Crashnet > Reports Index > RDC 2001 Index > Meeting 01/09

National Bangers RDC vs PRI Team Challenge, Round 1 BriSCA F2 Stockcars World of Shale QF

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Historically things could not be closer. The Arena Essex team has faced two teams in the last three years, Spedeworth bowing out of their chance after a combination of a drastic team injury sustained against the Fen Tigers that same year and a general lack of drivers being brought forward by their selectors. The first challenge was a whitewash for the PRI team as a battle at Matchams' Ringwood Raceway saw them beat out the Ringwood team by getting as many cars running in the final as possible, eventually seeing more cars survive, followed by a lackluster return match at Arena Essex where many of their best drivers withdrew. Last year saw the Northhampton team, the Brafield Badgers, try their luck. The first round was at Arena Essex, and though the PRI team won, many on the NIR side cited the understrength team as the reason. This argument was turned on its head, however, when the PRI team returned the match at Brafield, overwhelming the NIR team despite PRI this time being understrength (indeed a number turned up late because they got lost on the way!)

Meanwhile the RDC team have also been successful. Being the most successful team in the late lamented Interpromotional Team event that originally included the old Arena Hammers team, the Fen Tigers have featured in many different team events, including the ORC national event and the TSR Icebreaker. At one time they seemed unstoppable as they swept the team event board. However they have kept up their own challenge schedule, beating Spedeworth the year that said team no-showed PRI, and have consistentely insisted that the challenge they were aiming for, for various reasons, was this one. On paper, the two teams could not be split.

On the day, however, there was a slight change to the PRI team, Bob Dunn getting his chance to do more than run the team barbecue with Steve Ward also being included to take care of dropouts, notably Buster Woods who so far this year has made more of his SuperBanger efforts than his full contact ones. RDC's team raced unchanged from the original declaration. The rain returned, Michael Coventry burst a blood vessel announcing the start of the meeting and war was joined.

First blood went to Arena Essex as the field self destructed all around the circuit, and though the 24-21 point showing for PRI seemed close, it was scored on laps completed, with the three RDC cars scored failing to finish, badly battered on the turns by Frank Skinner and Paul Dolman while Mark Ruskin did the necessary laps to win, one of only two cars still lapping at the end, Skinner being the other. Dave Vincent was the prime target on turn four and there must have been a degree of wishful thinking about Ian Laws and Shane Davies who had engines but no real direction. The two teams would have two stock car races to consider the next onslaught, although the PRI team got one piece of good news just before the first Stock Car race when a review of the rules showed that only cars that finished the race could score, and since the only two runners at the end were PRI cars, namely Ruskin and Skinner, that changed the point status drastically in PRI's favour; 19 to zip. The lead would be extended in the second heat when again the cars quickly disposed of themselves and again Mark Ruskin took maximum points, this time after a tough battle with Daren Wolf who held the lead in the closing stages before a combination of clever driving from Ruskin and support from Sonny Sherwood put the win out of reach of the Enfield man. RDC were on the board now with no quibble from the rule book this time, but PRI were leading still, 20-9. Heat three saw things change somewhat with cars wrecked on all corners, Harry Rawlins grabbing the win for PRI but Lee Saunders and reserve driver Adrian Clifton getting somewhat tenuous points for second and third places, reducing the PRI lead to thirteen. The race was marked by Saunders emerging from the pit lane in a cloud of steam, the race eventually getting cloaked in smoke, making the action difficult to follow, even for those that effected vantage points. The last race saw how well the various drivers and their cars had stood up to a nights' battering. With the usual carnage including a big jacking for Frank Skinner from Lee Overy after Skinner had jacked another car in the turn four scrapyard, things proved heavy with the few survivors having to push and pick through. It was left to Dave Truman and Mark Bunting to force their way home, having forged a path through turn four only to be held up on the last corner by Andy Davies and Matt Frost, who provided an unforgiving barrier with a matter of a few yards to the finish line. It was Truman that cleared his blocker first, Bunting close behind and with Harry Rawlins still running also, the final tally saw a victory for PRI, 66-26, going into the Arena Essex return match in two weeks time.

Stock report delayed until tomorrow

1  Banger 1      32 Mark Ruskin   /193 NOCR                          .PRI 19  0 RDC
2  Stocks 1     379 Stuart Cayzer /219/766/917/197 NOCR              .
3  Stocks 2      94               /13/885/798/48/347/326/90          .
4  Banger 2      32 Mark Ruskin   /9 NOCR                            .PRI 29  9 RDC
5  Stocks Cons   71               /60/177/977/49/597/606/901/504/366 .
6  Banger 3     P57 Harry Rawlins /349/79 NOCR                       .PRI 39 26 RDC
7  Stocks Final 798 Mark Sargent  /13/48/885/60/219/177/326/606/71   .
8  Banger 4     217 Dave Truman   /50/P57 NOCR                       .PRI 66 26 RDC Final
9  Stocks GNq   347               /48/885/94/49/177/798/905/219/13   .
10 Bangers A/cq Cancelled due to exceeded curfew (11pm)              .

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