Smeatharpe Stadium - Sunday 11th September 2011

There was a day of real mixed weather conditions for this year's National Bangers Championship of the World.  Indeed, the heavens well and truly opened during the main race.  Nonetheless, the racing was still very exciting, and 162 Brett Ellacott recaptured the title he last won in 1998.

National Bangers

Proceedings for the National Bangers got underway with a 23-car Last Chance qualifier.  Right at the start of the race, there was a huge pile-up on the exit of the pits bend, and that brought about much crashing, and shunting about, as drivers strived to break free of the heap of cars.  409 Joey Collins swept clear, and he led home 282 Lee Treasurer, 114 Nick Courtier and 252 Steve Bugler, as the four to progress into the main race.
As the qualifiers for the World Championship race received their memento, so they also drew their starting position, and that paired 998 Wayne Cottrill Jnr with 47 Marcus A'Lee on the front row of the 32-car grid.  For the first four laps, Cottrill was the leader, but then 99 David Spooner, who had qualified for the race as the leading scorer on the Entertainers' League chart, picked up Cottrill and ran him in hard in the pits bend.  Defending Champion 617 Jack Overy pounced, to take over at the front.  Overy proceeded to edge some way clear of 256 Shaun Kelly in second, although by now the rain was falling in torrents.  On lap eleven, Overy came to lap Last Chance qualifier, Courtier, but heading into the west bend, Courtier despatched Overy into a heap of stranded cars.  With Overy removed from the race, the lead passed to 162 Brett Ellacott, who was being pursued by 382 Jack Foster and 601 Lee Usher.  Indeed, Usher hit the front when Ellacott and Foster was delayed, but as the lap boards appeared, Ellacott had got back in command.  Ellacott saw out the remaining laps to take the win, from Foster, Usher and 528 Alan Hunt - winner of Blockbuster only two weeks previously.
Two Allcomers races followed.  The first brought a win for Foster, ahead of Arm, Courtier and new Champion Ellacott who had effected a gold roof on his car.  The second Allcomers went the way of Courtier.
Nine drivers battled one another in the DD, which began with 4 Tony Hulland meeting the Rolls Royce of 100 Karl Toole, head-on, only for Hulland to then be jacked sky high by 331 Jason Jackson.  154 Mike Plant gamely battled against the odds, but was eventually finished off, by 714 Paul Smaldon and then Jackson.  190 Steve Bailey destroyed the rear of Smaldon's huge estate, only for Bailey to then be bludgeoned by 239 Steve Carter, who took the closing honours.

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

The entry of 32 F2's included a few non-southwest drivers.  First up was the White & Yellow grade Final, which also doubled up as heat one.  A fine drive by 116 Ashley Rundle saw him overhaul long time leader 916 Luke Thomas, with Cornishman 830 Andrew Bennett completing the top three.  The second heat saw things turn on their head when a shower in the closing stages brought about several spins.  For further drama, race leader 24 Jon Palmer's engine went sick, which left 676 Neil Hooper to pick up the pieces for the win.  Bennett took heat three and then in the Final, 990 Paul Rice caught and passed long-time leader Thomas to build a commanding lead.  Rice was never troubled, and as he went on to take the win, he also secured a return to the star grade.  Thomas held on for second and 464 Matt Linfield was third.  An exciting GN included several yellow flags, but despite them all Thomas held on for the win - his career first in F2.  To cap a mighty fine day for himself, Thomas also scooped the St John Ambulance Brigade White Top Shield.

Saloon Stock Cars

There were 17 Saloon Stock Cars in action for their penultimate appearance at Smeatharpe for this season, and brothers 48 Shaun Webster and 401 Steve Webster once again commendably made the journey down from Sheffield.  382 Danny Hunt took heat one by a convincing margin.  He then looked like doing just the same in heat two, but a half spinning back marker in front of him on the very last corner was enough to open the door for 100 Ian Govier to capitalise nicely with a hit to pip Hunt at the post.  The Final saw 2 Paul Tuppen lead almost all the way to record a rare and very welcome win.  Govier made it through for second and 315 Tristan Claydon was third - thereby completing an all-yellow grade top three.