Standlake 9^th November 2003. Under 1400cc Alan Barton Memorial    Report by Bill

Incredibly this was the eighth running of this annual event and it was encouraging to see a few of those that raced with Alan among the 55 drivers in attendance. Car wise it was two apiece for Lada Riva and Capri whilst 364 Flumpy turned the clock back with a Marina van. Many would argue that Vermin 130 Jason Harrison’s very smart Violet was rarest find of the day but I’m sure the die-hards would give the nod to the original and still the best tool for the job, a 2 door mk3 Cortina which was in the very capable hands of 283 Webby who was making his first outing since his workshop fire and it was good to see “Normal service has been resumed” adorned across the boot!

Heat 1 (25 cars) - 537 Mitch (Civic) got things underway when he got 111 Trevor Pritcett’s Pujo 205 in but he too went in whilst Harrsion used the Datty to thunder 600 Jason Emery’s Mazda in. 91 Beech ran 114 Mark Turnage in (both Sunnys) though 114 held his assailant, allowing 426 Slap (Samara) to power up 91. 606 Boomer in another Sunny ran 911 Jamie Bowring’s Pony in whereupon the pair of them were collected by 503 Tank’s Fiesta when 589 Dean Plowman (Rover 213) launched him into them. And thus began a jacking train with Webby homing in on 589 only to be done in turn by Pritchett who was attacked by 5 Nosey (Mazda). 528 Dave Norris in the smart Vermin Capri completed the chain when he blasted Nosey before Beech arrived to decimate Nosey’s Mazda. Elsewhere retiree 396 Toyboy (Lada estate) nearly rolled 71 Mr Tea’s Metro as “Mr Consistent” 575 Paul Tritton took the win ahead of the impressive mk1 Astra of 91 Malcolm Constable and the rapidly improving 378 Aiden Parker (Sunny).

Result: 575 Paul Tritton, 91 Malcolm Constable, 378 Aiden Parker, 810 Nick Barker, 727 Pat Smith, 537 Mark Mitchell

Heat 2 (21 cars) - A bad start for Parker in the second when 252 Will Bignell in another Sunny picked him up and ran him in, Beech doing likewise to 41 Nicky Sandworth’s Metro. 400 the Exorcist (Nova) joined in by burying 706 the Goat’s Fiesta whilst Beech heaved 110 YoYo Man (yet another Sunny) aside as 529 Darren Krauesslar (Escort van) tried removing Bignell. He couldn’t get his man round though he fared better when he wound the Exorcist out only to collide with Beech and then get blown up by 118 Shiney’s Ibiza, who in fairness had nowhere to go. Bignell walled 576 Simon Hadland (Rover 213) as 599 the Dragon took the win (Acclaim), not bad considering his last outing was at the same time last year ahead of Parker who fenced 137 Klunk en route, with Mitch 3^rd.

Result: 599 Steve Jones, 378 Parker, 537 Mad Mitch, 576 Simon Hadland, 575 Tritton, 532 Vince Voysey

Heat 3 (25 cars) - nearly saw 316 Big Ears (Samara) bury 32 Podge (Riva) in a battle of the Ladas, 32 escaping only to cop a blast off Harrison who in turn caught one on the nose from Plowman. Harrison shrugged this off and latched onto Webby who in turn was attached to 317 Donald Southey’s used Proton, the trio ploughing into Goat. The lively Harrison then turned attentions to 815 Ian Castle (Belmont), though the latter quickly turned the tables jacking the Violet and running him into the luckless Goat. 116 Coops (Cherry) was making all the running meanwhile until Mitch swept him aside to hand the win on a plate to a grateful Hadland ahead of the aforementioned Mitch with Castle hanging onto 3^rd despite his brief encounter with Harrison.

Result: 576 Hadland, 537 Mad Mitch, 815 Ian Castle, 114 Mark Turnage, 112 Shaun Russell, 91 Constable

Heat 4 (23 cars) - a greasy 1^st bend caught a few out at the start of the fourth which saw 112 Rusty (Favourit van) land a t-bone on 275 Ozzie’s Chevette whilst Tritton removed 712 Judy’s Pujo 309 only to cop a shot off the Exorcist.  Southey biffed welcome visitor 100 Dave Thomas’ Escort as a recovered Ozzie buried Bignell only to be jacked by Boomer and 6 Mark Tomes (Tipo). Bignell continued only to receive another burial, this time at the hands of Webby whilst Beech copped a shot of 59 Mike Jones (Fiesta). 580 Dippy Dave (Metro) set the pace until colliding with Plowman which gifted Parker with the win ahead of Mitch with a rad-up 2 Jon Bricknell (mk5 escort) 3^rd.

Result: 378 Parker, 537 Mad Mitch, 2 Jon Bricknell, 112 Rusty, 575 Tritton, 91 Constable

Heat 5 (27 cars) - Beech got the last heat away, putting Klunk in, though the latter hit back with a head on to his assailant whilst the Exorcist steamed 456 Grizzly’s Fiesta. Harrison tried to bury Turnage but received a blast from Webby before the latter went on to jack 18 Matt Broch (Rover 214). 817 Richard Hands (Sierra) did likewise to Bignell and then buried his victim into Klunk as Tritton steamed Webby only to retire, Bricknell the rare but pleasing winner ahead of the rapid Constable and Hadland.

Result: 2 Bricknell, 91 Constable, 576 Hadland, 378 Parker, 575 Tritton, 110 Derek Tyler

Final (23 cars) - Damage for Ozzie in the final at the hands of Norris whilst Judy’s chances of victory were dashed thanks to Turnage and the aforementioned Norris. Webby did fire back at Norris before 457 Aaron Hawes surprised the majority by taking a psycho lunge at the mk3 and then blasted Ozzie on the next lap. Norris meanwhile buried Rusty before avenging Webby with a shot as 457 Aaron Hawes (Metro) attacked Ozzie. Bricknell executed a fine steam to Hands and then wound Harrison out though Hands quickly recovered to run Harrison in, ripping a wheel off the Datty. Webby and Norris though both zoomed in on Hands as Hadland motored to a heat and final double, not bad considering he didn’t have anything to race until Friday when he collected the Rover from Rusty’s yard. The indecently quick Constable brought the Astra home in 2^nd ahead of the other Devil, Tritton in 3^rd.

Result: 576 Hadland, 91 Constable, 575 Tritton, 378 Parker, 2 Bricknell, 537 Mad Mitch

Demolition Derby (16 cars) - Coops began the DD with a shot on Harrison whilst Plowman missed his attempt on Bricknell, though Hands managed to get 2 in soon after. Plowman did connect however with Constable whilst Podge turned it round to meet Webby in a stonking head on. Bricknell and Boomer both executed fine steams to Harrison, the former then running into Webby. Mitch ran Parker in but copped a blast off Dippy Dave before a recovered Parker completed the triangle by attacking Dippy. Hands ensured Turnage met with the wall though the latter quickly bounced back to charge the length of the straight at Dippy Dave, the latter just nipping out of the way in time, Turnage eventually dying after steaming Hands. Dippy Dave stopped Coops before Hands finished Dippy off, leaving his 1.1litre Sierra the last one standing.

Result: 817 Richard Hands from 580 Dippy Dave