Heavy Metal Classic - 4th January 2004

Under 1800cc Bangers - Report by the Steamer

Vintage tin.

35           Rob Joplin            MGB GT

260         Keith Reynolds      Austin Cambridge Fintail

269         Rob Houghton       Morris Oxford

298         Steve Henty         Singer Vogue

313          Mick Cotton         Wolseley 16/60

322         Ian Taylor            Humber Sceptre*

328         Stuart Morse       Austin Cambridge Fintail

333         Tony Cotton         Sunbeam Rapier

409         Joey Collins         Austin A40

622         Ifor Evans           MG Magnette

Another stunning turn-out of 115 under 1800cc cars filled the Standlake pits with visitors traveling from all over the south & the Isle of Wight as is the norm for this meeting. In addition to the vintage tin listed above there was plenty of 70s steel with 746 Jason Smith & 899 Barry Collins in Mk3 Cortinas (the latter’s immaculate), 949 Adam Robinson in a Mk2 Escort, 199 Phil Cullen in a Dolomite, 127 Simon Young in a Marina, 102 Mr Fudge in an HC Viva which never raced & 17 Lance Webb in a griff Maxi. 89 John Harber returned an FE Victor while 156 Paul Chearman turned out a fresh estate while from the rand of the lising sun 92 Keith Saunders brought his dinosaur Mazda 818 coupe & 171 Mike Rowell had a Corona. The only other cars of interest were the used Skyline estate of 117 Danno, the Prairie of 186 Mick Gedney & the Tercel of 245 Greg Hazletine.

Heat 1 (18 cars) - The opener was solely for the old stuff & kicked off with 313 Mayhem steaming 409 Fatboy’s pretty A40 as 260 Mr Mag powered his Farina up the back of 746 Smith’s Mk3 before T-boning 322 Pacman’s Sceptre after the latter had set about Collins. Chearman then blasted Mr Mag as Collins combined with Cullen to crash Pacman while 127 Young embedded his Marina in the back of Smith. 622 Evans caught the spun Pacman tearing the side out of his Magnette while Rowell got to grips with both Young & Mr Mag before the Islander exacted revenge. He then set about 35 Bug’s MGB as Rowell attacked Mr Mag again leaving Cullen to win from Fatboy’s flying A40 & 269 Rob the Roof’s Farina. Robinson & Fatboy met head-on after the reds to wrap this one up.

Result: 199 Philip Cullen, 409 Joey Collins, 269 Rob Houghton, 127 Simon Young, 156 Paul Chearman, 899 Barry Collins

Heat 2 (20 cars) - was open to RWD cars only & began with 134 Toady (Mk5 estate) following debutant 21 Spooky’s Sapphire in as Danno steamed 361 the Bilge Brother’s Capri. Toady walled the luckless Spooky again a lap later as Danno continued to put it about hitting 211 RHB’s Mk5 estate as 168 Gavin Barnett (Sierra estate) gave Harber’s FE the bone. RHB bounced back with a T-bone on 58 Martin Dalton’s Mk5 as 283 Webby won in a Riva estate from 23 Swampy’s Bluebird & the aforementioned Dalton while RHB sparked up after a shot on 53 Joss Brett’s Riva during the run-down lap.

Result: 283 Bryan Webb, 23 John Swanborough, 58 Martin Dalton, 117 Dan Lewis, 361 Chris Cogdell, 243 David Powell

Heat 3 (29 cars) -  was for FWD Bluebirds. It started with Animal 28 Alan Grant walling 722 Bobby Ewins while 10 Sean Martindale buried 86 Naily Smith & 148 Graham Kiddell steamed 98 Brian Deeprose only for old foe 8 Wrecker Day to follow him in on the entrance bend. 292 Spencer Wakefield enjoyed a head-on with Casey before 426 Slap ran him in while 2 Jon Bricknell T-boned Grant & then steamed 6 Anthony Orgee to boot. The latter bounced back with a shot on 606 Mr Boom which took the pair of them in & Orgee’s misery continued as Slap buried him when he rejoined though Mr Boom steamed the latter in turn. Bricknell was certainly on one as he now followed 728 Sam Smith in leaving Wrecker Day to win from 7 Kier Spiers & the immaculately turned out 229 Ritchie Holmes.

