The final national Stock Car fixture of the year in the south west served up a packed afternoon of racing with the BriSCA F2 Stock Car final in particular serving up a race which will live long in the memory of all those in attendance and add to the impatience awaiting the resumption of racing in March 2025.
BriSCA F2 Stock Cars
Despite the 29-car entry being on the cusp of a two from three format, a full format meeting was enabled by allowing the day licence drivers to contest each of the heats and consolation given their ineligibility for the Final. 16 cars therefore gridded for heat one including 989 Graham Fegan Jnr driving the Jon Palmer car after he was put on the naughty step following a disagreement at Kings Lynn the evening before. 131 Dean Rogers led the field off with 418 Ben Borthwick quickly closing in in second and then ultimately into the lead where he remained until the chequered flag, despite a scare when 12 Craig Driscol spun in front of him requiring quick reactions. Interest towards the end was focussed on the battle for the final qualifying spot between 235 Alfie Brimble and 676 Neil Hooper. Hooper came out on top of that battle despite being lapped by Borthwick in the process. 736 Josh Weare took over from 856 Jamie Cocks in the lead of the second heat but he, along with the other drivers, needed to tread carefully in the Honiton bend especially where a very slippery surface caught out some drivers, 194 Luke Johnson being one of them, whilst a spin for 128 Jacob Ralfs necessitated a yellow flag. On the restart, 667 Tommy Farrell worked his way back up the order from tenth and was eventually rewarded with third place. Weare was a clear winner, second over the line 528 Shane Hector was docked two places for jumping the start, which promoted 980 Charlie Lobb and Farrell to second and third. The consolation event saw an unfortunate situation arise when 605 Ritchie Andrews misconstrued the messaging from Race Control about a black cross being shown for a potential jumped start and pulled up on the infield whilst leading. 572 James Lindsay and 870 Bruno Farrell had a falling out mid race which saw Lindsay nearly lose the tenth and final qualifying position. Some way clear at the front, it was Driscoll who ran out the race winner, with 762 Mike Cocks the runner-up. The Final was for the much coveted Ladies Trophy in memory of the late Marylin Farrell, and two of her grandchildren maintained the tradition of completing a lap of the circuit on foot, displaying the splendid silver cup to the full grid of 26 drivers. The opening laps of the race gave up little clue as to the drama and excitement which was to follow as 895 Ben Goddard took up the running after Rogers and Jamie Cocks had led the formative stages. As the cars reached half distance Goodard was challenged by Fegan Jnr for what would transpire to be the start of myriad lead changes and the potential for any of at least eight drivers to take the win over the second half of the race. Goddard took little time to strike back at the Northern Irishman to get back into the lead only for Fegan to regain first place once more, as their battle allowed 121 Vinnie Neath-Rogers to close on them. All the while, Weare, Farrell and Borthwick were edging towards the lead trio. With Fegan having swept past Goddard to again take command, and Neath-Rogers settled into second, the lead pair looked to be established. All the while, the race was bubbling up expectantly, and when Farrell overhauled Weare to move into third, it was his progress that was being particularly closely watched given the significance of the trophy. There was a clear sense that a large proportion of the crowd was willing Farrell on. Fegan took the five-laps-to-go board but could not shake off Neath-Rogers. Another lap done, and Fegan still led, but three from home Neath-Rogers landed the bumper to momentarily hit the front to become the fifth different leader. Farrell followed him through to take second, but as he attacked Neath-Rogers entering the Honiton bend, the door was opened for Borthwick to join the fray. Two laps remained, and Neath-Rogers led. Borthwick grabbed second, and Fegan, Farrell and Weare squabbled for third. It was Fegan who got his nose in front as they charged down the back straight. He prodded at Borthwick, sending him into Neath-Rogers, and the trio scrambled towards the last lap board. The order at the front was about to chop and change in a hugely exciting and dramatic shuffle of the pack. Borthwick led over the line, Neath-Rogers was trapped on the outside, and Farrell dived at third placed Fegan, sending him into Borthwick. The move worked in Fegan’s favour, for as Borthwick went out of shape, Fegan surged back into the lead yet again. In the mayhem, Weare bounced alongside Farrell to grab second heading down the back straight, and in a chaotic bundle through the Honiton bend, Fegan was clear of the explosive clashes behind which saw 302 Dale Moon emerge in second, from Weare, Farrell and 676 Neil Hooper. Incredibly, Moon had started that astounding final lap in seventh place but came home as the runner-up to track debutant Fegan. In stark contrast, Borthwick had led into the final lap, but was buffeted down the order and finished tenth. Farrell was left to sportingly rue his misfortune at ‘only’ coming home fourth – he wistfully apologised to the Farrell family at the post-race presentations for being unable to claim the win for himself – an apology which as anyone present could attest, was not needed given the part he and all the other drivers had played in serving up such a tremendous contest. Blissfully unaware of what was in store, Fegan took the wonderful trophy, and was duly drenched with the customary champagne overcoat. The last F2 event of the year in the south west saw Weare come out on top in the Grand National as the Honiton Bend claimed a number of fancied runners including 468 Sam Weston, Driscoll and Hooper all having their chances dashed.
