16-06-02
West Coast Classic
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Paint & Decorative Supplies Ltd Tel: 01524 381978
What was it with the weather ??? Many shirtless blokes catching the sun early on, and we were all p*ss
wet through by home time! What is it with the weather this season ?? Its one of many things doing my head in :)
Thanks to the guy who offered me a hi vis coat to wear in the rain, I was that wet I thought
I did not need it.. How wrong I was!
Early on in the day I had a quick chat with Mr Glenn Lord, #80, I asked if he'd been racing before, it turns out that
they have, as in himself and his father #777 Jack (Hawaii 5 O) Lord, been racing for many a year at
various tracks, including Warton! The cars they are driving at the moment are designed by themselves
and are the smartest stock cars I have seen. Jack and #24 had a big coming together that brought
out a red flag, both blokes were OK though Jacks stock was not seen again on the track. Glenn Lord
faired better by winning heat 2. Mind you #911 Peter Kaulbarsch exploded a wheel on the far
corner wall, he made it down the straight and ploughed into the pit corner wall in heat 1, when I say exploded I mean exploded, his wheel was in bits all over the track!. #4 won
and Billy Parkinson was well chuffed! The Final saw another massive crunch, this time, in the rain,
#237 Stuart Lawrenson, who had lost a wheel in heat 1, ploughed into #260 John Yeates on far corner
causing a nice tangle that took two tractors to sort out. I had to larf :) #67 Peter Fawcett won with
#5 Jonathan Clarkson and #107 John Baron in his trail. Numbers 5, 218 and 932 ALL went out in a
pile up on the pit corner in the Grand National, what was it with these guys today ? #377 Steven
Murry won.. I was soaked :(
My favourite lady Super Banger driver Ann #100 Potts had a nasty heat 1, she ploughed into the video man's
part of the track with #180 Stewart Penswick but that was child's play, no I do not mean the
movie, Chucky :) Poor old Feisty Fiesta driver #673 Warren Harwood ended up 1: on his roof and 2: hit
by another car!!! He was OK but a red flag was needed. #439 Jay Rodder Kellett won heat 1, as
well as the Grand National, heat 1 had #274 David Christopher, in a repainted John Riley car, second.
I wondered if Dave would have the same success as John, well in heat 2 DC ended up on the
infield and he pulled out of the final and spun out of the Grand National. May take a while to get
use to his new purchase :)
#57 Steven 'my friend has run out of film' Hardy had a fun Heat two and final, he
won BOTH. It was a depleted Super Banger field this meeting, only 10, I think we will get back to
bigger numbers next time, but #14 John Riley WILL NOT be one of them. I grabbed a word with him
and he told me he was not sure what he was going to do next. So watch the track and see what
happens :)
In the Unlimited Minis, #44 Ste Smith did not have such a good day, he won EVERY race, but
#345 Richard Pass held him off most of Heat 1, Richard got a great 4th place,
and #134 Alex Chapman would have won the final
but he lost power on the last lap. #193 Paul Sherliker raced today, but went out early in heat 1
did not place in other heats. #62 David Eccles got a second in heat 1 but had to retire in heat 2,
while again in second place. I had to wave a red flag, after a massive crash in the final.
#354 Brian McNaul almost succeeded in making a run off strip in the far corner, but his mini
just fell apart as it ploughed into the outer wall. It was a helluva impact, he was OK, but
will be sore for a few days methinks :)
The MiniStox also had an eventful day. #308, 11 year old James Newby span in heat 1. Though
I was still in shock of seeing the old car of #222 Alex '#2 Nasty Rick hating' Scholfield.