Result: 8 Danny Day, 7 Kier Spiers, 229 Ritchie Holmes, 126 David Case, 2 Jon Bricknell, 137 Mick Tooke

Heat 4 (38 cars) - Everything else came out for heat 4 with 142 Tom Smith (Mk2 Cavalier) attacking the Peugeot 405 of Devil 573 Chris Brooks early doors while Gedney followed 595 Vimbo in well wrecking the latter’s Corolla. 973 Simon Chase took 246 Jay Pearce (Mk4) & himself in as Gedney pulled off his second big hit of the race when he followed in 809 Jedi’s Accord. Jackpot 815 Ian Castle (Mk3 Cavalier) walled 65 Mark Bennett’s late Sunny with assistance from Chase while 155 Demo (who was also in a Sunny) ran Gedney in, Chase continuing with a shot on the Mk5 of 1 Dave Thomas as 54 Winnie won in a Corolla from 537 Mad Mitch & the Mk2 Astra of 18 Malcolm Burgess.

Result: 54 Alan Cartwright, 537 Mark Mitchell, 18 Malc Burgess, 936 Malcolm Sharp, 575 Paul Tritton, 186 Mick Gedney

Heat 5 (30 cars) - Mayhem T-boned Evans as the 5th heat began while 727 Pat Smith met Brett on the nose & 133 Karly Day (Mk5) steamed the similarly mounted 607 Jamie Guest. Martindale leant Swampy in & then attacked Thomas as Ewins set about Collins & 80 Matt Nutley (Riva estate) hit Barnett before a recovered Evans ran 378 Aidan Parker in leaving Bug to win in the MGB from Wakefield & Fatboy’s A40.

Result: 35 Rob Jopling, 292 Spencer Wakefield, 409 Joey Collins, 283 Webby, 361 Cogdell, 80 Matthew Nuttley

Heat 6 (25 cars) - 196 Beach (Mk2 Astra estate) picked up 479 Fusspot’s Mk5 & walled him as the penultimate heat got under way only for Pacman to exact revenge by running the Mad Mob young gun into Animal 17 Mark Wilson’s Mk3 Cavalier. Similarly mounted fellow Animal 128 Simon Wood attacked Deeprose which took the pair of them in & left the latter prone to a head-on from yet another Animal, 961 Kev Lording who was also in a Mk3 Cavalier. Spiers met Pacman in much the same way & was done in turn by Wood before a recovered Beach buried 106 Clive Bowker’s Mk5 estate into the Animal & then followed Grant in for good measure. Spiers clouted the latter & went in as a result while Devil 575 Paul Tritton won in a Pony from 936 Malcolm Sharp’s Mk2 Cavalier & 198 Pete Boy who felt the force of Saunders on the run-down lap.

Result: 575 Tritton, 936 Sharp, 198 Pete Cullen, 911 Darren Saveall, 199 Philip Cullen, 707 Mark Court

Heat 7 (33 cars) - The last heat began with Casey steaming Robinson & 137 Mick Tooke doing 219 Wayno as Gedney went on the offensive again running Hazletine’s Tercel in. 933 Gary Cole (Mk3 Cavalier) met 582 Steve Tustian’s Maestro on the nose & Tooke hit 5 Tezza’s Sierra before 400 Shinny followed 807 Greeny’s Mk2 Cavalier into Cole, the reds coming out for Greeny who lost his helmet on impact though he was none the worse for the experience. Shinny was simply electric on the re-start following Pearce in & then stuffing Webb’s Maxi into 969 Jamie Pickup’s Mk4 while Gedney, not to be outdone, followed 13 Woma’s Acclaim in big time on the top bend. Shinny now steamed 12 Keno as 801 Haribo won in an Accord from Mitch & the Astramax van(!) of 816 Brian Hands, Shinny completing a flawless display by running 576 Simon Hadland’s Rover 213 in during the run-down lap.

Result: 801 Stephen Holland, 537 Mitch, 816 Brian Hands, 582 Dave Tustian, 400 Kevin Shinn, 576 Simon Hadland

Final (32 cars) - was predictably the quietest race of the day. Danno hit Burgess & Gedney launched Young’s Marina onto the infield standing it on its nose en route to the win from Winnie & running mate Day.