Saloon Stock Cars
The opening race was for the track’s White & Yellows Series Final, which saw eleven cars grid. 27 Jason Kingwell was an early casualty, spinning around into a marker tyre which lost him time at the start of the race. 768 Joe Delahay built up a healthy lead at the front and he proceeded to charge onwards to a potential maiden win. However, as the lap boards came out, it was evident that veteran 199 Phil Powell was closing in and so it proved with Powell being able to make the pass that saw him grab the lead on the last bend to pip Delahay at the flag. Powell duly won the White & Yellows Series Final for the second successive season. 382 Corey Hunt completed the top three. Heat one proper saw multi-champion 720 Archie Brown, 27 Jason Kingwell and 677 Warren Darby jostle for position. 271 Lacey-May Joyce, driving the Jack Grandon car, took the lead and was still there until just before half distance when she spun out. Brown eventually got to the front, whilst Delahay lost out on fourth place when turned around on the final bend by Kingwell. Nonetheless, Delahay quickly engaged reverse gear to cross the line backwards in fifth. Joyce once again led the field away in Heat two. Gallantly ticking off the laps, she stayed ahead until the lap boards come out. At this point Warren Darby broke free to build a clear lead, leaving Joyce to be dragged into a battle with Brown, Harry Darby, Hunt and 902 Buster Jnr for the runner-up spots. On the last bend, Joyce was part of the huge dive for position, and regrettably sustained injury as well as heavy front end damage as she fired into pits bend plating. Brown took a comfortable win in the Final, whilst Warren Darby effected a well-timed hit on Kingwell to snatch second on the final bend.
ORCi Ministox
The entry of 21 youngsters contested the Club 21 Trophy. Heat one was led away by 559 Aiden Philips, but he was eventually overhauled by 920 Wayne Wadge. Further back 207 Alfie Flecken and 242 Amy Williams clashed on the home straight both losing time, with Flecken then also spinning around on turn four. 182 Mickey James also spun on the start/finish line, but he thankfully avoided being collected by the oncoming pack as he dived to the infield. Wadge completed his first win of the season, as he led home 475 Mason Sealy and Philips at the flag. The second heat proved to be a long-winded affair. Flecken once again found himself pointing in the wrong direction on the pits bend, but the first of a series of yellow flag stoppages were called for when 132 Rowan McAleer ground to a halt on turn two and was then collected. Two further yellow flag periods followed, firstly for Wadge who was nestled in against the marker tyres and then for 267 Robbie Batten who collided heavily, nose first, into the turn two plating, and suffered a back injury. The last restart came with just two laps to go. At the time, 202 Cody Bradford was leading from Sealy, but anticipating an incoming attack, Bradford drifted out wide on the final bend which allowed Sealy to pass cleanly by on the inside line to grab the win. The was an early stoppage in the final, with 257 Kieran Hibberd requiring attention after clobbering the infield marker tyres. An entertaining battle ensued when the race resumed between Sealy, 770 Austin Farrell and 870 Bert Farrell. It was Austin Farrell who deposited Sealy into the fence in turn two as James came to a halt on the home straight. On the resumption, Sealy south to exact revenge on Bert Farrell from a lap down, with Austin Farell now briefly out front. Bert Farrell was spun on the Honiton Bend, whilst 902 Reagan Davies forced his way into the lead. Davies went on to win, a fitting finale in his last ever Ministox race. Austin Farrell was the runner-up, and 505 Louis Herzig claimed third on the final bend from 176 Jack Jones.
Bangers
A large grid of cars took the green flag for their Devon Championship as the first race. The opening exchanges did not last long before a red flag was required for 493 Mark Powell, who needed assistance after crashing out in the Honiton bend. On the restart 177 Ryan Miles broke out into the lead. However, another stoppage was required when 916 Luke Thomas lost a wheel. A pile-up on the pits bend, when the race resumed, saw a number of the fancied runners lose time, including silver top 206 Matt Brewer. He rejoined but was a lap down on distant race leader Miles. Proceeding with caution, Miles avoided any prospect of a challenge from Brewer and other backmarkers, to stay clear out front and claim the Devon title, just in time as 621 Scott Kendall and 230 Tom Shilling were closing, but had to settle for second and third respectively. Allcomers 1 continued the chaos from the opening event with Powell once again in the thick of the action, as he was buried by 313 Oakley Hayes into pits bend wall. 153 Rhiannon Tavender was turned around by 352 Carl Belfield on the home straight, upon which they were collected by the pack, and that brought about a stoppage. A loose wheel from the 556 Pete Hollis machine led to another stoppage, although Hollis was able to continue, wobbling around the bends on his three-wheeled wagon. 662 Jared Roe took over the lead for the final segment of the race, to lead home 31 Liam Shipway, whilst 233 Riley McKnight crashed out. In Allcomers 2, Roe concludes a good afternoon for himself with a more straightforward victory, with 198 Owen Nichol the runner-up this time.