Standlake 19^th October 2003 Metro/Fiestas   Report by Bill

The last outing of the season for the mighty midgets and proof of the popularity of this format was confirmed with an outstanding 82 car turnout. Incarace and Paices Hill drivers accounted for a quarter of that number whilst several non-contact regulars also came out for a play. The Metro was by far the more popular whilst 31 opted for a Fiesta including a used van, five mk3s and four mk1s but car of the day was the pinto powered Datsun 240Z in the rods and very well it went too!

Heat 1 (30 cars) - Back to the bangers and I must apologise in advance for missing many noteworthy highlights but please bear in mind that at times there were as many as thirty five in any heat. 317 Donald Southey got the ball rolling in the opener with a stiff blast to new recruit 128 Dean Moore whilst 504 Vicram launched himself at 104 Lee Gumm. 111 Steve Pritchett (mk3) executed a good shot over 151 Stuart Timms’ wheel with 102 Mr Fudge careering into 111, the latter then receiving further damage when 91 Dave Beauchamp combined with 34 Kevin Probets to launch 69 Martyn Cane into him. Cane recovered quickly to execute a copybook take out on Southey before jacking 807 Greeny’s mk1. 508 Nick Baker was making I believe his debut at the sport but it was more than beginners luck that saw him take the win, ahead of visitors 378 Aiden Parker and 219 Wayne Halls.

Result: 508 Nick Baker, 378 Aiden Parker, 219 Wayne Halls, 112 Shaun Russell, 360 Christian Doughty, 129 Dean Richards

Heat 2 (30 cars) - began like many to follow with an early spinner going into turn one. In this case it was 582 Stephen Tustian who was then collected by the charging pack, which slowed 578 Bert enough to allow 2 Jon Bricknell to fire up the Devil as 841 Alan Kiddle annihilated 32 Podge. With “Do me” advertised on 537 Mitch’s bootlid, 506 Gazza did just that and ran him in flat out writing 537 off, the keen Gazza then copying the move on 00 Davey Gibbard whilst 19 Dave Spiers put 507 Natram in. 007 Matt Cox the winner this time ahead of 575 Paul Tritton (who neatly tossed 18 Malc Burgess aside en route) and 301 Govesy.

Result: 007 Matty Cox, 575 Paul Tritton, 301 Darren Goves, 110 Derek Tyler, 410 Matthew Tyler, 508 Stephen Pickard, 581 Mark Pearce

Heat 3 (26 cars) - the third heat in a row attracted less than expected though 665 Roy Grant found 42 Alistair Nicol and fired him into an already prone 85 Stan Yaxley whilst Probets took a pounding from 712 Judy. Beauchamp heaved 820 Martyn Perkins out, the latter then copping a package off “face from the past” 508x Mr Banger’s mk3 though in fairness Tritton had tossed 820 into his path for him. 406 Nigel Blacktopp in a Metro van survived a 96 Rob Adams follow in as Govesy cruised to victory, Tritton once again 2^nd with 96 Adams netting his maiden trophy in 3^rd.

Result: 301 Goves, 575 Tritton, 96 Rob Adams, 712 Judy Walman, 91 Dave Beauchamp, 182 Stewart Treasurer

Heat 4 (34 cars) - The well subscribed fourth race started with a turn one bundle which saw Gibbard find the fence, Beauchamp then being dispatched into him whilst rookie 127 Adams gave 911 Jamie Bowring a bone. Moore came to 127’s rescue when he leant 207 Michael Woodward into Bowring though in fairness Perkins was firmly attached to the 128 bootlid at the time. Gazza gave Bricknell a ride around the Armco before firing 96 Adams into the stricken 88 Donny Lane motor. 96 Adams quickly bounced back, leaning 117 Marcus White into Bricknell as 200 Mark Lewendon introduced 456 Grizzly to the wall, 728 Sam Smith doing likewise to Blacktopp. Vicram came through for victory this time, welcome visitor 182 Stuart Treasurer 2^nd with the ever consistant 112 Rusty 3^rd.

Result: 504 Victor Baker, 182 Treasurer, 112 Rusty, 133 Karl Day, 96 Rob Adams, 507 Nathan Bumpass

Heat five (34 cars) - began with 105 Slug’s mk3 running Perkins in and Bert doing likewise to Bricknell, the latter opting for the wall in favour of a fellow racer’s driver’s door but snapping himself off in the process. As ever 360 Bonkers had turned out another super smart motor but he copped a big head on off 622 Ifor’s mk3 as Luton racer 722 Bob Ewins fired up 92 Jason Paris which fast forwarded the latter head on into Spiers. Spiers was quick to recover and neatly removed Podge as Goves got airborne when he impressively jacked Perkins. Mitch had meanwhile commandeered colleague 547 Iain Beatties’ Metro and promptly guided it to victory, Tritton completing a hat trick of 2^nd places with 110 YoYo Man 3^rd.

