Crashnet > Reports Index > PRI 1999 Index > Meeting 99/12

National Bangers "Double Points" meeting Group A Hot Rods Dean Kemp Memorial 1300 Stock Cars Supreme Championship Qualifier

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Group A Hot Rods
The May 23 meeting for the Group A Hot Rods at Arena Essex was a Supreme Championship qualifier, and plenty of action marked the day with Carl Steptoe, winless since the start of the season when he dominated a whole day, pulled out all the stops to pass Daniel Collins to win the first heat, Lee Radcliffe easily pulled away in the second heat from Tony Moss while Gary Rouse, Adrian Coomber and Nick Hill scrapped over third, then Ian Thorndyke was declared winner in a curtailed consolation as Steve Holmes and Zuke White met on the home straight, David Evans also hit hard as the race was redded. Tony Moss managed to go one better in the final as he took the lead early in the race and built a half lap lead, missing out on the track 35 lap record by one second. The helter-skelter race was all down to Dave Lamb against Wayne Shackleford, Lamb finally latching onto Shackleford five laps, passing in traffic then putting a few back markers in the way.

1300 Stock Cars
John McGirr first visited the Arena Essex track in a 1300 Saloon Stock car during the World Qualifiers, though his Group A Mini isn't forgotten. However he returned on May 23 for the Supreme Championship Qualifier to complete a heat and final double, holding off Lynda Beaumont in the warm up then burning off the field in the main event, finishing well ahead of Derry Monk. The helter-skelter came down to a two-way scrap between Ricky Wolf and Rob Harman, both holding the lead at one point or another, but the last lap decided it all as Harman punted Wolf on the Aveley bend, then Wolf returned the favour on the pit bend to take first place.

National Bangers
It was a mixed day for the National Bangers at Arena Essex when they met for double points on May 23. Certainly it surprised all when Roger Trickett pulled up a quarter of a lap shy in the first heat, giving up points toward the possibly grid position in the World Final in September. Kerry Goldstone took the maximum from Sid Smith, while Sonny Sherwood made up for his goof the night before at Mildenhall with third. Jon Hewitt took the second heat after battling with Terry Watkinson for a fair way until Dean Bateman, one lap down and in the way, nudged Watkinson at the top of the back straight. Watkinson had his revenge outside the Raceway Tavern but the damage was done, Hewitt leading home major points searchers Brian McGuiness and Phil Hudson. The allcomers' final turned into a pile up half way through with Bateman blitzing John Randall, Darren Graves nutting Chris Clark before Randall jacked Graves. Meanwhile Kev Wilsher continued his mini-battle with Steve O'Sullivan, with Dave Truman and Phil Stevens also in by the pit gate. It all came to a stop when Bernie French was destroyed, the reds coming out at halfway. Paul Eve had ideas of repeating his win of a few weeks back as he led the restart away, but Mark Mahoney eventually jetted home first while Phil Hudson was gifted second when Sonny Sherwood spun himself on turn four. It was Sid Smith who had the most impressive finish, however, finding a clear inside line on the penultimate turn to poke Andy Burrough down to fourth. Stuart Wilson started well in the Rawlins qualifier, but Hudson was hungry for points, grabbing the lead two laps out and avoiding a last lap lunge from Wilson for a massive total haul on the day while John Harding pummelled Wilson into submission for yet another last car award.

Results

1  Group A 1      120 Carl Steptoe    /23/89/65/80/174/148/48
2  Group A 2      175 Lee Radcliffe   /92/63/131/90/82/77/94
3  Bangers 1      546 Kerry Goldstone /510/348/207/351/7/98/263
4  1300 Stx       748 John McGirr     /750/661/643/674/610/658/747
5  Group A Cons    28 Ian Thorndyke   /57/100/108/86/116/122/93/12/70
6  Bangers 2      344 Jon Hewitt      /14/37/94/130/42/275/96
7  1300 Stx Final 748 John McGirr     /643/674/666/777/610/658/725
8  Group A Final   92 Tony Moss       /70/82/131/23/65/148/89
9  Bangers Final  391 Mark Mahoney    /37/510/429/207/263/7/53
10 1300 Stx h/s   666 Ricky Wolf      /610/643/748/674/777/725/658
11 Group A h/s     82 Dave Lamb       /148/131/89/116/77/65/2
12 Bangers R2000q  37 Phil Hudson     /7/348 LCR=160 John Harding