World Semi-Final
Over fifty BriSCA F1 stock cars made their way to Buxton for the second semi final meeting of 2010 including the newly signwritten tarmac car of Tom Harris in a simple yet impressive gun metal grey, resplendent with orange signs and Marc Radforth in the ex-Lenny Smith car. This has been completely rebuilt with only the chassis rails now being original. All measurements for the new engine mountings, side rails etc were taken from the now defunct Danny Clarke (ex-203) car that Marc started his F1 career with, in 2008.
Also present for his first time out was newcomer Rob Braithwaite (253), nephew of George (92) who used to race in the 80s and 90s. Rob has himself not raced any other form of motorsport and went in at the deep end, having not had any lap time except for his mandatory five laps. Russell Cooper also made the journey as fourth reserve for the semi-final and as none of the other reserves before him attended; if anyone had mechanical problems he would be in the race.
Heat one saw twenty-six cars take to the track for what proved to be a very lively affair and included the first race appearance in an F1 for f2 Gold top Mickey Brennan (68) in the Tony Smith tarmac car that Smith himself debuted last year. The reds created much excitement amongst themselves as they all vied for position, exchanging places and big bumper hits. Stu Smith jnr was testing Hoosiers and was away like a rocket at the start fighting his way forwards only to eventually be regulated to the infield with what must have been mechanical gremlins as his car was jacked up at the back in the pits afterwards.
Craig Utley (484) was sharp away at the start and within a few laps was leading the field and looked to be getting some distance between himself and the others. By the halfway point, Utley was still leader and now being closed down by a quick Chris Cowley (37). Frankie Wainman jnr (515) had put in a storming, effortful drive to work his way through the field into third, and continued pushing, trying to close down the two in front. Mickey Brennan was going very well on his first attempt, not being afraid to get stuck in. As was Ed Neachell (321), who was out in his Trust Fund race winning shale car, perhaps anticipating bad weather at Buxton.
As the laps rolled down, yellow grader Mike Kingston jnr (488) clipped the back straight armco, momentarily lost control, cut straight across the track and launched himself up over the marker tyres, coming to a halt on the infield. Meanwhile, upfront, Wainman successfully reeled in Cowley and despatched him, before focussing his attention on leader Utley and bumpering him wide on one and two as they went into the last lap. Utley attempted to return the favour on the last bend but Wainman held him off and Utley went sideways burning rubber sending himself from second to out of the places.
The second Semi-Final was next with all Semi-Finalists being present except for Jim Bamford (302) who has retired, making Mick Rogers (244) the replacement in his usual shale car. Garry Fox (48) was in the ex-Spencer Taylor machine with Spencer and Mark Taylor both visible in the pits, lending a hand. Joe Booth (446) was back out in the Utley car, hoping for better luck than when he had the car out at the European weekend.
At the green Andy Smith (1) edged into the lead going into turn one with Tom Harris (84) just slightly behind on the outside with all cars making a big push into turn one. As they roared round turn one, Hines, himself pushed on heavily from behind, laid into Smith but Smith, no doubt expecting it, maintained the lead.
Further back in the pack, shale driver Chris Brocksopp (338) got it a bit sideways and Lee Dimmick (459) on trying to nick through on the inside, tangled with Brocksopp and the two became enmeshed together ending on the infield grass of turn two. As the yellows came out, James Lund (153) managed to get himself moving from the armco, leaving Carl Pickering (141) behind in the fence after a blue grade tangle. Joe Booth’s (446) third meeting lack of success with the Utley car continued as he ended his race parked up against the pit gate.
Restart order: 1 – 107 – 84 – 464 – 21 – 53 – 259 – 462 – 11 – 385 – 217 – 8 – 172 – 288 – 429 – 244 – 35 – 48 – 459
There was a small bit of a break in the proceedings as Mark Gilbank (21) was vehemently stating the case to Simon Bennion Clerk of the course that he had been in front of John Lund when the yellows came out. While the wrangling went on to some heckling from the back straight, Carl Pickering (141) pulled off to the infield and Scott Davids (462) was pushed to the infield by Steve Thompson jnr (385).
At the restart Smith looked like he was going to break well free of the pack and put some good space between him and the following cars. Tom Harris quickly regained his second place from Robinson and Gilbank tussled with Lund, Gilbank getting the upper hand.
Lee Fairhurst fancying his chances in a tarmac semi used Neil Scriven (11) as a big blue cue ball to send Lund out to the armco. Mickey Randell (172) was trying to get by Neil Scriven but Scriven held him off and the pair on going wide, let others race by. Simon Panton (288) and Mark Woodhull (335) came together with Woodhull being stranded in the armco just in front of Mick Rogers.
