In Spring Bank Holiday sunshine, a cheerful crowd enjoyed an entertaining afternoon of action.

Stock Rods

Demonstrating their growing popularity, the non-contact Stock Rods were present in good numbers, with the 22-car entry being the best so far this season.  As the feature formula, the Stock Rods began the day by populating the Grand Parade ahead of a five-race format.  In the first heat, 275 Jeremy Hatch was replaced by 933 Darren Waters at the front.  Into the closing stages, Waters was reeled in by 227 Jody Hawkins and when the former left the door open, Hawkins shot down the inside and clinched a win on her first appearance of the season.  In heat two, 913 Ashley Bates built up a commanding lead, but that was negated when yellow flags were called for, after 286 Martin Walker Jnr had clobbered newcomer 0 Chris Sharland.  862 Darryl Cock nipped past Bates when the race resumed, but in a spectacular climax to the race, Bates crashed out on the entry to the back straight, Cock held on despite late pressure from 944 Callum Hosie and 504 Andrew Worthington overshot the pits bend, and clouted the wall before stopping just metres short of the finish line.  Heat three brought a win for 77 Tom Larcombe, who refused to budge from first place, despite 103 Chris Horwell chasing him in the latter stages.  As the lead pair were joined by 14 Ross Montgomery and British Champion 909 Justin Washer, they encountered backmarker Worthington.  As he deliberately tried to delay Washer, the pack slowed, but Larcombe was able to slip past unhindered to clinch a first ever Stock Rod win.  There was a multi-car tangle at the start of the final, which left Hatch stranded on the kerb.  A caution period was introduced, and from the restart, Chris Horwell led the field away.  Horwell once again edged clear, whilst star drivers Hosie and Washer carved through the pack to chase after the leader.  Horwell, though, was not to be caught and he took the chequered, from Hosie, whilst Washer was delayed by the loitering 441 Tom Major, which left Washer to settle for fourth, as Montgomery rounded out the top three.  The Grand National brought a second win of the afternoon for Cock, as he took advantage when race leader Larcombe ran wide.  Although Cock grabbed the lead, Hawkins and Montgomery were still in pursuit, although they were unable to mount a telling challenge.

Bangers

The Bangers contested four races, with all drivers in all races.  2 Harrison Staples continued the fine form he had showed at St Day two weeks previously, as he won the opening heats; followed home each time by 929 Sam Baker, who had made rapid progress from the rear of the grid.  Victory for Staples in the first heat came despite the chicane issue that had formed early in the race when his father, 23 Barry Staples, came to a halt in the most awkward of slots, mid-track on the exit of turn four.  The Final saw 386 Ryan Wagstaffe hit the front, and he looked set for victory.  However, in the closing stages, everything got a lot more frantic, particularly so when 296 Phil Chapman limped to a halt by the start-finish line, and 275 Liam Best added to the confusion when he stopped nearby.  Wagstaffe began to look ever more wayward, and Harrison Staples closed on him as they entered the final lap.  Wagstaffe was just out of reach in the final bend, but Staples then tried to spin him as they came off the bend.  Wagstaffe crossed the line sideways to clinch the win, with Staples pushing, and Baker only just behind in third.  After Staples and Wagstaffe got in a muddle at the start of the race, it was 348 Mike Beard who led the Allcomers all the way to the lap boards, but Baker pounced to end the day with a victory.

Back 2 Basics Bangers (overs)

Despite the small number of drivers, there were some fun moments in the Back 2 Basics Bangers (overs).  Their opening heat began in chaotic fashion as 301 Peter Sandercock got it sideways on the home straight and scattered the pack in all directions.  Just three cars went the distance, with 912 Simon Rees taking the win in his Volvo estate.  The second heat was equally frantic in the early stages, but once an order had been established, 232 Alan Roby (also Volvo estate) took control and headed the five finishers home.  An untidy Final saw mechanical woes for some drivers who were on and off the infield at various times.  333 Craig Partridge (Ford Galaxy) led from the start, and he led home Roby and Rees.  There was a further win for Rees in the closing event – a brief 5-lap dash, which preceded a thrilling Destruction Derby in which 449 Paul Phillips (VW Beetle) trashed Roby’s Volvo, and earned rapturous applause from the crowd for his efforts.