Smeatharpe Stadium - Monday 29th May 2017

Spring Bank Holiday Monday at Smeatharpe Stadium has meant Crasharama for Unlimited Bangers every year since 2006, and this was the 19^th annual running of the event.  After the early mist and rainy drizzle cleared, the large crowd were treated to a dry and warm afternoon and full programme of events with the BriSCA F2 Stock Cars, Saloon Stock Cars and BriSCA Micro Stock Cars providing excellent support.

National Bangers

It is not always about numbers in National Banger racing, we can think of many meetings not only with ourselves over time but at various venues that have produced memorable meetings without a long entry list.  However, that said, it was a disappointing entry for this event with, as ever, so many no-shows or very late cancellations for the meeting which seem unavoidable in the current era, but still ultimately does not help anything or anyone.  Nevertheless though, there was quality both in terms of cars and drivers with the oldest and rarest car being a Mk10 Jaguar for 45 ‘Lips’ Anthony Croshaw.  Following a drivers’ parade, the grid was set for Crasharama 19, the feature race being run as the first race.  There was plenty of action throughout, with most of it unusually happening on the home straight.  341 Andrew Jones was the leader throughout the first part of the race until he found himself inadvertently and momentarily caught up in the home straight fracas.  With no clear route, and with 988 Billy Dennison right on his tail, Jones had no option but to plough on through the pile-up.  As Jones veered towards the infield, Dennison briefly hit the front, but defending Champion 190 Steve Bailey was perfectly placed to take full advantage.  Bailey shot past the wayward lead pair, and into a lead he was never to lose.  Jones kept on for second with 162 Brett Ellacott effectively riding shotgun behind to complete the trophy positions.  The first Allcomers race featured a big crash on the Honiton bend for 771 Mike Pidgley and 79 Adam Brocks, which unfortunately resulted in the latter having to be extracted from his car in what was a lengthy delay to proceedings.  He was taken by the medical team to hospital.  The re-started race went the way of 17 Kyle Overy whilst 917 Andrew Tew was run in heavily on the last lap by Jones, as was 333 Craig Partridge by Ellacott.  The second Allcomers saw 239 Steve Carter win a fairly dull encounter, whilst the Destruction Derby produced a far more exciting conclusion to the day.  42 Dan Relins was at the centre of much of the action, but ultimately, it was 382 Tommy Hutchings who delivered the last hit on Carter to win, which was his second DD win in a row having won in the Micro National Bangers eight days earlier.

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

Coming on the third day of the busy Bank Holiday weekend and just one week after the Speedweekend at Smeatharpe, the numbers were probably always going to be slightly down for the BriSCA F2 Stock Cars.  That was ultimately the case, but even so, the meeting still produced the highest tarmac total of the weekend nationwide.  Relatively unusually for recent times, the preliminaries all went to star graded drivers with 700 Adam Rubery and 575 Tom Clark winning the heats, the latter after 895 Ben Goddard retired just a lap and a half from home when in a clear lead and then 527 James Riggall won the consolation.  For all that though, the star grade never got a look-in in the Final as some tangled and hooked up early on whilst the remainder appeared to simply hinder each other’s progress and struggled to match the pace of those at the front.  The race was led for much of the way by 418 Ben Borthwick, tracked by 745 Lee Morgan who stormed into contention, but having got on terms with Borthwick, Morgan appeared unable or reluctant to launch a challenge for the lead.  As the laps ticked off, they were caught by 126 Jamie Avery who moved both wide just ahead of starting the 18^th lap.  Borthwick did try to come back at the 126 car, but Avery had it covered and was able to open out a gap on the last lap on his way to victory, and a return to the star grade.  Borthwick took his best result to date with second and 127 Matt Stoneman grabbed third from Morgan on the last lap.  How Morgan, who looked to have a Final win there for the taking, came to finish in a relatively lowly fourth place, will remain a mystery.  The Grand National saw Riggall blast through from the star grade, for his second win of the afternoon.

Saloon Stock Cars

Much the same applied with the Saloon Stock Cars as the BriSCA F2’s with regards the busy recent schedule, but it was good to see a 15 car total including some welcome travelling efforts from East Anglia once again.  First up for them was the annual FORDS Care Ladies race, and it proved to be a bit of a rumbustious race, so much so, that two cars took no further part in the meeting.  After a big crash for 276 Steph Smith, it was 84 Steph Wilkins who came through to take the win.  The first heat for the regular drivers on Club 21 Trophy day was decided right on the last corner when 78 Jack Thompson was moved aside by 27 Kieren Bradford for the win – the first south west victory at Smeatharpe this season.  For the rest of the day though, there was no catching 800 Scott Greenslade.  He won the second heat by half a lap and although the increasingly confident looking Thompson and other fellow white graders 447 Adam Hicks and 799 Joe Powell kept sight of him in the Final, it was to be an unprecedented four in a row for the Wisbech man.  Thompson held on to second and Bradford came through for third.

BriSCA Micro F2 Stock Cars

Not to be outdone, the number of Micro Stock Cars made it into double figures, including many well-known surnames of third and fourth generation amongst the 7-11 years.  There was a hat-trick of wins for long distance traveller 51 Joelan Maynard although the Final may have been a different story had 380 Nina Cayzer not tangled with 66 Harvey Breakspear on the last lap.  She made second though and 783 Fin Carter third.