Restart order: 1 – 84 – 107 – 464 – 21 – 259 – 217 – 8 – 53 – 11 – 172 – 385 – 459 – 429 – 48 – 35
Andy Smith again headed off into the distance but it was not long before the Yellows came out again. Lee Dimmick who had had the misfortune to be part of the tangle of Thompson jnr, Gareth Wildman (429) and Garry Fox (48) fighting for position came to grief. Dimmick got the rough end of the deal, coming to a precarious halt on the back straight with his front bumper hanging off just as it looked like Harris was going to make a move.
Restart order: 1 – 84 – 107 – 464 – 21 – 259 – 217 – 53 – 11 ……
As they once again took the green, chaos once again reigned as Tom Harris, who all race had looked like he was lining up Smith for a big punt, had the misfortune for his gear stick to come off in his hands. Tom on having to slow, dropped back down the order as the others tore past going into one, with Luke Davidson (464) clattering into Lee Robinson and riding up his front end as he spun pinning Harris against the armco.
Meanwhile, down the other end, John Lund saw the opportunity to better his position and returned the earlier favour to Lee Fairhurst, sending him clattering into Mark Gilbank who spun out in a big cloud of tyre smoke just as the yellows came out.
Tom Harris had managed to extricate himself from the turn two armco but in the collision, had damaged a tyre and he proceeded with his NSF tyre going flat. Harris stopped his car on the entrance to turn three, and as they set off it became obvious he planned to just keep going and hope that the field dwindled further, putting him back in the top ten. Derek Fairhurst (218) had attempted a similar feat at the fantastic Birmingham semi of 2006.
On realising that Lund was actually in third place a massive cheer stretched round the stadium, larger than the eventual semi winner got himself.
On the restart it was clear as he went up the home straight for the restart that Mark Gilbank had a NSR wheel wobble, suggestive of a half shaft issue. Andy Smith shot off once again at top speed as relative newcomer Steve Thomson jnr and old hand Garry Fox tustled for position. Mark Gilbank’s race did come to a premature end with a black flag for his efforts and Tom’s attempt to finish on three wheels and a rim ended as he too was forced to pull to the infield. They were soon joined there by Steve Thompson jnr whose OSR tyre had finally let go, at a time when he had been doing well and looking likely to qualify for the WF in his first real season.
As the lapboards came out, the cars still racing became more spread out as over half the field had been forced to retire in a real race of attrition. Garry Fox was nearly being lapped by leader Smith but all he had to do was finish and he would still get on the WF grid as only ten cars remained. Neil Shenton (35) who had driven a quiet race when compared to many, had been smoking for awhile; finally disappearing in a cloud of smoke and slowed right down as the laps rolled down. He finished on tick over, coasting over the finish line. The lap down Garry Fox boosted his position by overtaking Shenton on the last lap to finish ninth. Shenton said afterwards that he was pleased and that to finish first, you have to first finish.
The Consolation was the next race up with twenty cars taking to the field and being led away by Richard Bryan (238) in his retro-style David Seed built car, although Richard and his father both claim credit for the stylish superstox style wing. Also included, was a first appearance for Dan Fox (480) in his father’s shale car, his own car used by father Garry in the semi.
And also a first time out in his F1 for Joshua Smith (191), who had been in the V8 World final earlier in the day, having managed to successfully qualify via points scored at one meeting. Richard Braithwaite (253) and Dave Waterhouse (in Andy Ford’s shale car) started from the rear. Craig Utley and Carl Pickering (141) were straight up the order while Tom Harris tried to cut up the inside of Paul Harrison who was in the Consolation as his OSR had completely shredded in heat one. Harris, on being unable to pass, dropped behind and bumpered Harrison aside.
Josh Smith stuck the bumper into the ’never enough bumper’ of Carl Pickering as Tom Harris continued his surge forwards, now racing neck and neck with Joe Booth (446). Richard Bryan was soon surpassed by Craig Utley and a lap later by James Lund. Bryan attacked Lund back, to regain his place but was unsuccessful and soon afterwards, it appeared that his tyre had somehow worked itself off and he drove up the homestraight on his rim, leaving his tyre behind lying in the track for a bout of yellow flags. At the restart Utley was quick away but had the swift tar car of Lund behind him. As the race progressed and the cars became more spread out, Rob Braithwaite showed how he was getting well into the swing of things, handling the car well and sticking the bumper into Tony Smith (91).
