Lydden Hill Raceway Saturday September 11 
Super Saloons, Super Rods, Bangerstox, Lightning Rods/Outlaw Hot Rods and Stock Rods v Stock Hatches

The Super Saloons (non contact unlimited bangers) raised a decent field of 22 cars with the entry swelled by a handful of PRI Super Bangers which would go on to dominate the afternoon. Some nice cars were on show with Mk1 Granadas from 6 Steve Humphreys, 23 Nicholas Gray and 234 Adrian Jones with the formers looking well smart as did the Mk2 of 917 John Millen and the XJs of 20 Andy Burbridge and 346 Scott Saunders with four XJs in total plus two Volvo 240 estates and the Supra of 15 Carl Alexandra. 

Gray led the first heat away with a rapid 6 Shagga quickly up to third before working his way into the lead as Alexandra span off on the top bend after smoking for several laps. However the Super Bangers were much quicker and slowly worked through to the front with 77 Steve Davies beating 42 Jamie Wilders and 82 Nigel Carroll to the line with Shagga the first 'banger' home in fourth from Gray and Millen. 

It was 07 Luke Bennett (Mk3 Granada estate) who set the pace in the second heat with Gray soon taking over with 328 Ivan Hughes and Millen in chase before the latter enjoyed a brief spell at the front but again it was the Super Bangers who came through with Carroll narrowly beating Davies in a close finish while Millen held off the Super Banger of 483 Nigel Weeks for third place after a fine effort. 

Millen's points gave him pole position for the final and he turned it into an early lead with Shagga and 328 Badger in pursuit. Despite being put towards the back of the grid it was Wilders who carved his way through and passe Millen on lap four and he held on for the victory with Davies and Carroll next while Millen was the first Banger home in fourth after another quick drive while Shagga and 158 Shane Davies were the next bangers in sixth and seventh after both were going well. 

An Allcomers to finish with 800 Shane Robinson (XJ40) enjoying a spell up front until the Super Bangers swept through with Davies, Wilders and Carroll attempting to cross the line together although the former was judged to be the winner while Shagga beat team mates Badger and 800 Shunga across the line as the first banger after throwing his Mk1 around impressively. 

Heat one: 77 Steve Davies*, 42*, 82*, 6, 23, 917, 800, 158, 483, 07
Heat two: 82 Nigel Carroll*, 77*, 917, 483*, 328, 42*, 6, 23, 158, 380
Grand Final: 42 Jamie Wilders*, 77*, 82*, 917, 483*, 6, 158, 328, 23, 800
Allcomers: Davies*, 42*, 82*, 483*, 6, 328, 800, 158, 380, 11
*=PRI Super Banger

For the second year running the Super Rods had the biggest entry with 25 cars including a handful of news ones for the day. Disaster for 10 Sam Topley who retired before the first heat got underway as 28 Andrew Donnovan led them away from 305 Richard Fisher and 41 Peter Emson before the latter moved into second as 6 Warren Lee-Brown spun off. At the half way stage 26 Dave Davies took the lead and he pulled away to win. Emson passed 28 Drew for second while 21 Dave Chalinor got the better of 359 Paul Pring for third. A very rapid 84 Gary Harvey finished a fine sixth from the reds, 

A couple less for heat two which featured the biggest crash of the day when Davies and Drew touched on the bottom bend with the latter spinning and collected by 22 John Davies resulting in them both hitting the tyre wall by the start line very hard with Drew rolling onto his roof on impact. The reds came out but everyone was ok and we soon resumed with 5 Dave Miller picking up where he left off and passing 305 Slimey for the lead on lap four and he romped away to the win. 63 Iain Brett worked his way through to finish second and Slimey third with Harvey again working through the field well for fourth while 77 Mark Shingleton and 88 Jason Anderson also recorded top 10 finishes from the back. 

Two consistent results for Brett and Chalinor handed them the front row for the final and they led them away but Harvey quickly took over and opened up a massive lead en route to a convincing win. Miller battled through for second and Brett beat Chalinor home for third while there was some drama after the chequered was waved when Harvey and Slimey spun onto the grass just past the start line. 

The Allcomers started in dramatic fashion with a big crash on the top bend involving Lee-Brown, 30 Micky Dunn, Shingleton and 66 Andy Reeve to bring the reds out. Fortunately all involved were ok and the latter pair made the restart despite being the two who appeared to have suffered the most damage. Emson passed Slimey for the lead on the restart but it was soon Miller who took over although he then suddenly slowed up on the top bend only to regain speed when the entire field had passed. Emson retook the lead and held on to win with Harvey settling for second after a late charge which saw him pick up several placed in the closing laps while Anderson recorded his best finish of the day in third. 

Heat one: 26 Dave Davies, 41, 21, 359, 17, 84, 63, 14, 28, 305
Heat two: 5 Dave Miller, 63, 305, 84, 14, 21, 359, 41, 77, 88
Grand Final: 84 Gary Harvey, 5, 63, 21, 14, 359, 88, 41, 77, 7
Allcomers: 41 Pete Emson, 84, 88, 14, 63, 7, 359, 21, 66, 305

The RDC Hot Rods (Bangerstox) also had a decent turnout with 22 cars and it was 35 Brian Dunn who set the pace in the opener before loosing the top spot to 56 Trevor Poile. Last year's final winner 33 Stephen Fry was making fine progress until he touched Dunn and retired as Poile raced to the flag with 11 Matt Sargent and a rapid 32 Darren Clarke completing the top spots while 89 Ben McGonnell recorded an excellent fourth from the back and 8 Griff Sargent did well for seventh.

