Racegoers sweltered through a very hot afternoon, and for a meeting with very much a domestic feel to it, there were several memorable moments.

National Micro Bangers

Despite a disappointing number of drivers who failed to honour the booking they had made in the past couple of weeks, the National Micro Bangers again turned on the style, with a particularly lively display.  First up was the Cornish Championship, which began with World Champion 74 Adam Hitchcock running in 205 Matt Cottle, and a clash between 196 Phil Chapman and 376 Steve Hill.  When Hill rejoined, he found himself spun around on the back straight, which saw Hill’s Nissan Micra flip over and upside down, forcing a race stoppage.  Chapman led away the final three laps of the race, and proceeded to land the Cornish title, ahead of 45 Anthony Croshaw and 133 Terry Hill.  Hitchcock was a man on a mission in the first Allcomers race.  He sent newcomer 297 Jason Dunn into the fence in turn one, and then picked up 11 Grubby Frankson and buried him into Dunn.  648 Jamie Smith homed in on Chapman on the home straight, with a thumping hit, before rattling into Frankson just after the red flags had appeared with Dunn and Frankson in need of some attention.  Long distance traveller 84 Jack Ansell led the restart, but 162 Brett Ellacott bundled his way to the front to take the victory.  A hectic start to the second Allcomers race left assorted cars on the back straight, and 99 David Spooner found Terry Hill an irresistible target, and he blitzed into him.  Belfield led the whole way in the race to take the chequered, but late on Croshaw spun Cottle around on the home straight, and Spooner landed his second telling hit of the race.  Just Croshaw, Hitchcock and Ellacott made it out for the DD.  Ellacott spun Croshaw but then limped to a halt on the infield.  Hitchcock and Croshaw proceeded to trade blows, until a final head-on saw both cars stop, and thus a dead heat was called.

Stock Rods

With World Championship places very much in focus, there was a sharp intensity to the Stock Rod races.  Heat one had to be suspended with 3 Matt Peters left facing the traffic on the back straight.  In an untidy restart, 25 Luke Plain lost his advantage, and a battle developed in the latter stages, with Plain challenged by 426 Keith Channon and 437 Lewis Trickey.  As the three cars fought for the lead, they clashed spectacularly on the back straight.  Channon flipped up into a rollover, whilst Plain and Trickey came to a halt against the fence.  Red flags were called instantly for Channon, who eventually emerged from his upturned car, and after a lengthy enquiry, the result was taken from the previous lap, with Plain a first time race winner.  The final saw 105 Ross Rowe swiftly get past Plain, but he was unable to pull very far clear of him, and as the race moved into the closing stages Plain was still on the tail of the Cornishman.  However, Rowe took the win on the occasion of his debut Stock Rod appearance, with Trickey in third place.  There was a yellow flag in the Grand National, after 14 Ross Montgomery was deemed to have knocked 72 Marc Soby wide and into 45 Jordan Wainwright.  The luckless Wainwright picked up a lot of damage for an incident in which he was very much the innocent party.  Plain had been a long, long way clear, but the race suspension nullified that lead, and Trickey was able to pounce late on for the win.

Ministox

Amongst the Ministox, 936 Harry Paramore made his debut.  946 Stacey Coombes, 619 Max Langmaid and 907 Cadan Davies were the prize winners in a fun-filled Summer Holidays Fancy Dress parade.  914 Callum Faulconbridge led the first heat for much of the way, but was disqualified late on for spinning 927 Owen Robbins inside out on the home straight.  That left the door open for 900 Lily Tomkins, but 654 Harley Soper just reeled her in before flag fall.  Robbins was a convincing winner in heat two, which included a lively last bend as 599 Alfie Aldous tried to spin 577 Harry Darby, only for 677 Warren Darby to arrive and spin the East Anglian visitor instead.  The final had to be suspended when Davies was inadvertently collected by 970 Archie Farrell.  Robbins led to the last bend, which saw Warren Darby make an ambitious lunge.  Although Darby did connect, Robbins was able to hold on for the victory.  Darby spun, and Soper and Aldous ran through to steal second and third respectively.

Back 2 Basics Bangers

What a paradox the Back 2 Basics Bangers turned out to be.  A low car count that failed to get into double figures suggested there was little to no interest in the class, and yet, the action served up was full of fun and antics – which made for some watchable and entertaining races.  17 Tim King won all three, but he was given a stern test in the final by 278 Shaun Brokenshire especially.  825 Neil Hopkins in a stretch limo and 405 Graham Harris in a Volvo, were also good value, whilst 2 Jack Hodges must have felt very dizzy, in view of how often he spun around in his Lexus Taxi.