United Downs Raceway - Sunday 11th March 2012

(Report by John Wyatt)

A weekend of celebration - tinged with a little saddness - good weather and superb racing were all on offer to the oval-racing fans of mid-Cornwall. A display of Autospeed's finest - in the shape of the talented 903 Adam Neville's Ministock, 306 Neil Truran's superbly turned out new Toyota Starlet Stock Rod, 676 Neil Hooper's immaculate unraced Motorworld F2 Stock Car and title winning Saloon Stock car of World Champion Eddie Darby - greeted the unsuspecting but certainly impressed bargain hunters at Cornish Market World, on the site of the original 'Cornish Stadium' at Par on Saturday. With the tribute/memorial evening for the late and greatly missed legendary Autospeed commentator Bill Dalley at the St Austell brewery visitor centre in the evening - which saw a wonderful turnout of both current and ex drivers from the West Country eat, drink and generally be merry, and watch some epic old footage of racing on the Autospeed tracks in the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s. And if that wasn't enough - and after copious amounts of alcohol were consumed by some it almost was - we had the BriSCA F2s, National Saloon Stock Cars and Autospeed Bangers in the season opener proper at the United Downs Raceway on the Sunday.

BriSCA F2 Stock Cars

After the traditional Grand Parade of cars, including Eddie Darby on a vintage 'Chopper' push-bike (!) and the presentation of the 2011 United Downs Track Championship Trophy to worthy winner 315 Justin Fisher, the raceway fell silent to honour one of the great characters of the 1970s 568 Terry Siddall, who sadly passed away on Saturday morning. In a fitting tribute, both Autospeed officials and competing F2 drivers lined up shoulder-to-shoulder on the start/finish straight for a minutes' silence - followed by spontaneous applause.
Excellent early spring weather meant track conditions were almost perfect for the 17 cars that lined up for the first of the two-from-three heats format races.
Problems in pre-meeting practise claimed the sculp of fancied local man 797 Dan Moss but there was still a good showing of local Cornish talent on the grid and it was indeed St Austell based 31 Simon Bassett that took up the early running in this one, getting in his stride once more after being sidelined with a nasty back injury mid-way through last year that saw him miss a big chunk of the F2 season. Far from having things all his own way though, fellow St Austell yellow grader 835 Matt Westaway was a constant and ever larger vision in the 31 car's rear-view mirror and as the race reached half distance was definitely within striking distance. 395 Jason Phillips was certainly a contender too and also going well from the blue grade were 990 Paul Rice in the un-winged car and Dursley's 189 Paul Butcher in his smart new Higman-built machine. Lap 9 and 835 Westaway did manage to find a way past the likeable 31 driver but without incident and then began to put a little distance between himself and his persuers, just as 430 Simon Edwards spun on turn 3. First 990 Rice and then 189 Butcher passed the 395 Phillips car as the Lostwithiel driver got to grips with his, up until now, little used car and the United Downs track and at the flag it was a good win for 835 Westaway, with 31 Bassett an excellent 2nd and the always quick 990 Rice home in 3rd. ONE - nil to St Austell then.

