Report: Mark Paulson

Pics: Matthew Bull

Boston’s Lyndon Stark continued his fine 2016 form by overcoming tricky conditions to be crowned World of Shale champion in Unlimited Bangers at the Adrian Flux Arena on Saturday night (3 September). Also on the bill were Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars where Norwich veteran Martyn Parker put on a wet track masterclass, and the sole outing of the year for Unlimited Lady Bangers with Wisbech driver Caroline Garner victorious in one of the oldest cars in action.

Unlimited Bangers

Sadly, the forecast of heavy rain all afternoon and evening proved to be accurate but while some drivers were inevitably put off, the World of Shale still raised a 63-car turnout. There weren’t many fresh cars on display but among the smartest were Scorpios for 757 Callum Gill, 811 Pete Winter and defending champion 160 Shayn Winsor, plus a Jag for 551 Brett Jackson.

First up was the last-chance qualifier which gridded 22 cars. Former champions 148 Ian Redden and 617 Jack Overy showed their class in the difficult conditions to power through from the back in quick time, Redden going on to win by half a lap, while third-placed runner 673 Darren Fendley was also on the pace.

The field of more than 40 cars for the World of Shale was subject to an Incarace draw which left 322 Tom Fox and 791 Nicky ‘Spud’ Young on the front row, with the first few rows of the grid lining up as follows:

	Inside	Row		Outside
	322 Tom Fox	1		791 Nicky Young
	221 Justin Riley	2		10 Ben Collins
	11 Ryan Leeks	3		888 Shaun Stark
	206 Phil Milner	4		521 Ash Riley
	714 Paul Smaldon	5		328 Daniel Lathan
	266 Callum Hall	6		349 Lewis Price
	455 Ricky Finney	7		338 Terry Garrod
	439 Danny Suttton	8		247 Lee Clarke

Fox led away but Young quickly took over. Spud managed to build up such a lead in the treacherous conditions that he survived a spin on the back straight without losing his place at the head of the field. But he then suffered another spin on the home straight which allowed 88 Lyndon Stark, from near the back of the grid, to take over. Young quickly recovered into second, while Stark’s father 888 Shaun Stark briefly moved into third before spinning on the road bend. Lyndon continued to lead until he tangled with a backmarker on that same bend, allowing Young back into the lead. But no sooner had the Wisbech racer returned to the front than he was taken out with a head-on from 455 Ricky Finney on the following bend. It was payback for a similar move when Finney was placed second in the 2011 edition of the race. So, Lyndon Stark took up the running once more and while 830 Lee White was catching, he held on and picked his way through the fourth bend carnage to take his first major title in the sport. White survived a spin by Fendley with a couple of laps to go to take second from 382 Jack Foster Jr.

Result

1	88 Lyndon Stark
2	830 Lee White
3	382 Jack Foster Jr
4	11 Ryan Leeks
5	328 Daniel Lathan
6	888 Shaun Stark
7	33 Gary Madwick
8	318 Tony Citro
9	247 Lee Clarke
10	45 Anthony Crowshaw

　

Thereafter, car numbers dropped off rapidly as the conditions took their toll. Foster went on to win both allcomers races. The first saw a great drive by 11 Ryan Leeks, dominating the race, until he undid his good work a couple of laps from home, spinning out and gifting the win to ‘Chubby’. Runner-up was Winsor, recovering well from an early spin.

The second allcomers was led most of the way by 790 Nathan Young but when he was caught by 821 Ryan Preston the pair tangled, allowing Foster to sneak past and take the win from Stark and Winsor.

A destruction derby rounded off the night with a win for 266 Callum Hall after a series of head-ons with Finney.

Two-Litre Saloon Stock Cars

With many drivers put off by the weather, a season’s low of 26 cars – well down on the booking list – were in action. They included the full debut of multiple 1300cc champion 171 Adam O’Dell, driving the ex-Simon Berry car, after dipping his toe in the water with a borrowed Danny Colliver car at his father’s farewell meeting at Ipswich in April.

The 14-car White & Yellow grade race, which also included Red-graded O’Dell, had plenty of spinners, and it was a driver in form (though mostly on tarmac), 386 Daniel Petters, who survived best to take the win from 525 Wes Starmer and 399 Cole Atkins.

Heat one proper fielded the full entry. In the driving rain, 537 Tom Aslop pulled clear after a yellow flag period but 6 Simon Welton caught him then pushed him wide to take the lead, with 349 Michael Allard and 730 Deane Mayes following through as Alsop got bogged down. Welton drove off to take the win, while Mayes pushed Allard wide to take second with a couple of laps to go.

The rest of the meeting was dominated by 304 Martyn Parker, who had placed fourth in heat one. In heat two, he pushed Mayes wide to take the win after the latter had earlier usurped 126 Harry Barnes. Then in the final, 19 Darren Mansi led the first lap, before Barnes took over, but it didn’t take Parker long to charge through into the lead. However, this time Welton wasn’t going to let him have it easy. The World Champion passed Parker but the veteran racer then stuck to his back bumper for the remainder of the race, pushing him wide on the final bend to take the win. Parker’s son 306 Daniel Parker completed the trophy placings. No allcomers race was run, due to the conditions.

Unlimited Lady Bangers

An excellent field of 22 ladies included some terrific machinery. Of the fresh motors, 74 Caroline Garner topped the bill with her Datsun 260C estate which is destined for another outing at next year’s Kevin McClagish Farewell. 477 Amy Brown raced a stunning two-door Mk2 Granada.

It was Brown who dominated the results. She won heat one after long-time leader 840 Stacy Marriott spun on the final lap, recovering for second ahead of 332 Kelly Wilson. Marriott again led much of the way in heat two but Brown carved her way through to take the win, despite an early tangle, winning this time from 3 Danielle Ellis and Garner.

Brown again sliced through the field in the final and looked set to take the win until she got caught up on the final lap. Any one of four drivers could have won it, but it was Garner who picked her way through the mayhem to win from 730 Marie Mayes, Brown and Wilson.

 

Unlimited Bangers	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
Last Chance	148	617	673	233	180	321	133	632	261	nof
World of Shale Final	88	830	382	11	328	888	33	318	247	45
All Comers 1	382	160	11	632	455	88	133	292	25	527
All Comers 2	382	88	160	455	768	632	266	321	821	nof

2L Stock Cars	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
White & Yellows	386	525	399	502	131	538	537	126	781	nof
Heat 1	6	730	349	304	306	428	360	499	220	733
Heat 2	304	730	6	306	499	349	428	131	nof
Final	304	6	306	499	420	399	349	126	131	nof
Unlimited Lady Bangers	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
Heat 1	477	840	322	74	95	3	762	396	nof
Heat 2	477	3	74	332	406	88	396	100	419	41
Final	74	730	477	332	72	419	3	41	288	nof