Standlake 26^th February 2006 3Litre meeting           Report by Michael Coventry

The annual 3Litre domestic bash raised a fantastic entry of 112 cars to Standlake on February 26 with the majority as expected in the 1800cc class although the 35 strong showing for the big cars was most impressive and that is where we will start.

The unlimited entry was a quality one with some terrific tin on display, the Granada entry including a used Coupe for 311 Lee Bradbury, Mk2 limo for 47 Paul Bryant and hearses for 42 Scott Ivins and an ultra smart one for 785 James Taylor. Sticking with the hearse theme and 77 Steve Beasley had his second in as many weeks with an impressive DS420 while 611 Gavin Harris had a smart Carlton. Jap interest was provided by a smart Laurel from 559 Neil Payne and a used Crown for 869 Davey Peskett. Plenty of vintage too with 323 Steve Anderson and 402 Phil Cleverly returning Rover P5s which saw action at the Heavy Metal Classic while 852 Jay Howell did likewise with a P4 and 88 Jason Anderson debuted a fresh one. 273 Stuart Emery had the lone Yank with his Fleetwood limo from the HMC but 584 Mark Harding stole the show with a rated Majestic Major limo.

Heat 1 - 31 cars for the opening heat with 804 Ben Small (Volvo 240 estate) attacking 47 Ginger from the off only to take one in turn from 377 Adam Brett (XJ) as 273 Erny stuck it to 402 Filo allowing 785 Jambo to T-bone the latter which left the hearse prone to a barrage of abuse from 77 Bass, 471 Kier Spiers and 54 Alan Cartwright. Peskett then thundered 323 Tufty into the growing heap as elsewhere 584 Sharky put away the XJ of 71 Ciran Carton. 42 Messer then attacked Spiers before 103 Lee Bugler attacked 54 Winnie and Erny blasted Messer. 2 Jon Bricknell (Volvo 240 estate) buried 617 Jack Overy with the impressive Erny then nailing Peskett before a fine wrecking train formed on the top bend starting with 551 Simon Whant (XJ) decimating 11 Graeme Shilling. Bricknell then blasted the Blooz Boy but revenge was swift thanks to Bugler who had his roof put by Messer whose hearse was completely destroyed by a titanic shot from 311 Helm. Elsewhere Erny again featured with a hit on Ginger as Overy shoved Bass’ Daimler to the wall while 90 Mark Bartlett motored his HMC winning XJ to the flag.

Result: 90 Mark Bartlett, 143 Martin Wilkes, 99 Richie Ahern, 77 Steve Beasley, 617 Jack Overy, 311 Lee Bradbury 

Heat 2 - 26 for the second heat and Helm was again on the case attacking the left hand drive Granada estate of 721 Tony Maconachie as Anderson assaulted Bricknell and Helm continued by burying the much larger Majestic of Sharky. The luckless Maconachie was T-boned by 559 Ug while 551 Moley put Winnie away and Carton clobbered 174 Steve Ledbury (Volvo 740 estate) with a head-on. Moley continued by running in Bass while Erny tasted fence at the hands of 178 Jamie Stepp (Volvo 740 estate) only for Sharky to nail the latter in turn with Helm gamely firing up the back of the Majestic. 33! Simon Reed (XJ) was the latest to fence Bass’ DS420 as Small also piled up the back of Sharky while Erny dished out a wicked T-bone to the luckless Bass, Helm delivering the final action as he stuffed 143 Martin Wilkes. 99 Ritchie Ahern took the win this time.

Result: 99 Richie Ahern, 491 Neil Sparks, 617 Jack Overy, 71 Ciran Carton, 551 Simon Whant, 33 Simon Reed

Heat 3 - The action took its toll for the final heat with just 16 returning, early action seeing Anderson hit the spun Filo on the nose only to feel the force of Small as a result before 851 Mark Howell and Helm combined to fence Tufty which left the latter prone to a T-bone from Maconachie while Howell stuck it to the Motley Krew man. Small went on to fence Peskett and 99 the Cheat did the same to 852 Jay as 617 Jack Overy took an untroubled win from pole.