17 starters for heat 2 which saw 785 Liam Deeble on the outside of the front row with the Ford 'Duratec' powered 550 Andy Sobey on his inside, the popular Launceston driver looking to add another heat win to the superb one he had at Smeatharpe eight days ago. Also it was good to see the legend that is 167 Bill Batten a starter in this one in his superb new machine. 785 Deeble it was who took the early lead from Sobey, with 31 Bassett once again making an excellent start and holding 3rd. Next lap 550 moves up into the lead with 302 Dale Moon up into 4th, the top four pulling away a little bit at the front. Further back 676 Neil Hooper in his immaculate new car is finding the Motorworld machine very much to his liking and is storming through the field, already in amongst the blues as white grader Deeble moves down to 4th and both 31 Bassett and 302 Moon pass him up to 2nd and 3rd. 685 Adam Deeble is also on a charge and soon in front of family member Liam into 4th and bearing down on young Mooner in 302. 550 Sobey at the front is coming under increasing pressure from the flying 31 Bassett as 676 Hooper passes the simlar Motorworld car of 290 Jay Tompkins and then swoops in on the now place-dropping 785 Deeble who he soon relagates to 6th - and into the clutches of both 290 Tomkins and the beautiful RCE machine of 522 Chris Mikulla. Meanwhile 31 Bassett finds his way past Sobey at the front who then comes under pressure from 302 Moon who indeed finds an open door down the inside and takes up 2nd, swiftly followed by Deeble in 685. 550 Sobey then encounters a problem and with 4 laps to go 31 Bassett leads from Moon, Deeble and 676 Hooper, a lap later and 685 powers past the 302 car and up into 2nd leaving the young lad from Penwithick to fight off a late challenge from the more experienced 676, a fight he eventually loses but still sees him finish a very creditable 4th. At the chequered it is a thoroughly deserved victory for the young St Austell based driver of the 31 car, Simon Bassett, that must have put a huge smile on father Nigel's face, followed by an equally deserving 2nd place for 685 Adam Deeble (a very underestimated driver in my book) from 676 Neil Hooper home in 3rd and 522 Chris Mikulla 5th. So, TWO - nil to St Austell it is.

19 starters for heat 3 and by lap 2 it was the girls favourite 302 Dale Moon that had moved up into the leading position after clearing the white graded newcomer 950 Lewis Holden, from the flying jockey himself 430 Simon Edwards chasing hard in 2nd, and coming under increasing pressure from 835 Matt Westaway and 395 Jason Phillips and 830 Andrew Bennett. Further back and 676 Hooper and 522 Mikulla were again making excellent progress from the red grade and were already well into the blues, only question was if 302 Moon was going to be able to find a way through the back markers that he was now catching at speed without encountering any problems. At half distance it was still 302 from 430 Edwards with 835 Westaway now snapping at his tail, next lap and 835 does indeed find a way past 430 Edwards as 126 Jamie Avery and 395 Philips now battle for 4th with 676 Neil Hooper also now catching the front runners and certainly in contention. With 4 to go it is still 302 Moon that leads but with Hooper now up to 6th behind the Avery/Phillips battle, it is a question of how much distance he can put between himself and the flying man from Exmouth. Meanwhile, 935 Nathan Maidment is having all kinds of problems culminating in a big spin down the main straight which luckily ends with him finishing up on the infield out of harms way. Another driver having problems now was 395 Phillips spinning out on turn 4 on the very last lap after a good 3rd/4th/5th place tussle with 430 Edwards and 126 Avery. 676 Hooper then moves up into 4th behind 430 Edwards but that was as near the front as he was going to get in this one as the chequered flag came down on the talented youngster 302 Moon, the St Austell based lad claiming his second win in eight days, just ahead of previous heat winner 835 Westaway and a man that we really do not see enough of 430 Simon Edwards in 3rd. The revolutionary new 302 'cab-tec' wing working wonders once more then - and now THREE - nil to St Austell, and that's a hat-trick in my book, as we head to the final.

