The Sheffield track always produces first rate action, and this meeting was no exception. 44 F1s raced, including Rien Rutjens, all the way from Holland, but a bent car was all he had to show for his efforts.
Craig Utley raced off into the lead in the first heat. James Lund got a bit out of shape coming down the home straight, and was spun around by the chasing pack before being hit head on, which brought out the yellows. Utley led them away on the restart, but Mark Clayton and Paul Hines were quickly past. Hines put the bumper in on Clayton, but the yellows were out again as Mal Brown went hard into the fence. The grid closed up, the order being 225, 259, 128, 484, 515. John Wright was soon on the Hines back bumper, though it took him three attempts to get past. Frankie Wainman Junior sent Utley wide, then got past Wright and Hines over the next few laps. Clayton still led as they went past the Last Lap board, but a big hit from Wainman sent him out towards the wires, and he did well to avoid the notorious fence posts.
Simon Brooke lost it on the first bend of heat two, and hit the fence before rejoining. After a stoppage to remove the Simon Gill car from the racing line, Steve Booth put some big hits on Phil Smith and Dutch visitor Rien Rutjens (H15). Rutjens then came under pressure from John Lund, and after being forced off the racing line, the H15 car drifted in the loose shale and collected a fence post or three on the back straight. Bonner was still leading, from Steve Cayzer, and when the race restarted the bumpers went in thick and fast. Bonner fell down the order once Cayzer had moved him aside, with Lund and Castell charging through to finish second and third.
Craig Utley was the first away in the Consolation, but his lead lasted as far as the second bend, when he span himself out. He pulled back onto the track and was hit by the following cars, eventually coming to a stop across the track, which necessitated the yellow flags. One lap into the restart, and Lee Robinson cut across the front of Simon Brooke going down the back straight, which put both of them heavily into the fence, and more waved yellows. Nigel Whalley had now taken up the running, but he retired to the infield before the race was restarted. That put Kev Clare at the front, but Nigel Bowler moved ahead before Simon Gill took over. Mal Brown gave Gill a firm shove, both went wide, but Gill held on and pulled away to take the flag.
Mark Keeling replaced Simon Gill in the Final, as the 290 car had problems. Mark Clayton was the first away, but he was passed by Chris Bonner coming off turn 4 at the start. The 225 car then got tangled up with Carlos Perez (305) and Mark Poole (276), and all three went into the fence. Clayton rejoined in front of Bonner on the first lap, and was then indicated as being the leader. John Lund was making a lot of progress until he was spun by Mick Harris, Neil Shenton then crashed into the 53 car. Wainmans Senior and Junior were getting closer to Clayton. Junior did manage to pass his old man with a few to go, but ran out of laps before he could catch Clayton. It could well have been that my eyes were playing tricks on me, but much as I would have liked to have reported a great drive to a career first final win, I can’t help but think that Clayton was a lap down. Please note that my views are in no way official!
Heavy rain before and during the GN, with first Bonner then Whalley leading the field. Yet another bout of yellow flags when Steve Reedman (361) clattered the back straight fence and was hit by the passing traffic. For the second time that evening, the Nigel Whalley car retired whilst leading, which put Bonner back in front. It was Bonner, Poole, and Hines in the first three places when they restarted, and Hines wasted no time in passing Poole, who then came under attack from Cayzer. Further back, Castell punted Lund wide. Bonner opened up a lead over Hines as the race progressed, though as the lap board came out, a mistake by the 105 driver reduced his advantage. Mal Brown shoved Hines aside for second place in the closing stages, with Peter Falding passing Craig Finnikin for fourth place after some resistance from the number 55 car. Bonner and Brown were clear at the front, but Paul Hines saw his great drive amount to nothing as Falding stuffed him into the wires on the last bend.
With the F2s on as well, this was yet another cracking meeting at Sheffield.