It was now Alex's younger sister Josie #223. It was a day of up and downs for many tiny drivers (not
that many of them are tinyer than me!:) #811 Richard Parker won both heats one and two but failed
to get up to speed in the damp conditions later on in the day, though I had to help push his
car after he had done his lap of honour in his first win!. #101 James Hayhurst had a bit of his
car fall off in heat two, ripping the sump out of Joise's car, but James came back to WIN, yes WIN,
the grand national in a thrilling race with #555 Martin 'gone off him now' Yeates. Martin only
had to slow after having a head on with his mate #554 Lee Williams.. By slow I mean stop QUICKLY,
sore nads all round I think! LOL #343 Lee Wrennall had little to smile at, as he only got seconds
in heats 1 and two, a win in the final and third in the Grand National, sad git !! LOL #555
Martin 'bubble' Yeates followed 1 place behind Lee in everything up to and including the final!
Young Dan Hurst had another promising day and #161 Nick Isles-Herdsman gained more experience
on the Warton track!
The bangers were a bit thin on the ground no Team V, TNT, Hillbilly's or Dan Steele, all at Hedno
I think :( Heat 1 was a bit of a Rod Fest with only Nasty Rick #2 Ball in action clobbering
#860 Stuart Simpson, Doh!, and being clobbered by #350 Lee 'TMK teamate?' Hird. There was also a great
360 degree spin worth mentioning and two TMK cars in the top three!! #449 Mark 'nice' Thomas
won, then his pipes exploded after his lap of honour, team mate 549 Colin 'who?' Taylor got third with
#352 Nick 'TMK' Hird between them.. HMmmmm so that's all top three places TMK cars! :). Heat 2
was another Rod Fest... thank God for #507 jacking #318 Paul Hooper and the laugh of the day,
#512 'Invader' Woods was the least bangered banger I have EVER seen. He was winning and in a
great scrap with #169 Steve 'DAHM hater' Horsefeild they tangled on the last corner and came to a halt just before
the finish line (It was like a Wacky Race with Dick Dastardly), every one drove past and a shocked
#224 Michael Ross took a win with TMK cars!!! of #666 Andrew 'Roadreaper' Pennington and #149
Paul 'Duck' Gore getting podium places, if we had a podium that is! Andy did not start in the
final, his clutch broke, but we saw a huge jacking, a DAHM Basher & Invader,
the cars both lifted before hitting the wall and disintegrating.. I was laughing loads, both
drivers were OK. Ste Horsefeild #196 got loaded up, after he turned and doored #149 Mark 'nice
boy' Thomas, Mark's car was almost snapped in half and mild mannered Mark lost his cool and went
to Ste's car, Ste was also unhappy and a few curt words were passed between the two of them.
Mick and some marshals came bounding over and piece was restored.. well to a point anyway!
There was only the DD left and only four starters, it went down to two Nick Hird & Colin 'TMK' Taylor #549
the win was Nicks after a Warton Normal bish bash finish, Nicks car was an ex-Motley car!
And that was that another ACTION PACKED day of racing with red flags a plenty and serious injuries
zero, the best way for it to be :) I drove home soaking wet in my t-shirt and wrote this report
and went to bed after 1AM (its 1:06AM now!) and to think people don't think I put much time into
this.. Night nite :) zzzZzzzzZzzZZzZZzzzZzzZz
Damn! I almost forgot !!!! We had Hot Fords racing today swell!!!! It was an invitation
class, a class from Buxton of NON-contact 1600cc Ford cars! I was amazed on a few points 1: They
did not make contact yet drove really close and fast 2: they were so quiet.. My ears enjoyed them
3: Overtaking was difficult, but not imposable on our narrow track 4:The cars were so tidy, good
paint jobs and few dents, maybe cause the radiators are still in the engine bays. 5:
The racing was close (yes I know I have said that already, but its worth repeating!) Heat 1
was a photo finish between #205 Mike Pinder and #92 Tim Hatcliffe. #23 Dave Eyre was a deffo third :)
Tim went one better in heat two #48 Paul Green second and #205 Third, Mike won the final, but
#39 and #247 found out the pit corner wall was for keeps, they failed to finish! I took a good
few piccis of these brake light adorned cars and wonder if they will come back and entertain us
again in the future..
And that really is it. I have had a crap long day and am going to bed, after I have calmed down
a bit! Oh its 1:17AM now! Still early for me :)
SnOrK
