2-Litre Bangers Olly Moran Memorial Group A Hot Rods Supreme Championships Outlaw Hot Rods

Group A Hot Rods
The Supreme Championship Finals for the Group A Hot Rods at Arena Essex on October 16 was a very rough and tumble affair, though Dave Lamb stayed free of much of it to successfully defend the title he had won last year to cap off one of his most successful years in the formula so far. He managed to hit the front quickly, easily outpacing his rivals after something of a confusion at the start that eventually claimed Jason Griffiths amongst others. Chris Smith stayed out of range too in second but was never quite able to catch Lamb, leaving most of the action back in third spot as Alan Thorndyke and Clinton Groom battled at each other. Groom managed to get the better of Thorndyke at one point, grabbing second by dummying Thorndyke wide, but would then lose his place after hitting the kerb on turn two heavily, spinning down to the pit gate and out of the running. Terry Bearman was also having fun further down the order, eventually getting the better of Andy Beverton to grab fourth place, though he didn't quite have enough time at the end to get anything better.

Though Lamb would not win anything else that day, he managed to haul in plenty of points in the support races, enough to make his position in the Yokohama Tyres Drivers' Championship totally assured, the wins in most of these three races being taken by the lower grades including Mark Nichols who took the first of these races having built up a good early lead but only just held out against Lee Follett, who would later easily win the third of these races. The second race went to Supreme runner-up Chris Smith, taking advantage of a bungle by Lamb as he tried to grab the lead away from Follett, Smith squeezing between them then sprinting for the line.

2-litre Bangers
Gary Greenland took this years' Olly Moran Memorial title for Bangers at Arena Essex on October 16 in a meeting that saw plenty of heavy action right through the meeting, the ongoing team situation not abating after the conclusion of the team series, but with plenty of other drivers getting involved including what seemed like the makings of a second Runner team, one of these, Liam Woodcock, racing in what appeared to be a former Paul Whiteman effort, trapping Frankie Skinner by the pits in the second race giving Jason Jackson ample opportunity to hit the Cream Team irregular sideways on, totally squishing the car into the pit wall and causing a stoppage in that race so that they could fish Skinner from the wreckage. Not that the Runners got it all their own way as Jimmy Randall found out to his cost in the first heat as Michael Outen joined lone Rat driver Steve Laybourn in stopping Randall. Darren Fuller and Steve Wilson were the announced winners for the heats. Boxer was just as committed to bashing Creams in the final which sported 42 cars, a commitment that got him a best wrecker award whilst defending champion Malcolm Fuller was unable to do better than third, Phillip Smith taking second spot. The final Rawlins 2000 qualifier winners were Nathan Roberts ahead of Smith with Joe Warner in third, whilst Smith managed to get yet another Rawlins trophy for outlasting the field, though a Best Wrecker award went to the heat one winner, Darren Fuller, a difficult decision to make in a race that saw so many good wrecks.

Outlaw Hot Rods
Stu Hammond was confirmed as the Outlaw Hot Rod Drivers' Champion in the meeting on October 16 at Arena Essex, and he celebrated in style with a convincing final win ahead of Gary Stow from pole position. Wayne Souter took the first heat with an inspired piece of passing on Stow three laps from home following a mistake by Stow who had led most of the race, whilst Rod Brewer won the second heat, Simon Smith dogging him all the way to the line. By this time, and with a disappointing days' racing including a spin in the second heat, Tony Moss had effectively dropped down the order in the points, makng it impossible for him to make up the difference by the final.

Last car: 549 Phillip Smith
Best wreckers: 331 Jason Jackson (Final) / 319 Darren Fuller (Rawlins)

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

© 2005 Chris Johnson (Crashnet) / Promotasport Raceways