Standlake 5^th May 2003

Mini / Metro & Fiesta 1400cc Bangers.

Spectators filled the Arena & witnessed an impressive 70 car turn out for the first May Bank Holiday. Metros proved to be the popular tool with 38 including a used six-wheeled limo for Horndean’s 22 Kev Davies backed up by a further 4 Rover 100s, whilst the Fiestas included 5 mk3s (a van for 112 Sir Rusty) plus a brace of mk1s for 54 Winnie & 34 Tyson Mitchell but stealing the show was 304 Mick Roff with a smart Mini. Not many visitors in town, three from Horndean plus six Roosters from Incarace. Good to see some returnees to the Arena, 33 Dean Plowman along with the Eltham twins and Dad Alfie racing after an 18 month absence.

Heat 1 (29 cars) - The opening race was somewhat tame though 155 Mr Demolition (Fiesta) certainly did his bit to liven things up, spinning 622 Ifor Evans’ Metro before firing 007 the Beast (Metro) in, totalling the latter. 252 Will Bignell (Fiesta) clipped team mate 250 Neil Mullender’s mk3 & copped a package from 596 Graham Monk (Metro) as 244 Bunny (Fiesta) took an easy win off pole, from 150 Jon Miles (Metro) & 251 Buster Griffiths (Fiesta).

Result: 244 Michael Bunyan, 150 Jon Miles, 251 Ray Griffiths, 66 Barry Tweddle, 417 Sheldon Gardiner, 143 Martin Wilkes 

Heat 2 (33 cars) - The second race started lively enough, 706 Dougie Jones (Fiesta) being bounced all over the place by the Metros of 537 Mitch (used), 342 Potty & 133 Karly as 426 Slap (Fiesta) was run in by 42 Chrisram (Metro). The impressive Potty then annihilated 87 Tapz’ Metro, blasted Chrisram & then fired up the back of 503 Tank (Metro). 727 Smithy (Metro) blasted Potty in revenge as 143 Chicken Man (Metro) copied Bunny’s feat & somehow sneaked off pole for the win, returnee 111 Trigger (Metro) not far behind with 580 Dippy Dave’s mk3 3^rd.

Result: 143 Chicken Man, 111 Antony Walker, 580 Dave Tustian, 576 Simon Hadland, 578 Bryan Tritton, 85 Richard Aston

Heat 3 (37 cars) - The third heat was much better. Evans put the pedal to the floor to run Bignell in as Bunny was rolled by 720 Kenny Blake’s mk3, the latter coming to rest on the 244 machine. Rooster 98 Adrian Friend (Metro) gave Slap a head on but paid for it with a shot from Karly whilst 116 Coops (Fiesta) received punishment from Trigger. Further Rooster stuffing included 19 Dave Spiers (Metro) giving 99 Trevor Simms similar mount a head on, Spiers continuing into Blake, freeing him from Bunny’s motor. Demolition then performed hit of the day when he followed Horndean’s 9 Aaron Keogh (Metro) in, snapping the latter impressively. Monk jacked 66 Barry Tweddle’s Rover whilst novice 68 Paul Carter (Metro) engaged the limo head on. Karly fired Chicken Man in as 301 Govesy (Metro), Rusty & Winnie carved their way through for a Dream Team 1-2-3, Trigger looking good for another trophy & well up with the pace until another returnee 33 Dean Ploughman (Fiesta) intervened to put him away, Ploughman copping a blast from 691 AJ Spiers (Metro), Winnie celebrating his 3^rd with a shot on Monk.