The afternoon's feature race, sponsored by A.M.P.S Electrical Services of St Austell, was for the absolutely superb 'Voice of Autospeed' trophy, dedicated to Bill Dalley, and after the field lined up it was fitting for the late Trevor Redmond's son Guy to say a few words about his and his family's close friendship with the legendary and much missed Autospeed commentator. With the present day commentator then missing out on the opportunity of saying the magic words 'gentlemen, start your engines' (a mistake that Bill D would never have made) it was time for the big one. On the inside of the front row was 785 Liam Deeble with 550 Andy Sobey on his outside ahead of a 24 car field. At the green it was 785 Deeble that made the early running from 550 Sobey, 395 Phillips and 31 Bassett. Lap 3 and 550 Sobey retires with a problem just as 676 Neil Hooper, 105 Ross Rowe and 315 Justin Fisher have a big coming together at the end of the start/finish straight which ends in the three cars going heavily into the infield tractor tyres in a spectacular cloud of spray. Meanwhile 395 Phillips is on a real flyer, really getting the hang of both his new car and the United Downs track and is up into the lead, with 430 Simon Edwards again going well in 2nd but as Hooper rejoins leaving the two remaining stricken cars of 105 Rowe and 315 Fisher in a dangerous position the waved yellow flags are shown in the interests of safety, bringing about a re-start. With seven laps completed it is 395 Phillips that leads the field away from 430 Edwards, 31 Simon Bassett and 302 Moon, and after an initial false start for over-enthusiasm in the ranks it was 395 that took up where he had earlier left off only for the race to be stopped once more, this time for one of the huge infield tractor tyres that had somehow found its way onto the entry of turn 1 after being clouted hard by 990 Paul Rice. At this stage you just had to feel sympathy for young Jason Phillips, after two excellent re-starts, the poor guy had to do it all over again. As the cars lined up once more, missing was 430 Simon Edwards who had some kind of a problem, so the order was 395 Phillips, 31 Bassett and 302 Moon. With the entry to turn 1 very wet now from the water left from the tyre incident - it had been full of the stuff - the white and blue caution flag was shown to the drivers, but it was always going to be a question of how many would take heed or even actually knew WHAT it meant..... And as the green flag waved the question was answered as first 302 Moon, 835 Westaway and 954 Beere skated across the turn 1 bend and into the fence at turn 2, with the result that, you guessed it, we had yet more waved yellows and yet another re-start. So, lining up once again were 395 Phillips from 31 Bassett who now had 126 Jamie Avery on his bumper but as the green flag dropped again it seemed that the leaders had learned nothing from the earlier incident as all three went straight into the turns 1 and 2 fence which somehow meant that the beautiful RCE machine of 522 Chris Mikulla had found its way to the front of the pack with the low-line car of 990 Rice now up into 2nd - quite bizarre really as it had been 990 that had pushed the tyre onto the track in the first place causing the wetness that had caught so many out, or was it a sly tactic from the Ideford man.......?! Anyway, at half distance it was still 522 but 676 Neil Hooper had moved into 2nd from 990 Rice, the recovered 31 Bassett and 540 Jason Walters, and as the lap boards came out 522 Mikulla increased his advantage over Hooper and at the chequered it was indeed the Congresbury man in his stunning new car that took the win and the wonderful 'Voice of Autospeed' trophy from the almost as stunning new Motorworld car of 676 Hooper and the tactician (!) himself 990 Paul Rice. Big pats on the back too for both 31 Bassett and 540 Walters and also 685 Adam Deeble who had all driven an excellent race - and of course 395 Jason Phillips, whose nerves must have been shot to pieces after all the re-starts.

