Aaron Cozens, recovering from a poor start, to make terrific progress in the closing laps, roaring around the outside of the challengers and then moving into the lead with a couple of tours to go when Lemons slowed. The delighted Cozens held on to take his first ever win from 267 Graeme Robson and 215 Geoff Nickolls.

 

Half of the lower graders were joined by the blues, stars and superstars in heat two, making an excellent 27 cars on what had become a wet track after some heavy rain. A caution was immediately called to assist 280 Colin Nairn on the first bend, while the same spot saw plenty of tangles on the resumption. Yellow flags were again required after a few laps as Robson had taken several big hits in his stranded car. By that stage 321 Ed Neachell had taken up the running from 515 Frankie Wainman Jr and last time’s final winner, 150 Mick Sworder. The latter hit the front decisively on the restart as Neachell was pushed into the sludge out wide. World Champion 1 Tom Harris was making good progress and passed 4 Dan Johnson for third with a couple of laps to go. He challenged second-placed Wainman on the final bend but couldn’t make it through. Sworder claimed to be singing nursery rhymes to keep focussed during the tricky conditions, adding: “Just take it steady – stay on the inside and you’re alright.” Neither Harrison made the finish and nor would they return later in the meeting, with further work required on their new cars.

 

Among the 22 machines on track for heat three was 390 Stuart Smith’s distinctive new motor. It went like a bullet in the hands of the new UK Open champion, up to second in just few laps. He then dropped back to fifth after running wide, as Wainman clobbered 55 Craig Finnikin on the home straight, leading to caution flags. The impressive 215 Geoff Nickolls was leading the way at the restart from 191 Josh Smith and Johnson, and as the reds battled amongst themselves, Nickolls was able to pull out a substantial gap. Harris and Smith tangled, losing the former nearly a lap and leading to retirement for the latter, but the other reds gradually reeled in the leader. Johnson and 16 Mat Newson both pushed through with a lap to go, before executed an opportunistic last bend move to take the win from Johnson and Sworder. “I actually thought I’d missed Dan, to be honest”, admitted the local man. “It was do or die”.

 

Only 24 cars survived for the final, with none of the new machinery making it. Lemons pulled out a big lead as the other white graders tangled, but then had to deal with backmarking traffic. It wasn’t to be a heat and final double for Newson as he was spun and lost a lap. Newson did play his part, however, spinning Lemons to allow 91 Tony Smith into the lead, before spinning again. Stars of the evening Johnson and Sworder quickly moved into second and third, with Johnson moving in front after Sworder was delayed. Tony Smith held onto second for a while but eventually dropped back as pace appeared to slow. That allowed Finnikin into second  but his attempted last-bender on Johnson didn’t come off, with the order remaining unchanged. 338 Chris Brocksopp came third, from 212 Danny Wainman, Harris and 22 Will Yarrow.

 

Just over 20 returned for the grand national, including Stuart Smith Jr this time. A big pile-up early on claimed most of the reds and a few blues, leading to an early caution, with Hurdman leading from 174 Paul Poulter. But Smith was already up to fourth and would hit the front before half way. The race looked his for the taking until another caution was called to assist Hurdman with just two laps to go. With Sworder and Newson queuing up behind, Smith wasn’t going to have it easy. Perhaps in his eagerness to get away, Smith took himself into the fence on the first bend of the final lap, but he recovered quickly, allowing only Sworder through and getting back onto his tail. Sworder knew a last bend lunge was likely and so chose to floor it around the plating in an extraordinary manoeuvre that will be talked about for a long time. It was ultimately successful as the Stevenage man held on for his second win of the night from Smith, Newson and Wainman, to complete a thrilling night’s racing.

 

Despite his absence, 259 Paul Hines still leads the track points, but it’s now very close at the top, with F Wainman, Sworder, D Wainman, Yarrow and Newson all within 10 of the leader.

