The Cornish short oval season got underway with a fairly low key fixture on a dry afternoon at the United Downs Raceway, St Day.
Stock Rods
A disappointing number of Stock Rods assembled for their Winter Supreme Challenge event. A double race winner the week before at Smeatharpe, 81 Rob Johns won twice more, as he swiftly sped to victory in both the qualifying heats. Johns was a long way clear in the first heat, in which 206 Max Truran overcame 25 Luke Plain to secure second place. In heat two, Johns again won by a commanding margin. Truran and Plain again disputed second, until 3 Matt Peters charged around the outside of the pair of them. 909 Justin Washer then nudged Plain wide, for which he was black crossed, and subsequently docked two places. Johns and Truran shared the front row for the title race, with Johns enjoying a far better start. Heading into turn three on the opening lap, there was an untidy tangle, which saw Truran, 9 Chris Drake, 54 John Tait and 14 Ross Montgomery delayed. Johns held the lead from Peters, who then retired with a puncture. That saw Washer elevated into second place. He pursued Johns, and the pressure told, as Johns overran turn four, and Washer grabbed the inside line. Although Washer edged clear and scored an emphatic win, the race had a lively conclusion when Truran crashed out after a clash with Plain, and 437 Lewis Trickey waved assorted arm signals at Johns in his frustration at not being able to pass, until the very last corner, when he stole the inside line for the drag to the line.
Ministox
The opening heat for the youngsters saw 914 Callum Faulconbridge spun up the inner banking. 900 Lily Tomkins sped past 136 Emmaleigh Polley to hit the front early on. 514 Abbie McGuinness continued to chase but Tomkins was out of range on the final bend. 244 Edward Selby completed the top three. Heat two followed a similar pattern, as Tomkins relieved Polley of the lead early on, with 577 Harry Darby a spinner in turn four. Tomkins sealed her second victory, with McGuinness the runner-up once again. Faulconbridge and Tomkins clashed at the start of the final, which hindered the former, and left Polley clear in the lead for much of the race. McGuinness moved past Tomkins to head into second place, and then closed on to Polley with just four laps of the race remaining. McGuinness took over the lead, Tomkins grabbed second and 985 Sam Carter completed the top three.
Back 2 Basics Bangers (under)
Amongst the entry were a few new drivers and two of them – 717 James Green and 339 Anthony Gallagher, were early spinners in heat one. 912 Simon Rees took an early lead, but was hunted down in the closing stages by 785 Nick Craddock. Rees nudged aside 15 to give himself a clear run on the final lap and completed victory ahead of Craddock and 944 Callum Hosie. In heat two, 491 Charlie Fulbrook led and led, whilst Gallagher’s car continued to smoke all around the raceway. 17 Tim King spun Craddock out of second place, which was to prove a decisive move as he chased after race leader Fulbrook. Late on, Fulbrook became entangled with backmarker 182 Neil Rippon, and King was able to capitalise. The Final began with Green retiring on the rolling lap, whilst Gallagher ran aground on the back straight. Craddock took an early lead, and he proceeded to win comfortably, from Hosie and 333 Craig Partridge. To end the afternoon, the Bangers raced anti-clockwise in their Allcomers, and Partridge took the honours.
Heat 1 |
81 |
206 |
909 |
3 |
25 |
14 |
437 |
9 |
776 |
54 |
Heat 2 |
81 |
3 |
206 |
25 |
909 |
437 |
14 |
9 |
776 |
54 |
Winter Supreme |
909 |
437 |
81 |
25 |
776 |
14 |
9 |
nof |
|
|
Heat 1 |
900 |
514 |
244 |
927 |
569 |
985 |
980 |
210 |
654 |
577 |
Heat 2 |
900 |
514 |
927 |
569 |
136 |
985 |
244 |
980 |
654 |
914 |
Final |
514 |
900 |
985 |
569 |
577 |
136 |
619 |
244 |
946 |
210 |
Heat 1 |
912 |
785 |
944 |
17 |
333 |
394 |
15 |
455 |
306 |
nof |
Heat 2 |
17 |
333 |
944 |
785 |
912 |
182 |
145 |
455 |
306 |
nof |
Final |
785 |
944 |
333 |
912 |
17 |
394 |
145 |
182 |
15 |
455 |
Wrong Way Race |
333 |
145 |
182 |
491 |
17 |
nof |
|
|
|
|