Crashnet > Reports Index > PRI 1999 Index > Meeting 99/28

Hot Rods British Championship SuperBangers Group A Hot Rods

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SuperBangers
A Rawlins double on August 29 as Riki Rawlins hit a heat and final double in the SuperBangers meeting. The four races for te formula was started off with a win for Graham Powell who suckered Lee Morrow by spinning him from the outside during a passing manoevre, then Rawlins took the second heat by passing inside Barry Smith before the reds came out as the Steve Jones car staggered onto the centre and the marshalls became concerned for Jones' health. Morrow was more careful in the third heat as he motored to the front for first place. However Morrow wasn't quite fast enough to get the better of Rawlins in the final, the pair pulling away to half a lap ahead of third spot Jamie Dyckhoff. The most that Morrow could do was tap the back of Rawlins' car having lost the lead just after half way, not enough to upset Rawlins as he held on for the double.

Group A Hot Rods
A reasonable turn out of Group A Hot Rods at Arena Essex on August 29, given their busy schedule at present, and while Nichola Bearman showed her new yellow top off, the helter-skelter winner was brother Terry Bearman who seems to be discovering new form recently after a relatively dormant period since his big successes some years ago. The first heat went the way of Kevin Downs who got a good restart after Don Witherall and Richard Haines met on the home straight then held out ahead of Gary Rouse. The second heat went to Dave Devine who was up for his first go at Group A's from his successful career in Junior Ministox. Clearing past Malcolm More at the start, Devine built a big lead which was cut to nothing after a red flag after half way - Reg Griffiths had collected Pete Read and Dave hutchins after being spanked round by Ian Thordyke on the back straight - but Devine managed to pull away to safety, his only concern by the end being a late attack by Lee Follett. Billy Groom pulled through from an initial fourth and held out to win the consolation with Gary Finch bearing down on the rest of the field and, had there been time, would have probably eaten Groom too, being easily the fastest car in the race. Follett proved that Group A's can donut too as he celebrated his final win, running away with the race while Rouse and Down scrapped for second and third, Rouse nipping second on the line. Darren Read also tried a few donuts, however his were done on the centre - he said after the event that he had a stuck throttle, however at the time he was loaded. Terry Bearman charged hard in the helter-skelter, even lapping Nichola who was not having a good day, however it all boiled down to a last quarter dash which saw Bearman hold off Rouse and Matt Leadbetter for the last four laps.

PRI/GMP Hot Rods
At least once a year, the folks at PRI remember the fact that the Hot Rod formula adopted there to replace the National Hot Rods started life at the other end of the country at the Racewall at Cowdenbeath. This gives the British Championship for Hot Rods some meaning as well as making for a great days' racing. With an initial grid drawn, it was first blood to the Scottish as Ian McGuigan took off from pole in the first heat with Paul Simmons following and Dave Fry joining the front group three laps from home, these last laps being close as Fry hit the outside line in an ultimately fruitless attempt on the lead that could have paid off with perhaps a few more laps. The reverse grid heat put McGuigan to the back, and while he managed to scrape tenth, the front scrap was a more familiar one for PRI followers as Rick Fray took the lead from Simon Smith as Fray and Fry both made moves on the early leader, while Malcolm Cheshire had to settle for third after having problems passing Smith until back marker Alan White entered the equation. However he had done enough to get the outside front final grid next to Dave Fry and ahead of Julian Scott and Paul Simmons. The final win went the way of a flag to flag race for Fry with Scott getting up to second from the start, these two not moving from these spots for the entire race. The big action for the final was down in third spot. Cheshire took third from Simmons but then an ambitious move to pass Scott outside left him vulnerable, Simmons taking advantage of it by tucking in behind Scott then letting the course do the rest. Simmons tried a dummy on Scott before the end but Scott was having none of that, so Simmons stayed third. The defending champion, Dave Hitchen, collided with Andy Brown and Rick Fray by the pit gate early in the race and did not finish the race. Fry also won the Helter-Skelter race after a good early showing from Tony Allard, racing in the Megicks car for the day with Cheshire following.

Results

1  HRods 1           7 Ian McGuigan  /51/20/862/10/77/8/4/9/71/103
2  GpA 1           108 Kevin Down    /63/174/123/90/93/52/27
3  GpA 2           117 Dave Devine   /48/12/38/64/91/28/2
4  HRods 2          21 Rick Fray     /20/862/77/4/8/3/51/662/7/44/103
5  SBangers A&B    242 Graham Powell /170/544/51/27/30/40/36
6  GpA Cons        133 Billy Groom   /65/87/94/110/36/190/18
7  HRods BRITISH    20 Dave Fry      /77/51/862/10/71/9/44
8  SBangers A&C     58 Riki Rawlins  /238/27/68/51/313/394/52
9  GpA Final        48 Lee Follett   /63/108/65/28/94/12/133
10 SBangers B&C     40 Lee Morrow    /394/36/52/238/87/68/42
11 GpA H/s          91 Terry Bearman /63/174/108/12/90/48/99
12 HRods Allcomers  20 Dave Fry      /862/51/6/662/77/21/8
13 SBangers FINAL   58 Riki Rawlins  /40/36/68/52/544/238/51