Result: 186 Gedney, 54 Winnie, 8 Day, 582 Dippy Dave, 7 Kier Spiers, 801 Holland

Allcomers (25 cars) - The first of two Allcomers events saw Beach hit Collins & 298 Tin Tin hook out the passing Tezza while 328 Morse used his Farina to give 851 Mark Howell the bone. Tritton took his second win of the day from Sharp & Haribo.

Result: 575 Tritton, 936 Sharp, 801 Holland

Allcomers (35 cars) - The second Allcomers race was much better. 781 Darren Andrews ran Tritton in straight away as Gedney buried yet another victim, Ewins the unlucky man this time while elsewhere Webby attacked Deeprose. Nutley T-boned Gedney before the reds came out for Deeprose who was thankfully only shaken. On the re-start Gedney ran 610 Minky into Bowker’s dead motor & Keno steamed Tustian setting the latter up for a T-bone from Holmes as Winnie won from Slap & Spiers.

Result: 54 Winnie, 426 Paul Horwood, 7 Kier Spiers

Demolition Derby (20 cars) - A healthy entry for the derby which started with Young hitting Wilson as 984 Mark Byrne (Sunny estate) steamed Burgess & Collins T-boned Thomas. Gedney stuffed Cullen’s Dolomite into Martindale & paid for it with a shot from Nutley as Sharp met Chearman’s FE on the nose though the Animal bounced back with a head-on which went the way of Gedney. However, Minky then finished the Victor with a head-on & was duly attacked by both Danno & the Bilge Brother who continued with a shot on Cullen before Young sparked up at which point the reds came out. On the re-start Cullen blew up 74 Anthony Ribeiro’s late Rover 216 & was punished by Webby & the Bilge Brother before Lording met Webby on the nose. Undeterred, Webby hooked the passing Burgess out & then steamed him again to boot as Nutley finished Ribeiro which left Lording facing Webby & running mate the Bilge Brother. Webby met the Animal head-on which allowed his accomplice to move in with a terminal blow on the Mk3 Cavalier, the Bilge Brother eventually running out victorious after a couple of head-ons with his mentor.

Result: 361 Chris Cogdell from 283 Webby

Although the first Allcomers race & the final were a little tame this was a top drawer session for the small cars overall.

Heavy Metal Classic - 4th January 2004

Unlimited cc Bangers - Report by the Steamer

Vintage tin.

8             Martin Haycock           Vanden Plas Princess 4 Litre R

32           Mark Walker               Daimler DS420 Hearse

97           Russell Lawton              Jaguar 420G*

106          Paul Gumm                    Ford Granada Mk1 Limo

130          Jason Harrison             Cadillac Fleetwood

202         Mike Kilford                Ford Fairmont

202         Kelly Wetherick           Vanden Plas Princess 4 Litre R

213          Tony Roe                     Ford Granada Mk3 Minster

222         Tom Oakley                 Mk10 Jaguar

225         Neil Hopkins                Ford Granada Mk1 Hearse*

273         Stuart Emery               Daimler DS420 Limo

368         Mark Annets               Rover P4

439         Danny Sutton              Austin A110 Westminster*

541          Nick Cross                 Wolseley 6/110

584         Mark Harding             Jaguar 420G*

An equally impressive turn-out of 117 unlimited motors included a handful of Welshmen amongst the usual visitors & there was plenty of tin in addition to that listed above. As well as the coachbuilt Granadas, 654 Gavage had a heavily customised coupe & 530 Mr Ass returned his Ringwood Open Mk1 while 774 Meatball had a fresh example. The 20 strong XJ entry included a series 1 for 303 Dangerous Brian & an XJ40 for 445 Mark Dorrill while 65 Shaun Randell brought along his TSR World XJ-S & 879 Wrecked Reg his Champion of Champions coupe. There were 15 Voles including a trio of 740s, 3 used Trummies from 25 Tombo, 159 Mr Havoc (Mk1) & 721 Gary Coles, Mercs from 118 Arry (250) & 377 Adam Brett (280E), a VX4/90 from 275 Ozzie & an SD1 from 31 Mark Gregory which never made the track. Far eastern tin included a trio of Crowns in the hands of 312 Turbo, 421 Nutty Nige & 587 Pete Kerry, the latter duo from Coventry while 778 Bod returned a 300C estate & 852 Jamie Howell a Nissan Patrol which somehow made it past the scrutineer. 104 Lee Gumm & 503 Tank completed the Jap entry with Laurels, the former an early 240L which sadly never raced.