Result: 617 Jack Overy, 71 Ciran Carton, 99 Richie Ahern, 804 Ben Small, 721 Tony Maconachie, 869 Davey Peskett

Final - Owing to the late running of the day the Final was merged with the death with 14 cars out in total. 781 Shaun O’Donnell (XJ) started the race with an attack on Erny as a home straight pile-up allowed Small to waste Howell and a recovered Erny to bury his Fleetwood into Spiers. Bricknell had been waiting for the demo to start but set off on opposite to meet Small in a meaty head-on allowing Carton to nail the former while Ledbury attacked Maconachie. 90 Bartz meanwhile held off Overy for the win and the DD started with just three willing takers. After a great amount of cat and mouse Carton and Ledbury finally met in a large head-on with Peskett nailing the former to take the win.

Result: 90 Mark Bartlett, 617 Jack Overy, 491 Neil Sparks, 99 Richie Ahern, 174 Stephen Ledbury
Demolition Derby: 869 Davey Peskett

Onto the 1800cc class with the field boosted by a raiding squad of Common Crushers and Stinkbridge from up north for the day. Note worthy machinery on offer included a fresh and used Dolomite for 96 Dave Tancock and 252 Willy Bignell respectively, A60s for Bricknell (used fintail Cambridge), 313 Mick Cotton (16/60), 703 Jeremy (used Fintail Cambridge) and 899 Andy Dodge (Oxford), Cortinas for 168 Neil Wilson and 872 Ben Forbes and a fresh Capri for 34 Gary Challis and 99 Scott Gough returned his 180B from the HMC. No doubting car of the meeting with a stunning Ensign for 17 John Twiggs.

Heat 1 (34 cars) - the opening heat kicked off with a head-on between 88 Tim McDonald and 10 Kalin Dawe (Sapphire) as elsewhere Crusher 97 Glenn Woodward (Primera) put 630 Lee Edwards and 207 Michael Woodward firing into the former in turn while 606 Liam Weedon stuck 711 Darren Weeks away with 207 Compo continued his crusade against the Crushers with a T-bone on the latter. 260 Keith Reynolds then shed a wheel on his very late BMW 316 before 961 Mick Hibbert hit back for the Crushers running in Edwards before 104 Andy Croucher ran in 99 Goffy before 691 Brian Lane (BMW 316) planted 104 Lee Gumm into the wall as the reds came out to attend a shaken Edwards but this didn’t stop 455 Rick Finney running in Croucher and 122 Mark Burley delivering an even later burial on 691 Mr Shifter. A quieter restart saw 313 Mayhem catch the Sunny of 105 Chris Gumm before 378 Aiden Parker hammered 97 Chipboard and Chris Gumm fired back to wall Challis’ Capri. 815 Ian Castle (Carina) took the flag ahead of 716 Jamie Lyden and 575 Paul Tritton.

Result: 815 Ian Castle, 716 Jamie Lyden, 575 Paul Tritton, 40 Greg Ward, 417 Sheldon Gardiner, 105 Chris Gumm

Heat 2 (32 cars) - with 51 Simon Heilds burying 767 Darren Worsley (Corolla) and 110 Derek Tyler from the off allowing 34 Kyle Belcher (Acclaim) to hit the latter as 9 Adam Elias planted 104 Sonny Turner into 48 Danny Woods’ Mk3 Cavalier and 6 Anthony Worlock put away 252 Wild Willy as Welshman 500 Andrew Tucker hammered 94 Andy Heilds and 409 Carl Pears put away Worlock. Simon Heilds then put away the 139 Luke Hunt whose Mk2 Cavalier folded alarmingly bringing out the reds but this didn’t stop 502 Jimi Tucker (Primera) burying 260 Keefy nearby although fortunately Hunt was able to walk away unharmed from his huge wreck. The race resumed with 42 Jason Teakel (Pony) attacking 503 Seymour Tucker only to take a revenge hit from Andrew Tucker who continued to deliver a package on 220 Martin Lawrence as 323 Geoff Roberts (Swift) recorded the win in front of Andrew and Seymour Tucker.

Result: 323 Geoff Roberts, 500 Andrew Tucker, 503 Seymour Tucker, 560 Gary Reynolds, 502 Jimi Tucker, 44 Martin Lee

Heat 3 (32 cars) - The third heat began with the luckless Wild Willy getting fenced by Lee Gumm as 703 Jez nailed 236 Marc Deacon and Seymour Tucker treated 252 Steve Bugler to one on the nose. Dodge then fired into Wilson but was followed into the wall himself shortly after by the smart Primera of 146 Danny Wigman as 409 Carlos tasted the fence at the hands of Keefy and Deacon took more stick, this time from Turner. 147 Chris Detton (Carina II) then met Seymour Tucker on the nose with 414 James Ellerker (Sierra estate) also hitting the latter before the reds came out to tackle a fire for 716 Jamie and to tend to 40 Greg Ward (Sunny ZX) who had taken a pounding on the top bend. The action resumed with Lawrence hitting Cooper before 606 Boomer blasting Jez before the Devil gave a late assist to Challis burying Keefy into the wreck of 40 Squeek. Lawrence rounded off the action with a shot on Boomer while 124 Carl Korzewski took the spoils in front of 409 Carl Pears and 417 Sheldon Gardiner (Astramax van).

