Arena Essex Raceway - Meeting 04/07 Sunday, April 17, 2004 Crashnet > Reports Index > PRI 2004 Index > Meeting 04/07

BriSCA F1 Stock Cars World Qualifying Round BriSCA F2 Stock Cars National Bangers

VSCA race
This years' BriSCA F1 Stock Car visit for their World Qualifier, April 18 at Arena Essex, also brought the annual visit of the Veteran Stock Car Association for a race, with many well known historical figures taking the circuit in borrowed National Bangers, also meeting that day. Steve Heywood took the early lead with Roy Clarke fighting over second place with Graham Youd, Steve Pringle and Vic Cook spinning out early, though Clarke also had his problems controlling the wayward car in the wet conditions, rain having dampened the circuit through the night. Clarke managed enough to catch and harass the leader on the bridge end, but Heywood survived. Heywood, however, was having just as much trouble with handling and persistantly went wide on the corners, which allowed Youd through inside to take the lead. Youd sped away into the distance before half way, Mo Smith coming through to second place off the last corner ahead of Clarke with Richard Winfield also catching up.

BriSCA F1 Stock Cars
A World Qualifier is usually a big draw for any formula, though it was a shame that more drivers didn't make the trip down to Arena Essex for the April 18 meeting. Although this meant one race fewer, it didn't put that big a dent in the action, the early talking point being the dutch driver Dave Schaap who dominated the early racing before the heavier rains hit. Indeed the drivers benefitted from not starting first, leaving the VSCA and BriSCA F2 drivers to mop up some of the wet before the first F1 race. Carlos Perez passed early leader Dean Whitwell for the lead which he kept for a while in a fairly fast race which had its share of crashes including Mark Peters who found that the Arena armco can even stand the impact of a full BriSCA F1, in this case on the back straight. Local driver Nick Smith was similarly tempted with the same result, before Schaap found his way to the front, Perez hanging onto second ahead of Frankie Wainman. Whitwell again took an early lead in the second heat, and would again fade back, though he managed eleventh this time as Schaap again made his way to the front, well away by half way, again beating Perez to the line, though this time Matt Newson managed to keep Wainman out of the top three.

The final for the F1's was affected much as the F2 final was just before it, water everywhere making it difficult to keep everything straight, though Wainman seemed to have the measure of it, as did Schaap, the pair treating the spectators to a good show of wet weather driving, the lead changing hands a number of times before Wainman took the lead for the last time for the final time two laps from home, denying the dutchman a double heat and final win, while Mark Gilbank beat out Smith for third. The Grand National Qualifier, the last race of the year for the F1's at Arena Essex, went the way of Mark Keeling as the blue tops made a good fist of the early stages. Paul Hines picked a couple off to grab second place with Gilbank getting as far as third place again, Wainman again ending up behind Schaap midfield behind Gary Castell who finished fourth.

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars
The April 18 meeting at Arena Essex had to be hastily rearranged to handle more than the expected numbers of BriSCA F2 Stock Cars in a meeting that eventually became drenched in torrential rain. With an extra heat added, the cars came on to deal with the damp conditions that started the meeting, some drivers having more trouble than others including Colin Johnstone who came to grief early in the first race. The other main feature was the speed, or the lack of it as everyone concentrated on trying to stay on line, though Bill Batten, normally one of the more successful visiting drivers, could only make it part of the way before engine troubles took him out of the race completely. These would dog him all day. Stuart Fletcher had been doing well up to the closing stages but he would also come to grief on the fence, the win eventually going to Craig Tomlin. Race two followed quickly, though this would come to a halt as the back straight was clogged up by a big smash. Although most survived it and pulled away, Jim Bamfords' car had to be untangled from Ian Chalkleys', the race being restarted once they managed to remove the remains of Chalkleys' now three wheeled racer from the tarmac. Simon Edwards led past the half way point after the restart but with Gary Walker in pursuit, it would only be a matter of time before that lead would change hands, though when it happened it was defending track champion Mick Sworder that took it, Edwards going very wide to allow the red top through for an eventual win, Walker also piling through to take second. The fifteen lap extra consolation race was won by Justin Fisher ahead of a good drive from the back by Carl Issitt, early leader Daniel Ford fading back to fifth, Tim Pullen getting to third spot.

