There was plenty to entertain racegoers on a warm Monday evening at Smeatharpe Stadium with an all-contact line up.

Saloon Stock Cars

The entry of thirteen Saloon Stock Cars may not have been large, but again the formula entertained royally.  The field featured another visit from 161 Billy Smith, fresh from racing in Northern Ireland the day before, whilst 277 Jack Grandon also made the not insignificant journey west.  276 Ben King won the opening heat, to bring to an end his recent run of damaging races, and behind 00 Bradley Morgan fought hard for his fourth place finish, setting a serious of very quick laps in the process.  Heat two saw King spinning out 842 Lee Williams at the start, the momentum also spinning King around.  The pair then spent much of the rest of the race battling each other as the lead cars lapped them.  Smith powered his way through for the win, with Morgan chalking up another fourth place finish by spinning 980 Charlie Lobb on the final bend of the last lap, Lobb reversing across the line in eighth place in what was an absorbing race, full of incident.  Morgan capitalised on his pace by building an early lead in the Club 21 Final and was too far ahead for any sort of challenge from second placed King with Grandon completing the top three.  Behind them, Lobb was again attacked on the final bend, this time it was Smith on a charge.  Smith crossed the line in fifth, just ahead of Lobb.

Back 2 Basic Bangers (overs)

A more than reasonable field of just over 20 Back 2 Basic Bangers contested a rare ‘overs’ event.  Heat one saw the people carrier of 89 James Tuohey sent spinning into the back straight wall, the car sat broadside across the track providing an extra obstacle for the chasing cars.  242 Ben Ellacott had built up a large lead by the time he took the chequered flag, but he failed post-race checks leaving 74 Adam Hitchcock to inherit the win.  Heat two was a destructive affair with just seven finishers.  The raceway was shrouded for much of the race in a cloud of oil smoke as 15 Andy Voaden’s car belched its way around the track.  With cars strewn around the circuit it was 80 Mike Nutley who picked his way through the chaos to become the victor.  It was little surprise that the Final was somewhat lower in numbers.  Ellacott made the most of his front row starting position to speed into an early lead, but as he started to lap the remaining runners, he encountered 333 Craig Partridge who sent the 242 car spinning towards the fence, and whilst he eventually rejoined, he had by that time lost the lead to 718 Adie Brown.  Third went to 271 Phil Ross, who made a successful return to racing.  After much hard work in the pits, eight cars made it out for the Destruction Derby, including 26 Craig Nichols whose Jag was towed onto the home straight as a stationary target for the other drivers.  Hitchcock joined a wrecking train on the pit bend ending his race, whilst Tuohey, racing the Voaden car ended alongside Nichol’s Jag, both cars then being hit at speed by Partridge.  126 Brandon Small took aim at Ross’s people carrier, with Partridge coming round to join them both, with Partridge declared the winner to end a highly entertaining night’s racing and wrecking.

Reliant Robins

The annual event for the three-wheelers attracted seven cars.  The first heat was devoid of any action, 58 Martin Dalton leading the field home for the win.  The second race was a much more entertaining race as both 36 Lenny Loader and 362 Aaron Loader tried to attack 514 Luke Lodge.  Whilst they managed to connect with Lodge it was his two attackers that ended up as the first rollers of the evening.  On the restart 510 Sid Harrison sped to victory, whilst behind 45 Tony Harrison rounding the pit bend with the nose of his car scraping of the track in a shower of sparks.  The Final saw Aaron Loader lead into the final bend where he overcooked it, and spun around.  However, he quickly engaged reverse gear to still take the chequered before flicking the car onto its side, just as Lenny flung his car into a roll on the west bend after the flag.  The final event saw Tony Harrison and 518 Matt Caple come out onto track towing their caravans whilst the remaining drivers commenced chase.  It took some time for the chasing drivers to hunt down their prey but when they eventually did, it led to the usual carnage as the caravans began falling to pieces, Caple’s van toppling onto its side, resulting in the 518 car itself being pulled onto its side.  After a brief suspension that allowed Caple and the caravan trailer to break free from the flimsy van shell, the remaining drivers proceeded to drive through and over the debris much to the appreciation of those cheering from the spectator bankings.  Dalton ran out the winner, although all the drivers played their part in serving up such and entertaining finale.