 

Saloon Stock Cars

The Saloons also raised their biggest field of the season so far, 42 cars, despite coming in the weeks following a couple of bruising major championships on the tarmac. They included a stunning new machine for 570 Simon Venni and a tidy effort for 312 Neil Payne as well as 128 Craig Banwell and 232 Gavin Anderson making their first appearances of the season, each in smart examples.

 

Nearly 20 made the track for their white & yellow grade opener. A messy start saw most of the yellow grade having to play catch-up before 214 Tom Yould spun out of the lead. He recpvered tp second at the flag, behind 538 Jake Swann and ahead of 270 Matt Fuller.

 

The first heat proper had 35 cars and suffered from a very wet track after the heavy shower. That meant there were several spinners, with yellow flags eventually coming out after 386 Daniel Petters called for assistance before jumping out of his car. Yould led the restart from 698 Danny Colliver and that pair had several lapped runners between them and third-placed 730 Deane Mayes. On the restart, Yould spun again, allowing Colliver to ease to victory by nearly half a lap from Mayes and the new English Champion, 402 Shaun Webster.

 

A similar number took part in heat two, which saw a caution to assist Mayes. Impressive white-top 610 Trent Athurton led most of the way but had the master of Lynn 499 David Aldous hunting him down in the closing laps. Arthurton spun in his pursuer’s path, delaying both, but Aldous recovered and then pulled away for his customary win from 156 Darren Goudy and 149 Jamie Sampson.

 

The final again saw a mid-30s grid and again had an early caution period, this time to rescue Fuller who had spun and been clobbered on the back straight. Arthurton had once again set the early pace, but Yould found a way through on the resumption, followed by 912 Andi Newman and Aldous. The King’s Lynn points leader made it past Newman before new British Champion 618 Stuart Shevill Jr, never fully at home on shale, spun across his path just as he challenged for the lead. That let Newman and the backmarking Venni through. The latter made a nuisance of himself by using a white-grader to skittle into Aldous after he had re-passed him. That allowed 18 Jamie Clayton, who had sat out heat one, into second and dropped Aldous back a few places. With three laps to go Newman relinquished his lead after tangling with a gaggle of backmarkers. Clayton charged to victory, setting the fastest lap for the second meeting running, from Newman, Aldous and the ever-consistent 641 Willie Skoyles Jr.

 

Arthurton again led the early stages of the allcomers race that rounded out proceedings, with yellow flags this time required for 420 Ivan Street who was accidentally hit head on by Goudy for good measure. After a second caution, Skoyles led the way from 428 Lee Sampson’s rough-sounding car and 131 Timmy Barnes. Sampson took advantage of backmarkers to spin out the lead and race to victory, joking afterwards, “Nice to get back on a proper surface!” referring to his tribulations while defending his British title at Cowdenbeath the previous week. Aldous came through for second, from Shevill who had looked much stronger throughout the race. Skoyles’ fourth place means he remains in touch with Aldous at the top of the track points, while Clayton now has a healthy advantage over the rest in third.

 

Ministox

A lower than average turnout of 19 Ministox meant that only five took the green flag in their opening race for white, yellow and blue graded drivers. Just three made the chequered flag, with 153 Georgina Bullock victorious. The only two blue graders, 152 Charlie Sworder and 331 Mackenzie Whitehead contested the victory in heat one proper, finishing in that order, while 226 Amy Webster eased to a comfortable win in heat two. 134 Sophie Maynard and 391 Jessica Smith completed an all-female top three. That race saw 180 Courtney Witts employ some heavy-handed tactics to remove points champion 323 Harry Peall who did well not to retaliate.

 

Just 14 survived for the youngsters’ final, which saw 302 Joe Bamford spin out early leader Bullock, before Smith worked her way through and pulled clear for a relatively easy win. 515 Frankie Wainman III eventually pulled clear of a good battle to take second, while 269 Ben Chalkley prevailed over the remaining squabblers.