The Grand National saw handicapped final winner 522 Milkulla in front of white graders 785 Liam Deeble and 950 Lewis Holden and at the green it was 785 Deeble who got away quickest, no doubt paced by handicap man Mikulla, further back and 676 Hooper was already amongst the blues as 430 Simon Edwards took up 2nd shadowed by 31 Simon Bassett and a flying 685 Adam Deeble. 5 laps in and Hooper was already up into 6th, and up to 5th a lap later with the impressive 785 Deeble still holding the lead from 430 Edwards. Track points Champion 315 Justin Fisher then has a problem at the end of the main straight which brings out the yellow flags once more just as it seemed we had a real race on our hands at the front as 676 Hooper had taken over 2nd from 430 Edwards. As they lined up for the re-start you just had to feel sorry for white grader 785 Liam Deeble who had driven an excellent race up until the stoppage but who now had 676 Hooper right on his rear bumper, 430 Simon Edwards lining up 3rd. At the green 785 Deeble made an excellent start but as expected, wisely took a wide line through turns 3 and 4 allowing the more experienced and quicker men through, with 676 Hooper looking comfortable at the front it was now 685 Adam keeping up the good Deeble name in 2nd as 522 handicap man Mikulla made big strides toward the front, already up into 5th. With 2 laps to go it was still 676 from 685, with 990 Paul Rice in the low-line car 3rd and 522 Mikulla now into 4th, as the cars came around to begin the final lap 685 Deeble was right on the tail of the Exmouth man but Hooper managed to hang on for the win, from Deeble, 990 Rice, handicap man 522 Mikulla and 835 Matt Westaway - with 430 Edwards a creditable 6th. The winner joined on his lap of honour by well deserved best-in-grade winners 990 Rice (blues) 31 Bassett (yellows) and the excellent 785 Deeble (whites) for their applause. An excellent start to the 2012 St Day season then from the F2s - particularly for the Cornish boys - just a shame about the many stoppages.

Saloon Stock Cars

An encouraging number of 13 Saloons gathered in the pit area, the numbers swelled by visitors 56 Georgie Boult, 65 Ian Willis, 2 Paul Tuppen, the charismatic Essex boy fresh from a heat win at Smeatharpe the previous weekend, and long distance regular 618 Stuart Shevill Jnr. The super-keen Scotsman arriving with almost the whole of the near-side of his race car missing after a heavy heat 1 incident racing at Cowdenbeath the previous evening - though he did still win the feature final at the Scottish track's season opener ! A class local entry included current track champion 30 Barry Hollett, 120 Shane Brown, World Champion Eddie Darby and the pretty BMW 3-Series of 382 Danny Hunt. 

Heat 1 produced all the available cars and with no white grade drivers in attendance the front row was made up of 916 Ross Thomas on the inside and 2 Paul Tuppen on the outside. After hasty repairs the 618 car did make it under starters orders, as did the obviously mis-firing machine of entertainer 100 Ian Govier. When the green flag dropped it was 916 Thomas that took it up from 2 Tuppen but this was short lived as 995 Ben Goddard pushed the Essex boy wide and took up 2nd with 49 Rob Bevan, in his first ever race at United Downs, holding 4th. At the back, both 1 Darby and 618 Shevill were making good progress, as was 65 Willis from the blues while back at the front 995 Goddard was giving 916 Thomas plenty to think about administering a big hurry-up coming out of turn 4 which the Paignton man just manages to survive and then it is 995 Goddard's turn to feel a little bumper, courtesy of 2 Tuppen. Lap 3 and 916 Thomas continues to hold the lead until he over-cooks it coming out of turn 4, gets sideways across the track, collecting the number 2 car in the process which allows 65 Willis through into the lead from 995 Goddard, 916 rejoining right at the back of the field. 30 Barry Hollett seemed to be the target for everyone as 120 Shane Brown, 199 Phil Powell and 382 Hunt in the BMW all had a dig, so much for being track champion ! At half-distance leader Willis was looking comfortable at the front, pulling away from Goddard who now had 199 Phil Powell for company but behind him 1 Darby was certainly looking menacing. With 3 laps to go Darby was up to 3rd at the expense of Powell and closing fast on Goddard, a lap later and the gold roofed car was in 2nd but with only the last lap to go there was no time to catch the leader and the 65 car of Willis crossed the line to take a deserved win. The Slough driver the first St Day Saloon Stock winner of the 2012 season, with 1 Eddie Darby 2nd, 995 Ben Goddard an excellent 3rd and 199 Phil Powell holding off National Points Champion 618 Shevill for 4th.