Result: 547 Mark Mitchell, 575 Tritton, 110 YoYo, 219 Halls, 722 Bobby Ewins, 58 1 Pearce

Heat 6 (31 cars) - the penultimate heat saw Podge and Lewendon early 1^st bend casualties when the wall claimed their scalps, Podge then being jacked hard by Parker and then finished off by Perkins, ripping the axle out of the 32 Fiesta. Smith ran Treasurer in, 410 Muppet doing likewise to Ewins as Ifor went in hard on 50 Screwloose. The latter recovered only to walk into a hefty t-bone from Lane, Mr Banger giving Bonkers a similar stiff t-bone only to be finished off in turn by Smith. The latter then clipped Lane as Bonkers received yet another bone on the run down this time from Cane with Mitch in turn zeroing in on Cane as 581 Mark Pearce claimed a rare win ahead of 71 Mr Tea, YoYo Man 3^rd once more.

Result: 581 Pearce, 71 Gary Yeandle, 110 YoYo, 69 Martyn Cane, 133 Day, 410 Matthew Tyler

Heat 7 (31 cars) - the last heat saw 96 Adams attack 316 Big Ears with 318 Karen Thompson coming to her team mate’s rescue, homing in on 96. 6 Mark Tomes crashed into Thompson before falling prey to a shot from the exciting Gazza, Tomes then putting himself in when attempting revenge. Ifor steamed Natram whilst Beauchamp veered off the racing line to biff Gumm and then fired Vicram in only to end up underneath Tomes’ parked motor. Driver of the day Gazza took a well deserved win ahead of 580 Dippy Dave and Burgess before Dippy fell under a barrage of assault from Rusty, Goves, 576 Simon Hadland and 665 Roy Grant. All five were leniently given a cooling off period meaning they all had to sit the final out but still allowed them to finish their cars off in the DD.

Result: 506 Gary Eltham, 580 Dave Tustian, 18 Malc Burgess, 504 Baker, 705 Simon Rowe, 301 Goves

Final (37 cars) - Moore was a spinner from the off in the final and not surprisingly was collected by the ensuing pack whilst a spun Mr Fudge copped one on the nose off supposed chum 252 Will Bignell in the van. Mitch neatly hooked both 127 Adams and Baker out before running the latter in flat out a lap later. Gazza was entertaining again removing YoYo Man whilst Gibbard blasted Treasurer before the reds emerged to extract Pritchett who had inverted. The restart wasn’t even a lap old when Lane rolled after clipping a tyre and the race was declared at this stage in favour of Mitch with Spiers and Tritton his placemen. Tritton’s consistency ensuring he finished 2^nd in the points ahead of his nearest rival Goves.

Result: 547 Mitch, 19 Dave Spiers, 575 Paul Tritton

Demolition Derby (32 cars) - Mr Fudge ran Bonkers in to kick start the DD before meeting 665 (now driven by Darren Mabbitt) on the nose as the reds came out, Beauchamp being on his roof and praise to Vicram for shielding him. Muppet began the action on the restart when he took a psycho lunge to jack 11 Trigger, Vicram also connecting with 11 whilst Bonkers dished out a biggie to 301 (which now had Bunny behind the wheel). YoYo & Muppet then teamed up to attack Bonkers leaving the latter well snapped and wreck of the day yet still just about mobile whilst Pearce got lift off when he assaulted Bunny, though 127 Adams quickly homed in on 581 before he then connected with Cox. “Suicide” Spiers lived up to his name (private joke) when he gave Lane the big yee ha whilst Tritton jacked Tustian. Bunny then turned it on, burying YoYo Man impressively though the latter was quick to avenge. Burgess lined a subdued 133 Karly Day up but Mitch came to the rescue only to go down at the hands of Tritton. Bunny meanwhile blitzed Pearce before meeting Burgess in a stonking head on with Vicram then sandwiching the latter. Pearce was still mobile but copped a blast from Mitch, the latter then turning round and bury himself in the former as Bunny met Vicram on the nose before these two teamed up to sandwich Mitch. Muppet then fired up Vicram before copping a biggie off Rusty with Bunny taking a suicide run at Muppet which finally killed 301 thus ending Bunny’s breathtaking cameo and leaving Muppet the sole survivor and end another action-packed day at the races.

Result: 410 Muppet