The final was delayed as the second banger heat was cleared away, enough time for the rain to soak the track, standing water becoming one of the biggest hazards in the race, though Simon Edwards' biggest hazard was preparation. Driving onto the circuit, he suddenly found himself missing a rear wheel! There was plenty of time, however, to get the wheel reattached, the nuts tightened this time, before the race kicked off. Brent Whitehead would find his way past Edwards early on to take the early lead as everyone struggled in the conditions. Whitehead built up a comfortable lead over Chris Lindsay and Steve Green Jnr., Mick Sworder and Scottish champion Gordon Moodie unable to wade up to them, though Moodie was close enough to pile Sworder off the circuit beyond the finish line. Sworder would survive it, however, to win the Grand National Qualifier ahead of Ian Thompson, Thompson trying hard to pass Sworder, buffeting at Sworder all the way home.

National Bangers
Mick Bradbury led the National Bangers into their first heat at Arena Essex, April 18, a race that quickly turned into a pile up as Chas Taylor was fetched into turn one along with Gary Greenland. With a few more hits, a few of them on Greenland, things started to settle down, though that didn't stop Simon Warner, Simon Smith and Chris Worthington getting together for a bash. Jason McMahon was in control in the closing stages, though John Randall chased him right through the last few laps with Paul Whiteman and Richie Ahern also in pursuit. That was how it ended. It was interesting, however, to see Spedeworth irregular Colin Farley take to the track for the second heat, though it was Mark Bunting that took the early lead, keeping away in front from what was going on behind him. Farley seemed content to wreck, though the biggest hit would be on turn one as Steve Laybourn jacked Ricky Korpiela hard on the fence. Korpiela was stretchered out but was OK after being examined, but Laybourn actually took the worst of it as the pillar next to his throttle pedal came in on him, breaking his ankle. The race was declared at that point.

The final was hit by the heavy rain that persisted through the latter stages of the meeting, though this didn't stop some of the drivers hitting the outside line, especially with the speeds dropping. It also didn't stop the hits, Tony Broughton getting a stuffing on turn three from Mark Marchant for a start. Taylor led the early stages but was unable to handle the conditions and would eventually lose out in a series of wide corners. It was Jason Jackson, dominant in the bangers generally at the moment, who kept his head to win this one, Ahern managing a reasonable run to take second. Team mate Matt Fuller would take the Rawlins 2000 Qualifier race ahead of Boxer, though the last event of the day was better remembered for the antics of third place finisher Dean Goodearl who would then go on to get the last car award, not to mention the antics of Ian and Simon Smith, Ahern and Harry Rawlins, the younger Smith destroying the back of Ahern's junker after Ahern went in on the elder, before Goodearl gave Rawlins and the younger Smith a good jacking each.

Jason McMahon, following his first heat win, announced that he would donate his trophy and winnings to the Chernobyl Childrens' Lifeline Fund, who were in attendance at this meeting. The appeal was set up after the disaster at the nuclear plant in Belarus, and some of the children being helped by the appeal accompanied the winning drivers from the National Banger and BriSCA F2 Stock Car races on their laps of honour.

Veteran Stock Car Association

BriSCA F1 Stock Cars

Last car: 271 Dean Goodearl

Points after meeting 04/07

Please note that the points shown are unofficial and are given as a guideline only. For the official standings, you should consult the monthly newsletter or contact the PRI Office during office hours on (01708) 867728.

Also see Matthew Bull's website for more pictures from this meeting!

© 2004 Chris Johnson (Crashnet) / Promotasport Raceways