Result: 124 Carl Korszewski, 409 Carl Pears, 417 Sheldon Gardiner, 606 Liam Weedon, 220 Martin Lawrence, 105 Chris Gumm

Heat 4 (25 cars) - A smaller grid for the fourth heat which started well as Andrew Tucker ran in Worsley and 41 Andy Wilfe hit Mr Shifter before the reds came out for a shaken Teakel after an unseen incident. The race restarted with Demon Smith Joseph Smith burying 580 Dave Tustian (Mk3 Cavalier) while 961 Kev Lording (Mk2 Cavalier) buried 225 Charlie Barrett’s Volvo 340 and 116 Simon Kerby (Audi 80) did likewise to Mayhem. Jimi Tucker then impressively ran in both 126 Dave Case and 44 Martin Lee in one move but fell foul of Smith as a result which allowed welcome Standlake returnee 560 Gary Reynolds (Volvo 340) to hit the Demon, Castle guided his Carina to its second win with Kerby and 580 Dippy Dave his placemen.

Result: 815 Ian Castle, 116 Simon Kerby, 580 David Tustian, 560 Gary Reynolds, 100 Joseph Smith 

Heat 5 (39 cars) - Around 40 for the final heat with 395 Joe Donworth hitting Lawrence from the off as a pile-up quickly formed on turn four in which Turner ran in Keefy’s Beemer and Jamie went on opposite to meet Boomer on the nose and allowing 76 Sean Evevoldsen (Space Wagon) to hit the latter causing the former pair to enjoy a private DD for most of the race before Wilson fired into 378 Gipsy Boy only to take one in turn from 395 the West Howe Warrior who continued to run in Burley. Goffy hit back for the CC with a T-bone on Gipsy Boy but was done in by Simon Hields with 409 Carlos, 417 Shelly and Kerby all joining the train. Mr Shifter then dished out a shot to Reynolds as Keefy pulled off a revenge burial on Challis who piled into the stricken Wilson. Lording then nailed Dodge’s Farina triggering another wrecking train with 96 Tank and 112 Shaun Russell (Sunny) piling in, the latter blown up by Reynolds who took one from 417 Shelly in turn. The lively West Howe Warrior then ran 17 Twigzy into Dodge as Kerby picked up the win from 112 Rusty and the West Howe Warrior.

Result: 116 Simon Kerby, 112 Shaun Russell, 395 Joe Donworth, 104 Lee Gumm, 961 Kev Lording

Final - The day ended with a final into DD with a fine field of 25 repairing for it although the race was quiet, the pick of the action seeing Carlos run in 106 Paul Gumm (Mk3 Cavalier) before 146 Wiggy did likewise to Twigzy only to take a hit from Hields in turn. 124 Oris took his second win ahead of the consistent Kerby and 575 Tritt. Into the death with 872 Manic taking a load of abuse from Dodge and 104 Lee Gumm with Finney blasting Dodge as did Simon Heilds allowing Carlos to blast the Dodge boy A60 on the nose. Jez then hammered Simon Hields and 120 Luke Burley treated the latter to a T-bone with Carlos then firing into Jez only to take a head-on from Luke Burley and a further shot from Mayhem whose A60 was left exposed to a simply massive shot from Finney while 105 Chris Gumm enjoyed head-ons with Dodge and Simon Heilds although it was the latter who emerged the victor.

Result: 124 Carl Korszewski, 116 Simon Kerby, 575 Paul Tritton, 455 Ricki Finney, 409 Carl Pears, 580 David Tustian
Demolition Derby: 51 Simon Heilds

A storming day’s Banger action, quite possibly the best meeting at the Lake since the Summer Open. The only down side was the periods of time between the Banger action which was spaced out through numerous stoppages, if the track continues attracting such entries maybe thought could be given to dropping one or two support classes for the bigger banger meetings.