Result: 301 Darren Goves, 112 Shaun Russell, 54 Alan Cartwright, 111 Walker, 537 Mark Mitchell, 143 Chicken Man

Heat 4 (28 cars) - 421 Tadpole (Fiesta) commenced the penultimate heat, spinning Bunny only to have the same done to him by former Junior racer 506 Gary Eltham (Metro). Monk picked 728 Andy Austin (Metro) up, the latter latching onto 417 Sheldon Gardiner’s Fiesta at the last gasp to evade the follow in. Austin though was then steamed by Trigger, the latter continuing with a blast to 5 Terry Eltham (Metro). Austin was eventually put down when Demolition followed him in, destroying the 728 machine. Rusty then gave Mr Dem the bone before 85 Mong (Fiesta) put Rusty away. Monk attacked 816 Brian Hands (Fiesta) whilst Mong stayed on the case, following Trigger & then team mate Tadpole in. Gardiner performed a two-wheeled stunt display to the crowd’s “oohs” as 815 Ian Castle (Fiesta) won in a close finish a mere bonnet’s length ahead of 578 Bert’s Rover with 576 Simon Hadland (Metro) one car’s length (and remember these are short cars!!) behind these two.

Result: 815 Ian Castle, 578 Bert, 576 Hadland, 54 Winnie, 110 Derek Tyler, 580 Dippy

Heat 5 (40 cars) - Govesy took a shot from 575 Paul Tritton’s mk3 early in the last heat, the latter then steaming Dave Spiers whilst Davies’ limo was collected by Coops, Mong & finally 530 Mr Ass (Fiesta). Bunny belted 275 Ozzie (Fiesta) whilst a recovered Govesy jacked Ploughman down. Monk executed a fine steam to Tadpole only to cop a blast from Rusty, Castle steaming 112 in turn as Hands rolled. Dippy Dave fired Mong in, these two then seeing the race out with a private DD, Monk & Tritton doing likewise as Mitch just beat Chicken Man in a classic duel for the line, Rusty bringing the van home in 3^rd.

Result: 537 Mitch, 143 Chicken Man, 112 Rusty, 301 Govesy, 576 Hadland, 815 Castle

The interval was spiced by a ramp rollover which saw Chrisram, Roff, Tank & 1 David Fairclough all complete a full roll. 5 Tony Brown then took his Pujo 205 rod over the ramp for a one & a half before 392 Stuart Cyphus (The Death Rattle) managed one and a quarter in his Ibiza & then performed a superb sump jump, the Seat landing on it’s nose before falling forwards onto it’s roof, which claimed both the crowd’s approval & the spoils.

Final (33 cars) - The final was somewhat quiet. AJ Spiers tried to stop Chicken Man but only careered into the vacant 302 Billy Kerry Fiesta. 291 Darren Mabbitt (Metro) walled Tritton as Karly shrugged off Govesy’s persistent nibbling to take a fine win, Bert never far behind in 3^rd.

Result: 133 Karl Day, 301 Govesy, 578 Bert, 110 YoYo, 576 Hadland, 248 Dave Stopp

Demolition Derby - Impressively thirty four made it out for the DD. Mr Ass kicked 102 Mr Fudge (Metro) into Davies with Mitch planting both Castle & 110 YoYo Man (Rover 100) into the visiting Tango limo. Mong turned it round to meet Hands head on, the latter then being sandwiched by Winnie & Rusty. 93 Matty Reynolds (Metro) zeroed in on Winnie whilst Govesy impressively blasted both Fudge & Davies. Reynolds then nearly rolled Govesy as Bert biffed 44 Micky Dent (Metro) on the nose with Karly in turn steaming the Devil. Winnie finished Dent & then Rusty before blasting Karly to leave himself the last runner & £75 richer into the bargain to round off yet another fine day at the Lake.

Result: 54 Winnie from 133 Karl Day

A Footnote to today’s meeting as 596 Graham Monk was only taking part as I named him Driver of the Day at the last all Metro meeting. Although this title no longer exists since the sad demise of Trash, credit where it’s due Graham stood out in my eyes as the day’s best entertainer, just edging it from Mong who had one of his best days racing to date. This means we’ll no doubt be seeing Graham later in the season when he goes for the hat trick and who knows maybe even a trophy if he’s nominated again??

Bill