Heat 2 sees 2 Paul Tuppen lining up on the inside of the front row next to Bristol driver 49 Rob Bevan ahead of another 13 car line-up - with 100 Govier electing to start at the back of the field in his still mis-firing car. It was action at the start in this one with 2 Tuppen getting his nose in front briefly whilst coming under attack from 995 Goddard, 916 Thomas had a brush with the wall too but somehow kept it all together to take up the lead as 56 Georgie Boult tangled with, I think, 199 Phil Powell, 120 Shane Brown also had big problems on turns 1 and 2 ending up at the start of the main straight with a each of his front wheels facing in different directions and leaving the 120 car stranded, thus leaving no option for the steward but to put out the yellow flags in the interest of safety - and this was only lap 2. With 14 laps still to run, Ross Thomas in the 916 car led away the remaining 11 cars at the re-start from 995 Goddard and 2 Tuppen, 100 Govier a retirement with mechanical problems as was 120 Brown, he being the cause of the stoppage. As the flag drops, 995 Goddard gives 916 Thomas a helping hand through turn 3, pushing him wide allowing himself and both 2 Tuppen and 65 'Pasty' through putting the 916 man down to 4th. Next lap and Tuppen gives Goddard some bumper and then feels the force of 1 Eddie Darby, who has passed 65 Willis and is looking in fighting mood. In a cracking move the World Champion pushes his way through both 2 Tuppen and 995 Goddard to hit the front, with 618 Stuart Shevill now also looking to get in on the action. As the cars come around turns 3 and 4 Boult in the 56 car picks up and gives 65 Willis something big to think about, the Slough man going into the corner at probably twice the the speed he wanted, sending both cars across the track as they exit the bend, but is then collected himself by 618 Shevill who dumps the ex Mini Stock man hard into the fence at the end of the start/finish straight - whereupon the 56 car ignites, with flames licking from near the rear axle and soon spreading to the engine compartment. Thankfully the fire is quickly extinguished, at the second attempt, by the alert track staff and young Georgie is none the worse for wear. I am tempted to say it is a real 'baptism of fire' for the young gun in his new formula - but I won't ! At the 2nd re-start, with 9 laps still to run, it is now 1 Eddie Darby that leads away the depleted field from the BMW of 382 Danny Hunt, just in front of 618 Shevill. At the green, 382 Hunt makes the better start and slips past Darby but the World Champion isn't settling for that and introduces his front bumper to the rear one of Hunt as they come through turns 3 and 4, hard, but somehow the Milber Salvage man hangs on and then 618 Shevill dives down the inside of Darby to add to his woes and take up 2nd. 2 Tuppen then has a go at the World Champion and briefly moves up into 3rd but then tangles with 30 Barry Hollett and the pair of them clatter into the turns 3 and 4 fence. 5 laps to go and it is still 382 the leader, from 618 Shevill and the recovering Darby who has now got 65 Willis sniffing his rear end. Next lap and 618 is obviously fed up with following the German car and the flying Scotsman spins it out of the way as they exit turn 4 to take it up. 382 Hunt rejoins in 4th but the damage is done and at the flag it is a hard won victory for the man from up there in Motherwell, from 1 Eddie 'Demolition' Darby and 65 Ian Willis - who I am surprised has any fillings left in his mouth after the hit he took from young Georgie Boult in that one! There were only eight finishers.

