Arena Essex Raceway - Meeting 04/19 Sunday, June 27, 2004 Crashnet > Reports Index > PRI 2004 Index > Meeting 04/19

The 2004 Festival of Speed featuring The Chick Woodroffe Memorial Trophies for Lightning Rods, Group A Hot Rods, Outlaw Hot Rods & 1300 Stock Cars plus SuperBangers & PRI Banger Essex vs. Kent Team Challenge

The 2004 Festival of Speed produced the usual number of talking points, one of the major ones being the Banger County Challenge, won by the Essex team in a crushing display and a few old faces making an appearance including Dennie Whiteman for the Kent team and Kev Wilsher in the Essex team. The biggest hit, however, was reserved for Colchester driver Ian Smith who was pulled dazedly from the remains of his car in the second heat after Dean Goodearl launched a flying attack that left Smith's car totally crushed against the fence. The hit was acclaimed as probably the best of the year so far, though Smith was otherwise unhurt despite damage to his helmet following the collapse of his roll cage. Malcolm Smith and Richie Ahern provided wins in the heats with only Whiteman getting any points back in a good second heat performance, but with a two car advantage in the final, Essex finished off the Kentish team, Paul Wilks leading home five Essex drivers in all, although oddly no Essex cars featured later in the Rawlins Qualifier, the only Essex car to come up blowing up before the race!

Chris Smith won the Group A Hot Rod Festival Final for the Chick Woodroffe Trophy, being the only one to manage to squeeze past a determined defence of the front by points leader Gary Rouse, Steve Gooch picking up third when Terry Bearman was forced to the outside in the closing laps. Chris Goldsmith finished easily ahead of the field in the Helter-Skelter which featured more than one smash as cars lost their grip on a somewhat slippery fourth corner.

A determined drive by Jimmy Bryan paid off as he finally passed Terry Bell to take the Outlaw Hot Rod version of the title, though Bell was not destined to finish the race, Rick Fray moving up to second as a result ahead of Stu Hammond. The Helter-Skelter was taken by Neil Reeve, returning to the formula this meeting.

Darren Pratt took full advantage of his pole position in the Festival Final for the 1300 Stock Cars, winning ahead of James Radcliffe and Spike Ellis, Gavin Griffiths putting on quite a display to win in the Helter-Skelter.

Terry Shelvey managed to go one up on the new World Champion in the Lightning Rod Festival Final as he beat Mark Mackenzie, though Gary Madgwick could still get no further than third, then Lee Morrow took the Helter-Skelter after Anthony Lawrence was spun off the front.

The SuperBangers Festival Final was taken by Steve Davies, his run at the front breaking the 25 lap record for the formula as he jetted away from Nigel Carroll and Tubbs Butler, while the Helter-Skelter was won by Jamie Wilders ahead of day licence man Dan Allens.

Last car: 169 Lenny Brinkley

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

© 2004 Chris Johnson (Crashnet) / Promotasport Raceways