Arena Essex

Meeting 99/01, Sunday, 21st. March, 1999

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Plastengrave Non-Ford Bangers
Ladies Essex Jaguars Q/R 1
Group A Hot Rods

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Group A Hot Rods
The 1999 season at Arena Essex started off with a positive deluge for the Group A Hot Rods on March 21 as the skies opened for their first race and kept things damp all day. That suited Nick Hill down to the ground as he picked up his first win in a fairly long time, his experience paying off over Daniel Collins in the first race. However, all credit had to go to Carl Steptoe who managed to put a quarter of a lap between himself and Darren Read in the second round before a thrilling race in the final which Steptoe won literally by just picking the right line as back markers blocked the way ahead. In the closing stages, Steptoe had Read on his boot with Gary Finch catching up fast. Read took the outside while Finch tucked in behind Steptoe inside as the tail enders built up and going around the final lap it looked as if the outside line had paid off for Read until the car ahead slowed on the last bend, forcing Read backwards to third on the line. Zac White did well for a consolation win while the Dave Hutchins Golf denied Read a win in the all comers' race at the end by a head.

Ladies Essex Jaguars Bangers
After a stalled start or two, the Arena Ladies got going on the March 21 meetingwith a win for Sue Davies after a few hairy moments including a burial for Elaine Witherington courtesy of Trish Woolner and a final corner which saw both the possible third place contenders planted in obstacles, allowing Jackie Saunders the third spot, though both chagrinned drivers, namely Trish Woolner (again!) and Clare West, both came home down the field to take their places in the final in September.

Plastengrave Bangers
Dave Edwards started the day off with a bang as the Plastengrave Bangers met up to open Arena Essex's 1999 season on March 21 when he planted his car up the diff of Stinkbridge and former Squad member Stuart Cumming. This was just an opening shot in what was a battle royale as the Stinkbridge folk invaded the track in the three heats, taking the battle to the few attending Squad, Condom (also in pink of course!) and a field made up of locals with plenty of representitives from as far afield as Buxton and Incarace. It was another returning team that provided the heat and final double, however, as Howard Martin piloted his Gladiator livery car to victory in heat one having spanked Edwards away at the halfway point, then to victory in the final, well ahead of the field. Darren Witherington picked up the second heat, avoiding the inevitable pile up from a 54 car start, while Paul Hawkes sped well away in the third heat while Russ McAngus and Kev Wilsher mixed it with Shane Davies and Steve Anscombe. Andy Swift got the consolation after the previous leaders conked out close to home and Mark Mahoney came home first in the first round of the Rawlins 2000 series before Andrew Parker finished him off and turned on Den Whiteman for the last car award, the last bash killing both cars. Whiteman alone managed to fire up again, Parker only able to pull away on starter power.

Results

1  Ladies Bangers 158 Sue Smith /264/470/327/326/472/177/361/280/309/287/102
2  Bangers 1      94  Howard Martin /19/168/777/159/42/384/275/477/433/57 NOCR
3  Group A 1      90  Nick Hill /80/94/63/73/83/93/174
4  Group A 2      120 Carl Steptoe /2/65/86/28/5/48/89
5  Bangers 2      232 Darren Witherington /101/331/61/102/257/323/43 NOCR
6  Bangers 3      415 Paul Hawkes /260/392/38/280/391/194 NOCR
7  Group A Cons   122 Zac White /64/13/38/36/119/57/190
8  Bangers Cons   239 Andy Swift /448/47/371/28/16/341/14
9  Group A Final  120 Carl Steptoe /65/2/86/122/174/63/83
10 Bangers Final  94  Howard Martin /257/280/194/448/101/391/38
11 Group A H/S    86  David Hutchins /2/90/122/5/65/83/63
12 R2000 Q/R      391 Mark Mahoney /433/32 LCR=1 Den Whiteman