Surprisingly, after the earlier heavy exchange, 12 cars lined up for the 'Cars of Distinction Limo Hire' final, including the hastily repaired/rewired 56 Georgie Boult machine, all credit then to the team for their superb effort, a real credit. At the green it was front row starter 2 Paul Tuppen that got away first but he drifted wide through turns 1 and 2 which allowed 995 Goddard through to take the lead and 916 Thomas into 2nd. At the back of the grid 618 Shevill and 382 Hunt were exchanging paint as 916 Thomas began pushing around the leader 995, with 2 Tuppen still hanging on in 3rd, as 49 Rob Bevan retired to the infield. Next lap and 65 Willis moves into 4th and 100 Govier clobbers the wall on turn 2, with 916 Thomas then getting a portion from Essex boy Tuppen in 3rd, which slows them both, and 995 Goddard hits the infield tyres. Somehow we have lost the top three and it is 65 Willis who inherits the lead followed by Taunton's 199 Phil Powell and 120 Shane Brown - as 1 Eddie Darby takes over 4th and 618 Shevill begins to move through the field and is soon up into 5th. As 65 Willis increases his lead, 199 Powell is getting a little attention from 120 Brown and the Bridgwater pushes the 199 car wide into turn 2 and moves up into 2nd, a lap later and Darby has moved past the Powell machine also into 3rd and at half-distance the order is 65 Willis, 120 Brown, 1 Darby from 199 Powell and Scotsman Shevill. As the lap boards come out it is clear that Darby is not prepared to settle for 3rd and looks to dive down the inside of Brown, which he does to take 2nd, with 199 Powell also having a look at putting one down the inside of the 120 car but thinks better of it while 65 Willis remains secure at the front. Next lap and 618 Shevill passes the hesitating Powell for 4th and 1 and 120 continue to argue over 2nd and 3rd as 65 Willis pulls out a half-a-dozen car lengths lead at the front. Two laps to go and 618 Shevill gives back marker 2 Tuppen a big hit as they come around turns 1 and 2 which dislodges the Essex man's bootlid sending it high in the air, but no one hits it, thankfully, and we are into the final lap. As the leading trio come down the main straight for the last time it is looking like Darby is lining up 'Pasty' for a portion into the final bend but the move doesn't come off and 65 Willis hangs on for the win but 120 Brown dives through on the inside of the hapless Darby to pick up 2nd, with 618 Shevill across the line in 4th behind the recovering World Champion. So, another excellent race from the saloons and a heat/final double for travelling man 65 Ian Willis, top marks to him as it was well deserved, particularly after his earlier brush with young Boulty. A distinct lack of interest caused the 'Dash for Cash' race to be dropped from the programme so that concluded the afternoon for the saloons. The 2012 season though looks good for the mighty saloons, with the World Final at Smeatharpe in August and the English Championship at St Day in May - bring it on !!         

Autospeed Bangers

Another excellent turnout from the always entertaining Autospeed Bangers saw 27 cars out for heat 1, which had 578 Tom Rowe starting on the inside of row 1 and 817 on the outside. 578 Rowe was the first casualty, spinning across the start/finish line as the green flag dropped courtesy of 289 Jamie Cocks who took up the lead as fancied runner 246 Ryan Sparks gets spun out on turn 3 but rejoins. 383 Andre McLellan has a bit of a moment on turn 4 in his Ford Focus and then gets a big portion from 31 Adam McAleer, which leaves the stricken silver Ford parked across the track and the need for the yellow flags. 289 Cocks was the clear leader at the stoppage and it was he that led away the re-start with still nine laps left to run. 83 Ben Styles gets spun by 246 Sparks as the race resumes as 289 takes it up once more, 194 Alistair Buchan takes to the infield on the start/finish straight at speed and clouts an infield tyre in spectacular style, the veterans BMW sounding extremely sick after the experience ! Meanwhile the flying Mazda 323 Coupe of leader Cocks is building up a huge lead and steering clear of trouble goes on to take a good win to add to the one he had here in the same car back in February. 158 Sean McCarthy finished a good 2nd just in front of the rapid 246 Sparks who had done very well to recover from his earlier spin.