Heat 1 (21 cars) - As with the unders, the opener was for the classics & it began badly for 8 Mad Mart who had 130 Harrison’s Caddy thundered through his drivers door by the pack just as 541 Cruncher used his Westy to jack the Welsh 4R big time. Thankfully he wasn’t injured & the race continued without stoppage, Wrecked Reg following Harrison’s Caddy in a couple of laps later to finish it for the day before Turbo followed the pink VDP of 202 Wetherick in nearby. He continued with a shot on Brett’s Merc, 439 Sutton also blasting the latter as Mr Havoc gamely T-boned 584 Sharky’s ten, a move which was swiftly repaid with a head-on. Mr Ass won from Tombo & 202 Kilf.

Result: 530 Andy Millard, 25 Mark Thomas, 202 Michael Kilford, 584 Mark Harding, 312 Tom Reynolds, 439 Daniel Sutton

Heat 2 (41 cars) - was an all Granny affair which started with Rebel 443 Dave Harvey steaming 528 Dave Norris as 55 Jamesie T-boned 62 Liam Bunce & Rooster 114 Mark Turnage attacked 225 Nellie’s hearse only to find the wall as a result. 83 Lost It Lloyd pulled off a rated follow-in on 58 Martin Dalton which the latter took exception to after the race, his antics costing him a load-up in both classes. 528 Jethro ran 103 Lee Bugler in & 409 Fatboy Slim then met the latter on the nose as 614 Mr Lossy careered into the now vacated Norris car. 737 Elliott Finnie also hit the prone Vermin motor as Nellie did Bugler against the flow setting the Ringwood man up for a head-on from 274 Jon Adams before Jethro piled into Finnie. 348 Mushy won from 231 Stu Dunn & fellow Ringwood young gun 199 Jamie Wyatt.

Result:341 Sonny Sherwood, 231 Stuart Dunn, 199 Jamie Wyatt, 248 Dave Harding, 83 Lloyd Isherwood, 153 Richard Martin

Heat 3 (26 cars) - The third heat saw Gumm use his limo to meet Bear 169 Jason Thompson’s Vole 240 estate on the nose as Nutty Nige met 85 Mong’s Capri in similar fashion snapping it in the approved manner. Lone Blackjack 003 Rob Hayes (XJ) then fired hard up the back of Nige in turn only to take a large package from Howell’s Patrol which not surprisingly finished the Jag. Thompson gamely powered into Howell in turn with 731 Diabolical Dyer (XJ) then running 521 Ace Ash into his team mate before 53 Garmo stuffed Gumm & then 422 Alfie (Vole 240 estate) into the Mental Jag trashing it as a result. Howell hit Garmo as 244 Baby Bunny won in a Vole 740 from 54 Winnie’s XJ & the Vole 240 estate of marque specialist 499 Lee Charles.

Result: 244 Michael Bunyan, 54 Alan Cartwright, 499 Lee Charles, 491 Neil Sparkes, 303 Brian Cope, 1 Mark Barker

Heat 4 (24 cars) - 44 Darrell Wilde (XJ) T-boned the Vole 240 estate of 229 Razz as heat 4 got under way with 28 Ozzie (who was also in a Vole 240 estate) then steaming the First Blood man as Kerry attacked 721 the Thug’s Vole 240 estate. 177 Matt Whitehead & Wilde then zeroed in with hits on Kerry as 424 the Wizard (Vole 740 estate) blew up 589 Dean Plowman’s Bluebird only to feel the force of 2 Jon Bricknell’s Vole 240 as a consequence. Wilde bounced back with a shot on Bricknell in turn while 537 Mad Mitch (Vole 245 estate) hit the Wizard & paid for it with a package from Ozzie as 899 Lee Madden (XJ) won from 815 Ian Castle’s Bluebird & 334 John Hemming.

Result: 899 Lee Madden, 815 Ian Castle, 334 John Hemming, 911 Darren Saveall, 756 Brian Heath, 6 Mark Holdsworth

Heat 5 (31 cars) - Thompson ran 14 Baby Face in as the fifth heat commenced while Arry hit Jamesie taking both men in & 656 Liam Findlay strangely hit running mate Gavage. The Bear then powered into Arry’s Merc only to take a large portion from Gavage who was loaded after the race for excessive ironwork. Adams ran Findlay into Welsh Hog 10 Mike O’Dare (Vole 240) & then walled 505 Stu Taylor’s Saab 900 as 112 Rusty won from 215 Sherlock & 481 Bernie Spiers, Meatball coming off the centre to waste 169 Lenny Boy on the run-down lap which was none too impressive.