Down to 19 cars for the second heat with 39 Aaron Cork holding his nerve for a fine flag to flag win. Matt Sargent held second for a few laps before Dunn passed him and that's how they finished with Poile and Clarke settling for fourth and fifth respectively and Fry bouncing back from his earlier disappointment with sixth. Although they were unable to match their earlier form McGonnell and Griff Sargent recorded top 10 finishes from the reds in seventh and ninth. 

Just 15 for the final with pole starter Poile setting the pace as Clarke moved into second and then took the lead on lap four while behind him a great battle was developing for fourth between Dunn, McGonnell and 16 Chaz Goldup. It was the latter who burst through and eventually finished second behind Clarke who had disappeared off in front while a late charge from Fry saw him finish third after he was unsuccessful in his challenge to take third from Poile. McGonnell was once again the top red in fifth while 70 Garrie Martin scored his first result of the day in ninth after starting at the very back. Bad luck also to Cork who crashed out on the top bend in the final stages after staying with the front runners for most of the way. 

Around half the original field returned for the Allcomers with 28 Kieran Cork setting the pace but he crashed out in the final laps with Poile eventually taking his second win after fending off Clarke in the clsing stages. Dunn completed a fine day in third with 75 Mark Glisson recording his best finish with a fine fifth which was the top red top in the race. 

Heat one: 56 Trevor Poile, 11, 32, 89, 35, 27, 8, 16, 82, 75
Heat two: 39 Aaron Cork, 35, 11, 56, 32, 33, 89, 16, 8, 22
Grand Final: 32 Darren Clarke, 16, 56, 33, 89, 35, 75, 8, 70, 11
Allcomers: Poile, 32, 35, 16, 75, 89, 33, 70, 34, 49

With only single figure entries for both the Outlaw Hot Rods and Lightning Rods their four races were all run together. 

Heat one saw 285 Trevor Ward open up a lead in the Outlaws before he retired towards the end and so it was left to 20 Dave Fry and 637 Wiz Farazmand to battle it out with the former winning while late starter 12 Neil Reeve third. Meanwhile in the Lightning Rods, 118 Peter Waite crashed out by the start line when he put a wheel back dramatically as 50 Derek Caton lead but had to settle for second when 201 Pat Kenneally came through with 212 Steve Powell third. 

The second race saw Ward's car go the distance and he romped to the win with the Outlaws while Farazmand beat Fry in a great fight for second when he used some of the back marking Lightning Rods to his advantage. In the Lightning Rods there was drama for 272 Trev Drayner going off course by the start line as 50 the Undertaker held off Kenneally for the win with Powell again in third. 

The Outlaw final was another corker with Ward beating Fry and Farazmand for the win while in the Lightning Rods Kenneally took his second win with Powell getting the better of the Undertaker for second while behind 107 Brian Thomas, 108 John Christie and 102 Eddie Gibbs had a great race for fourth with the former winning the spot. 

Just two Outlaws stayed for the Allcomers with Farazmand beating Ward for the win while Drayner made the most off a cracking start to lead the Lightning Rods home with Kenneally and Powell his placmen. 

Outlaw Hot Rods
Heat One: 20 Dave Fry, 637, 12
Heat two: 285 Trevor Ward, 637, 20, 12, 103
Grand Final: Ward, 20, 637, 12
Allcomers: 637 Wiz Farazmand, 285

Lightning Rods
Heat one: 201 Pat Kenneally, 50, 212, 170, 107, 272, 102, 108
Heat two: 50 Derek Caton, 201, 212, 107, 108, 272
Grand Final: Kenneally, 212, 50, 107, 108
Allcomers: 272 Trev Drayner, 201, 212, 50, 108

The Spedeworth Stock Rods took on the Stock Hatches (rally cross/circuit formula) in the second leg of their challenge with the February round leaving the teams tied on points although the Stock Hatches (SH) had something of an advantage for this as the Stock Rods (SR) only field eight of the nine man team. 

The pace car gave the Stock Hatches too much of an advantage in the opening six-a-side heat and the home team dominated with SH782 Rob Carr taking a flag to flag win ahead of team mates SH601 Roy Gravestock and SH692 Ian Thorndyke. SR447 Stuart Smyth was the first Stock Rod home after working hard to finish sixth but he was fifth but he was dropped two spots for jumoing the start promoting his team mates SR500 Kim Carter and SR300 Tristan Jackson. 

The roles were reversed in heat two where the gap between the two teams was too small and SR168 Andy Sturt quickly took over and won ahead of Smyth, SR129 Lee Nicholls and SR148 Wayne Shackcoford with SH725 Julian Godfrey the first of his team to place in fifth after a gutsy effort against the quicker Stock Rods. 

The final heat saw SH698 Alan Thorndyke lead for several laps but he could not hold off Sturt and Carter who eventually passed him and finished first and second after a great battle between themselves while Alan Thorndyke was successful in keeping Jackson and Nichols at bay for a fine third. 

The all in final saw Alan Thorndyke's earlier efforts rewarded as he held his nerve and didn't put a foot wrong en route to a fine win while Godfrey was equally deserving of second place but was Sturt and Carter third and fourth it was the Stock Rod team who won on the day and also clinched the series. 

Heat one: SH782 Rob Carr, SH601, SH692, SH613, SR500, SR300, SH656, SR9, SR447, SR30, SH726
Heat two: SR168 Andy Sturt, SR447, ST129, SR148, SH725, SR9, SH698, SH656, SH613, SH738
Heat three: Sturt, SR500, SH698, SR300, SR129, SH725, SR148, SR30, SH692, SH601, SH782, SH738
Grand Final: SH698 Alan Thorndyke, SH725, SR168, SR500, SH692, SH601, SR129, SR148, SR300

Another successful event at Lydden with some good action to be found in all of the classes in action. Here's to the next one in 2005

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