Smeatharpe Stadium - Saturday 1st August 2009
The first day of the Summer Speedweekend saw drivers, fans and racegoers battle against some extreme Holiday traffic to get to Smeatharpe, for what proved to be an action-packed race meeting.
Saloon Stock Cars
Four terrific qualifying heats for the European Championship, yielded a different winner in each race, but the main talking point of the evening was the astonishng acrobatics of Western Champion 328 Ian Govier in heat four. During an untidy start to the race, Govier was launched high up and over an infield marker tyre.
There were also repeated clashes between old adversaries 176 Murray Jones and World Champion 120 Shane Brown.
Heat wins went the way of 97 Dave Allen, 186 Todd Jones, 103 Chris Horwell and 499 David Aldous, with Jones top scoring for the evening to earn pole position in the title race.
BriSCA F2 Stock Cars
Another huge showing of F2s produced some lively, and at times controversial, action.
78 Henry King won a fractious game of cat and mouse with NI976 Adam Maxwell to win the Young Guns Championship, with defending Champion 186 George Turiccki charging through late on to take second place.
The other heats were won by 7 Gordon Moodie and 167 Bill Batten, whilst 20 Dave Tagell took the consolation on his first Smeatharpe visit of the season.
In the meeting final, 783 James Rygor became the first driver to win the feature race at Smeatharpe this year on more than one occasion, to book an instant return to the blue grade.
33 drivers started the end of meeting GN, which was won by 401 Barry Goldin, but which also featured a damaging clash between 315 Justin Fisher and 78 Henry King.
Ministox
The largest car count for Ministox in the westcountry this season, saw 24 youngsters in action.
124 Ollie Skeels managed a heat and final double, whilst 149 Todd Payne won the other heat, as East Anglian visitors dominated proceedings.
991 Ryan Hoskin and 945 Ashley Prisk were the only westcountry drivers to manage a top three place.
Heat 1 |
7 |
676 |
14 |
783 |
647 |
315 |
990 |
511 |
first 8 |
to final |
Heat 2 |
167 |
901 |
832 |
628 |
401 |
438 |
105 |
183 |
first 8 |
to final |
YG |
78 |
186 |
976 |
733 |
126 |
605 |
935 |
944 |
first 8 |
to final |
Cons |
20 |
127 |
464 |
522 |
886 |
642 |
115 |
467 |
first 8 |
to final |
Final |
783 |
642 |
186 |
7 |
167 |
14 |
647 |
832 |
78 |
315 |
Grand National |
401 |
127 |
464 |
538 |
20 |
741 |
886 |
467 |
154 |
900 |
Grade Awards |
W 992 |
Y 783 |
B 186 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Heat 1 |
124 |
991 |
945 |
971 |
995 |
128 |
907 |
955 |
173 |
172 |
Heat 2 |
149 |
172 |
124 |
960 |
991 |
945 |
171 |
961 |
128 |
971 |
Final |
124 |
171 |
172 |
961 |
104 |
128 |
960 |
149 |
945 |
938 |
Heat 1 |
97 |
30 |
490 |
512 |
120 |
219 |
360 |
67 |
607 |
900 |
Heat 2 |
186 |
499 |
219 |
360 |
511 |
240 |
512 |
240 |
512 |
607 |
Heat 3 |
103 |
97 |
490 |
186 |
619 |
511 |
360 |
607 |
641 |
512 |
Heat 4 |
499 |
186 |
490 |
511 |
67 |
30 |
305 |
18 |
658 |
900 |