United Downs Raceway - Sunday 10th October 2021

In glorious Autumn sunshine, the first of three October fixtures at the United Downs Raceway produced plenty of incident in front of a decent sized crowd.  The day began with a Ministox march, as the 11-16 year olds walked a lap of the track to make their feelings known about the proposed development of the site which would deny the youngsters their chance to race in Cornwall.

Stock Rods

With another decent showing of 22 drivers, the Stock Rods ran to a two from three format.  Heat one saw debutant 220 Richard Short lead from the off, whilst National Champion 944 Callum Hosie retired to the infield early on.  933 Darren Waters led the pursuit of Short, whilst a mid-pack tangle saw 285 Martin Walker spun into the infield where he collected the stationary Hosie car.  Waters managed to edge past Short for victory, with 231 Simon Bassett the runner-up, and 862 Darryl Cock was docked two places to fifth for contact with 286 Martin Walker Jnr.  There was a second win for Waters in heat two, as he streaked clear at the front.  Cock and Short took the next two places, ahead of a swarming mass of drivers who scrambled in close order for the lower positions.  There was a flag-to-flag win for 841 David Hosking in heat three – his first Stock Rod victory.  Walker Jnr, Bassett and 227 Jody Hawkins were next in line, but as they battled for second, they hindered one another from reeling in Hosking.  The Stock Rod final featured an enormous crash on the back straight.  77 Tom Larcombe spun into the line of traffic and was collected.  As Martin Walker bumped into him, the unfortunate 437 Lewis Trickey upended Walker, causing significant damage to the front of the Trickey car.  Walker was lucky not to roll over as the seething group careered down the back straight.  Unsurprisingly, this brought out the yellow flags, and another caution period was required when 204 Georgie Polley was the unlucky one in a pack of cars that got into a slight tangle heading into turn one.  Eventually the race went the distance, and Walker Jnr held on at the front to win from Waters and Cock, as all three drivers completed a successful afternoon.

Bangers

Just shy of 50 drivers contested the Cornish Championship event.  Heat one started untidily for 302 Dale Moon and 290 Jay Tomkins, as they became entangled in a smoky muddle on the home straight.  Once free, Tomkins sent 331 Duncan Kennard into the turn one plating, and that brought a stoppage.  223 Arran Green led from the front in his Mini, but late on he was reeled in by 60 Andy Bulled.  Heat two was led beyond halfway by 121 Ryan Buddle, but 929 Sam Baker caught him in the final third of the race and won from 23 Barry Staples.  The consolation began in dramatic fashion as 8 Darren Rundle followed in 303 Josh Jones, and Jones was then attacked by 55 Zak Whitford, which brought an early end to the day for both Rundle and Whitford.  In the aftermath, a tangle on the home straight saw 202 Leigh Colsell upended.  Just twelve drivers were left for the restart, and after 866 Graham Payne had led to the midway point, 171 Jamie Strange took over to score his first St Day win.  With a packed grid, the Cornish Championship produced a lively and exciting high-speed race.  Green again shot clear at the front, chased by 33 Nathan Boswarthick.  238 Jake Hughes was the first to catch Green, and despite a late surge by Baker, Hughes was sufficiently clear to land the Cornish title, with 113 Chris Jeanes completing a top three that featured drivers from Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.  A huge pile-up in the turnstile bend at the start of the Allcomers almost resulted in a track blockage, but whereas some drivers picked a route through the chaos, others blatantly disregarded the nudge and spin rules to steam into parked cars.  Nathan Boswarthick led until the halfway stage, but ultimately it was Baker who recorded his second win of the day.  A brutal Destruction Derby ended the afternoon, and 59 Mike Hamley shook off a head-on attack from 777 Troy Holley to land the final telling blow on 206 Matt Brewer.

Ministox

All three races for the Ministox were keenly contested.  907 Cadan Davies was spun around at the start of heat one, in which 920 Wayne Wadge and 242 Amy Williams set a lively pace at the front.  290 Alfie Tomkins, 942 Leon Williams and 382 Corey Hunt were in a terrific battle further down the order, from which Tomkins emerged as the most likely driver to catch the leading white top duo.  Tomkins spun Williams from the lead, but that allowed 770 Austin Farrell to get ahead.  Tomkins then spun Farrell to regain the lead, but that left Farrell in the path of the oncoming traffic, and he was collected by his sister, 970 Millie Farrell and 902 Reagan Davies.  Farrell gallantly limped his car to the infield and the race continued, with Tomkins winning from 907 Cadan Davies and 207 Alfie Flecken.  The second heat included a spin for 922 Kaydi Butcher who was inadvertently clipped by Tomkins.  Amy Williams again led for a good segment of the race, but a yellow flag period when Reagan Davies clouted the turnstile bend plating nullified her advantage.  Hunt took control when the race resumed, and he won from 202 Cody Bradford and Tomkins.  The final, for the Snell Family Trophy, saw Amy Williams again establish a strong lead.  However, when Reagan Davies spun in the turnstile bend, a caution period again saw that advantage evaporate.  When the race restarted, Leon Williams made his move, and in what was his final race in the junior class at St Day, he scored his first ever win, to land the magnificent trophy.  Cadan Davies and 970 Millie Farrell completed the top three.