Heat 2 sees another 27 cars on the raceway, including the unusual mk2 VW Golf of 947 Purdy, with 994 Kirstin Stone's battered Escort on the inside of row 1 and 331 Duncan Kennard's simlar machine on the outside. At the green, after the usual pushing and shoving, it is 331 that takes it up after removing the BMW estate of 20 Nick Manning as a big pile up forms at the end of the main straight. 331 Kennard continues to lead as the race progresses, from 321 Mark Johns now up into 2nd, as the leaders begin to carve their way through the back-markers 321 Johns' sees his chance and with a better line through the bends slips through on the inside to take the lead, spinning the unfortunate 994 Stone aside for good measure as he hits the front with 20 Manning moving into 3rd after briefly exchanging places with 331 Kennard in 2nd. At the flag it is the Holsworthy man in the 321 car that takes it from the lively Kennard, with the handful RWD estate of 20 Manning 3rd and 555 Greg Radmore a creditable 4th.

The Banger consolation raises 26 starters, with the smart Rover/Honda of 199 Michael Guns lining up on the outside of the front row with 578 Tom Rowe on the inside, good to see 383 McLellan back out in the now rather battered Focus after his earlier pounding. 199 it was who took an early lead, which he increased to nearly the length of the start/finish straight by only the 3rd lap in front of a chasing 44 Miles Tiddy, but it didn't last as the the motor went sick on lap 4 and retired to the infield leaving Tiddy out in front persued by 578 Tom Rowe. With carnage all around the raceway, a lot of it involving the unfortunate 994 car for one reason or another, the leader looked catchable but just as 578 thought about the pass he got spun. 415 Sean Gillett and 938 Ashley rice were both making good progress through the field and with 3 laps left Gillett, in an indecently quick car, took over at the front as 44 Tiddy pulled off with a problem. At the chequered flag it was a well driven victory for local Stithians man Gillett in the rapid Civic, with 938 Rice justly rewarded with an excellent 2nd and 113 Chris Jeanes a useful 3rd, all booking their place in the afternoon's final.

The 'Steve Lovelock Building Contractor' final fielded 29 cars and had the BMW 20 Manning on the inside of the front row and 331 Kennard on the outside. 20 was the initial leader until he got spun by 289 Cocks in the Mazda 323 who then clobbered 331 Kennard who mounted the wall on the exit of turn 2, ending up on his roof and bringing out the yellow flags. The re-start saw 289 Cocks lead the field away from 816 Martin Gill but 100 moved up into 2nd on the next lap, further back 246 Sparks was again on a charge. Through all the usual spinning and crashing, the little 289 Mazda continued to lead, pulling away from 100 and 816 in 3rd, these three comfortably clear of the rest of the field and already tearing through the back markers. With almost a full straight lead, the 289 car then gets spun on turn 1 and by the time he gets going again most of the field have passed, with the leader now 100 with 3 laps to go. 816 then gets passed by 475 Ben Sealy who moves up into 2nd behind 100 with 415 and 158 McCarthy following closely, 415 Sean Gillett then tangles with 100 and 246 Sparks, out of nowhere, moves up into 2nd behind new leader Sealy and at the flag it is 475 that takes it from the late charging 246 Ryan Sparks and 158 Sean McCarthy, with 816 Martin Gill hanging on for a deseved 4th. A fast and furious race.

The Allcomers was the last race of the day and produced 34 cars and was the usual tear-up with action all around the raceway including a massive pile-up at the end of the main straight that accounted for almost half the field at one stage. Going very well from the back once more and avoiding the carnage was 246 Sparks, with the 289 Mazda of Cocks going equally well towards the front, 28 Steve Linly who had been having a real 'off-day' by his usual standards was also a contender in this one, taking the lead and managing to keep out of trouble. 246 Sparks though was closing fast and as the lap boards came and went it was always going to be a close finish, and sure enough it was with 28 Linly leading into the final lap the 246 Honda got the tighter line through turns 3 and 4 and just got his nose in front to take the win by the narrowest of margins - and how often has the young man from Torquay done that ? 28 Linly must have been pleased with 2nd after a rather dismal day and 289 Jamie Cocks managed a 3rd to add to his earlier win in heat 1. Excellent entertainment once again from the rated Autospeed Bangers - can't wait to see them at Arena Essex in three weeks time.