After what had felt like too long since racing was at Smeatharpe Stadium, we were back and under the floodlights featuring the National Series for the silver roof for the BriSCA F2 Stock Cars and Saloon Stock Cars along with the National Micro Bangers, reaching the conclusion of their own (different) National Series, all on a fine early Autumn evening.

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

The BriSCA F2 Stock Cars were in the third round of their National Series, with 11 of the 12 drivers contesting present and thus a highly cosmopolitan entry.  The first heat featured two yellow flags for stranded and/or tangled cars and came down to a chase between reigning track champion 127 Matt Stoneman and defending holder of the silver, 7 Gordon Moodie with the local star holding off the Scotsman for the win.  Heat two saw 24 Jon Palmer take the victory, ahead of 101 Kelvyn Marshall.  The consolation featured a fantastic ending, with the top five crossing the line in a blanket finish after 438 Mike Rice had scattered the front runners on the last bend.  As they charged two and even three abreast towards the line, 890 Paul Rice just got there first.  The Final was fast and furious and after 828 Julian Coombes had held sway in the lead until just past halfway, it was Paul Rice who moved ahead until there was a yellow flag with several cars dotted around the track in turns one and two.  The restart had Rice leading ahead of 302 Dale Moon and then Stoneman and Moodie.  Rice continued to lead at the green flag but Moodie looked in command and moved ahead of Moon and then Rice to lead.  He had started his last lap when a tangle further back between 315 Justin Fisher and 542 Steve Gilbert saw the latter roll and with this the race was declared, by which time Moodie and most of the rest of the top six had crossed the finish line anyway.  So, it was Moodie’s win from Rice and Moon.  The Grand National once again had plenty going on and featured a storming drive from Moodie up to third place from the lap handicap but it was Moon who took the honours.

Saloon Stock Cars

The Saloon Stock Car entry could have been better, but did feature all bar one of the National Series competitors in what was round two for them, in the last southwest meeting of the season.  Amazingly, despite a trio of hard and fast races for them with lots taking place, all races ran from green to chequered.  The first heat saw 720 Shane Brown pick up another victory since his return to the sport whilst noteworthy in second was 116 Diggy Smith’s charge to be the first NS driver home.  The second heat came down to a battle between 56 Georgie Boult Jnr and 476 Ryan Wadling with Boult applying the brakes to thwart a last bend from Wadling and he took the victory.  The NS drivers hadn’t fared too well, racing amongst each other all meeting and the racing points going to drivers from outside of the series, but they managed to take six of the ten places in the Final.  This race was led by 902 Brad Compton-Sage until just past the halfway when 470 David Vaughan took over, albeit not for long as Brown moved ahead.  He then appeared to spend the rest of the race dealing with back marking traffic and this allowed 661 Greame Shevill to take large pieces of his lead.  Another lap and it may have been different by it was Brown’s win from Shevill and Vaughan. 27 Kieren Bradford secured the Track Championship.

National Micro Bangers

The decision was made to run the National Micro Banger National Series Final as ‘all in’ with the cars lined up in points order from those scored during the series at both Smeatharpe and St Day.  With the front of the grid featuring 190 Steve Bailey, 74 Adam Hitchcock, 45 Anthony Croshaw and 162 Brett Ellacott it would be reasonable to expect that one of these would take the spoils in the event that carried great prize money.  This was not to be the case though, Bailey was sent spinning and later blitzed by 842 Jack Perkins and although Ellacott was leading comfortably, he was taken out by the back marking 160 Jamie Warr and with Hitchcock wading in on Warr, 451 Nigel Belfield duly took up the running and it was to be a lead he was not to lose.  376 Steve Hill was second and Hitchcock third in a close finish which saw 313 Bevan Bailey push him sideways over the line.  The first Allcomers saw 666 Roberto Jay roll against the plating on turn two and then Belfield took 701 Kevin Major into the plating which necessitated a red flag for Major to be helped from his car.  133 Terry Hill took the win.  More action followed in the second Allcomers, with Warr and 162 in particular exchanging blows once again. 196 Phil Chapman took the win.  The DD came down to a four car battle and against the odds, 838 Jamie Peters kept his extremely crippled car going to outlast the rest of them to take the win.