Result: 112 Shaun Russell, 215 Steve Holmes, 481 Bernie Spiers, 617 Jack Overy, 274 Jon Adams, 503 Carl Wells

Heat 6 (30 cars) - The penultimate heat saw 99 the Cheat meet Ace Ash head-on early doors as Mr Lossy went head to head with 34 Mark Gardiner & Tombo steamed Gumm’s limo only to feel the force of Kilf’s Yank. Wrecked Reg blew up Devil 578 Bert’s Bluey estate & Sharky followed the Cheat in as Garmo hit Mr Lossy & Lost It Lloyd gave 750 the Rock a T-bone. Sharky was cooking in this one as he now steamed both Whitehead & Mr Lossy while the impressive Garmo followed 40 Darren Ankerson in leaving Lost It Lloyd to win from 6 the Good Lord (XJ) & Bunce. Garmo attacked Wilde on the run-down lap to conclude this one.

Result: 83 Isherwood, 6 Holdsworth, 62 Liam Bunce, 25 Thomas, 44 Darrell Wilde, 53 Justin Garman

Heat 7 (17 cars) - Alfie was straight in on 70 Steve Hart’s XJ as the last heat kicked off but he paid for it with a package from Ozzie who was surprisingly done in turn by Ace Ash. Veteran 153 Willy Swerve set about both the Wizard & 248 Dave Harding as Dorrill won from 110 Yo Yo Man & 756 Bart for an XJ 1-2-3 before Jethro went off the head doing Harding on the nose under the reds & paying for it with a T-bone from Willy Swerve.

Result: 445 Mark Dorrill, 110 Derek Tyler, 756 Heath, 65 Shaun Randell, 622 Ifor Evans, 911 Saveall

Final (28 cars) - As with the unders, the final was the quietest race of the day but not for Adams who was run in by Sutton though the latter’s Westy took a T-bone from Bunce as a result. Turbo T-boned 1 Mark Barker’s XJ & 491 Neil Sparkes (XJ) also hit the latter while leading handing Mushy the reins. Turbo T-boned Bart on the centre as Mushy took the flag but Lost It Lloyd was awarded the win from Overy after a lap sheet check, Mushy consoling himself with third.

Result: 83 Isherwood, 617 Overy, 348 Sherwood, 6 Holdsworth

Allcomers (32 cars) - Just one Allcomers event for the bigger cars & it began with Mr Lossy T-boning O’Dare before taking a package from Brett’s Merc as Thompson followed Taylor’s Saab in. Mr Havoc hit 31 Mr Bumble as 02 Dave O was knocked off his car while exiting which brought out the reds immediately but thankfully he was uninjured. Howell ran 147 Kane German’s Vole 760 in on the re-start & then attacked Castle as Winnie buried Thompson’s crabbing Vole. Meatball walled Oakley’s ten & then came off the centre again, this time at Kilf while Charles wasted Jethro in the gloom on the top bend. German blew up Charles in turn & Sherlock went in on the Welsh Hog only to feel the force of Kilf who came home third behind Dunn & Madden. Dunn & Jethro exchanged head-ons after the reds to wrap this one up.

Result: 231 Dunn, 899 Madden, 202 Kilford

Demolition Derby (28 cars) - A magnificent entry of 28 cars for the demo included Ozzie & Thompson who had both worked hard to get their wrecks back out. Sharky T-boned 622 Ifor Evans (Vole 240) from the off as Hart ran Kilf in which allowed Ozzie to fire up the back of the latter. Sharky continued by meeting Nutty Nige on the nose as the Thug blew up Mitch & then 12 Keno only to take a head-on from Ozzie while elsewhere the Good Lord set about Baby Bunny. Hart now enjoyed a head to head encounter with the Rock & Norris buried Evans as the Thug finished 138 Steve Goldup. Sutton now came back to life having been out for some time & he duly set about the Thug but the latter was declared victorious after a head-on.

Result: 721 Grant Butler from 439 Daniel Sutton

An excellent HMC, the best I’ve seen thanks in no small part to the lack of ice on track this year!!!

The Steamer