Easter Sunday at St Day was something a little different from recent seasons.  The Saloon Stock Cars and Ministox were in action as usual, but with the National Bangers failed to be tempted by very generous appearance bonuses, the Autospeed Bangers had a chance of some time in the limelight.  The 7 to 11 year olds in the BriSCA Micro F2 Stock Cars completed the line-up on a sunny afternoon in west Cornwall.

Saloon Stock Cars

Not for the first time, a fairly modest car count produced some utterly stunning action from the Saloon Stock Cars.  Heat one set the tone.  399 Cole Atkins removed 448 Martin Kibble, to grab the lead.  However, in a fine scrap with 903 Adam Neville and 28 Ian Govier, Atkins was delayed, and Neville grabbed his chance.  Neville took the last lap board, and seemed to have outrun Govier, but it all went awry in the final bend.  Neville went in deep, got a tiny bit sideways, and Govier stole the inside line and nicked the win in the scramble to the flag.  Govier celebrated by briefly borrowing the Easter bunny ears from one of the trophy girls.  In heat two, 276 Ben King found himself stranded by the pit gate, and 221 Shaun Blakemore took a wayward trip up the inner banking on turn two.  Out came the yellows, and then reds, to instigate a complete re-run.  Once more Kibble was bundled heavily out of the lead by Atkins, but the top names soon charged through, and UK Champion 158 Shane Davies took the chequered.  Just eleven drivers were able to contest the Western Championship, and local hopes again rested with Neville, who was enjoying his best run yet in the Saloon Stock Cars.  Neville got ahead of Atkins to hit the front, but he could not hold off National Champion 428 Lee Sampson, and the East Anglian was a very happy winner at the flag.  Neville was similarly pleased with second and Davies completed the top three.

Ministox

A fine showing of 22 youngsters in the Ministox, included two very long distance travellers – 561 Aaron Totham and 229 Megan Petherick.  The good numbers led to a two from three format being deployed.  Heat one had an exciting exchange as 917 Gemma Robbins, 970 Archie Farrell, 677 Warren Darby and 901 Jacob Hale fought for the lead.  It was Robbins who sprung free to take the lead, and she raced away for victory.  Heat two saw 972 Jack Soby and Totham charge the turnstile bend fence, with Totham rolling on to his side as a result.  The restarted race came down to a two-way battle, as 902 Junior Buster superbly defended his lead, despite repeat attacks from 907 Cameron Lawrence.  Yellow flags were called for in heat three, after Archie Farrell clattered around the pits bend.  654 Harley Soper led away the single file order, as 667 Tommy Farrell and 927 Owen Robbins clobbered the plating.  Robbins came to a halt in turn four, whilst Soper saw out the last couple of laps to score his first win as a yellow grade driver.  There were eighteen cars on track for the Snell Family Trophy final, and Warren Darby hunted down long time leader 988 Harry Sheppard.  Lawrence made it through for second, with Petherick completing the top three.

Bangers

More than 40 drivers were in attendance, but ten of them opted to sit out the Cornwall v Rest of the World Team Challenge.  The grid was duly formed, only to find 452 Anthony Sleeman had inexplicably failed to ‘fly the flag’ and a delay ensued whilst he was advised to attach the flag of St Piran to his car, or risk scoring no points for his team.  Down went the green flag, and up went 45 Anthony Croshaw on the back straight.  As he flipped end over end, 817 Michael Phillips rolled over in the pits bend.  There could hardly have been a more dramatic start.  For the re-run, Cornwall had a slight numerical advantage, but 45 Mike Reed was not deterred, as he built up a huge lead for the Rest of the World.  Behind him, 246 Ryan Sparks quickly moved into a strong second place, and when Reed’s car went sick in the closing stages, Sparks took over in the lead.  However, Sparks was chased home by the Cornish trio of 898 Jack Semmonds, 944 Callum Hosie and 621 Scott Kendall, which was sufficient for Cornwall to run out clear winners by 36 points to 19.  Heat two saw 304 Marty Penhaligon trigger a big crash at the end of the home straight.  991 Ben Hale shot by comfortably enough to win from 23 Barry Staples.  Heat three featured a good contest involving 930 Jordan Lobb, Kendall and 785 Nick Craddock.  It took a lap or two for things to be sorted out, but eventually, Craddock edged clear for victory.  281 Marc Chenery led the final until beyond half way, but it was Sparks who relieved him of the lead.  Once again, Staples looked rapid in the late stages, but he could not shift Sparks despite a spirited last bend lunge.  Chenery completed the top three.  Eight cars emerged for the Destruction Derby, and they well and truly got stuck in.  There was no shortage of crashing, and when a wrecking train formed on the exit of turn four, it was obvious that some cars still had more to give.  The heap was disentangled, and 79 Adam Brocks gamely sat as a target.  Moss picked up Kendall and shoved him into Brocks, before Moss dealt the final brutal blow to Kendall, which netted Moss the cool £100 Winner Takes All prize.  254 Will Blight was voted as Oliver’s Trier Of The Day, and received a superb trophy for his efforts.

BriSCA Micro F2 Stock Cars

There was a slightly disappointing showing of just seven drivers in the infant class, but what a remarkable travelling effort from 51 Jolean Maynard.  Having raced at Northampton on Good Friday, he went to Cowdenbeath in Scotland on Saturday, and was then on track in Cornwall the next day.  Truly astounding, and he was rewarded with a trio of victories, each of them coming right in the closing stages of some neck and neck contests.  290 Alfie Tomkins and 783 Fin Carter were the young placemen in the third race designated as the final.