With about half a dozen laps to go, James Lund finally reeled in Utley to take the lead; while at the back, Braithwaite passed Chris Brocksopp (338) using his bumper and got the bumper back the next bend as Brocksopp tried to regain his position. Harris put in a roaring effort to try to get to the front but was just too far back to make real contact and Lund held on to take the chequered flag.
As the only white grader present, Marc Radforth was to lead the field away from the front for the Wilf Blundell Bowl with the fitting touch of the blue Blundell (75) heritage car as the pace car. Paul Hines (259), at the back was the replacement Hoosier tyre tester as Stu Smith had not reappeared on track. At the start, Garry Fox moved into second as behind, the blues battled amongst themselves with Lee Fairhurst (217) sending Chris Cowley into James Lund (153), as Cowley and Fairhurst tore down the backstraight side by side.
Andy Smith fancied another win, getting straight into action, laying into Matt Newson (16) only to be at the sharp end himself when Dan Johnson (4) attacked him on turn two. Shortly afterwards, Andy Smith slowed drastically and drove round the outside, until able to cut to the infield. Mickey Brennan who had done well to qualify for the final in his first meeting was suffering with a rapidly deflating OSR and circled the track, unable to find a suitable gap to retire through as the bumpers went in thick and fast at both ends.
Wainman Jnr scrapped with first Tom Harris, before giving it a wiggle towards the infield up the back straight as he contended with John Lund. For a moment it looked like a big coming together was to occur, but Wainman handled it and continued on. Not long after, he too was forced to retire via an unseen incident. One pair of eyes was definitely not good enough to keep up all the on track action in the early stages.
At the halfway point, Radforth still led the field but the swift blue graders were bearing down on him with speed and purpose and it was not long before James Lund had taken the lead. As he tore off, trying to put space between himself and the following field, Cowley and Fairhurst followed his moves as first Fairhurst then Cowley passed Radforth who went wide on turns one and two. As the laps rolled down, Lund had created himself an unassailable lead and they crossed the line as they were, making it a top three of second generation racers with all three fathers being present.
Unfortunately, Lee Fairhurst (217) failed post race scrutineering by being just outside the weight percentages and third place Chris Cowley also failed post-race scrutineering apparently due to ride height. Their exclusions meant that white grader Marc Radforth moved on up into second and bumper merchant Craig Finnikin nabbed himself a deserving third.
The last race of the day was the Grand National and although the usual spectator exit after the F1 final had occurred, the terraces were still heavily packed. James Lund (153) took his obligatory lap handicap while Rob Braithwaite maintained his starting at the rear for the last race of his first meeting. The front row consisting of Dan Fox and Marc Radforth led them away and by the second lap, Craig Utley (484) had stormed to the front with Radforth sandwiched between him and Carl Pickering. As the cars continued with nobody willing to give up their postion, they tore into the bends and squeezed down the straights trying to get ahead of their opponents, at this point Dan Johnson came to grief down on turn three.
Dan Fox had half spun, Johnson had hit the wall and ended up perched atop the fence, leaning back out onto the track enmeshed bumper to side rail with Fox. Carl Pickering pulled up behind Johnson, giving him some protection as the yellow flags were waved. After discussion, the blue Hiab truck came onto track and with effort, separated the two cars. On inspection after, it did not appear that Johnson’s engine had been badly damaged, with his nearside panel completely mangled and Dan started it up to load it back into the truck.
At the restart Utley’s lead had been severely curtailed with the restart order:
484 – 149 – 51 – 37 – 172 -107 – 84 – 48 – 16 – 141 – 1 – 515 – 462 – 55……with James Lund being second from the rear, in front of Mickey Brennan who must have been exhausted at the end of the day, having raced an F1 and his f2.
As they took the green, Lee Robinson made his presence known to Mickey Randell (172) as further back Finnikin assaulted Scott Davids (462) with Davids momentarily pulling over into the Armco. As bumpers flew, Tom Harris attacked Robinson for position and Andy Smith laid into Chris Cowley with a loitering Frankie Wainman Jnr just behind.
Dylan Williams-Maynard (51) was proving to be no slouch from his new blue grade, having manoeuvred himself into second behind Utley and showing that he was not unsettled by his new starting place. Robinson tried for Tom Harris but sent himself wide as Andy Smith continued to reel in the upfront Utley. A flurry of activity at the front saw Smith firstly overhaul Tom Harris, then send Williams-Maynard into Utley to take the lead and onto the victory.
Ailsa Haigh
