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17th August, Ringwood, West Country Challenge
Cup
A disappointing 11 cars grided under the floodlights
for the last time this year at Ringwood Raceway on Saturday
17th August. But if the turnout was low the quality of the
racing was not. Young David Smith charged into an early lead
as heat one got underway, taking advantage of most of the
attendees being red graders, and built up a commanding lead
in the Bullet. The charge from the back being lead by Harold
Lowe, Ez Walker and Andrew Bilby. These three catching the
early leader just as Barry Goldsby broke a shock absorber
and spun into turn one. He attempted to clear the track by
driving against the flow in a crab like manner, which seemed
to upset D.Smiths composure. This let Lowe and Bilby make
a break from the chasing pack, the race being checkered flagged
with Bilby seemly attached to Lowe's gearbox, followed home
by D.Smith, Daz Ryecroft, Walker and Andy Collins.
The problem with winning a race is having
to start from the back of your grade for the rest of the meeting.
Lowe therefore started at the back of the reds and that's
where he stayed throughout the race, whilst at the front things
got underway in the same order as heat one. This time Bilby
charging around the outside of Walker to lead the chase to
the speeding bullet out front, a feat he managed at around
half distance when his experience showed and he out braked
D.Smith into turn one. He then settled into a comfortable
lead and paced himself to the finish, which allowed Rob Sayell
to close right up at the finish when it appeared that one
more lap would have had Sayell in his customary position at
the front. Bilby, seemingly having managed to shake off his
season long bad luck, therefore lead across the line with
Sayell in close attendance, Andy Collins, D.Smith, Ryecroft
and Walker rounding out the top six.
Bilby suffered the same fate as Lowe when
all 11 cars took the track for the West Country Challenge,
with Sayell being the only car behind him on the start line.
Lowe was unable to complete any of the warm up laps as mechanical
maladies befell the Spartan. The green flagged waved and all
the boys from the back fought over the same piece of tarmac,
letting the yellow and blue grade drivers make the break at
the front, D.Smith leading from A.Smith and Goldsby in the
now repaired Arrow. With the main pack of cars having wheel
to wheel combat D.Smith could have been away with the trophy,
but for the second time that night suffered a lapse in concentration.
This time as he lapped Mark Hodges, and spun leaving the unfortunate
Hodges nowhere to go except to collect the bullet, a collision
he tried hard to avoid at all costs as he was in Bilby hire
car. The battle for the win then turned towards more usual
adversaries with Sayell taking the win from Collins, Ryecroft
in third with Bilby inching along side him on the finish straight
but with the line being two yards to soon. The top six being
competed by Neil Clark who limped home after an earlier coming
together with A.Smith knocking his steering out of line, and
Walker.
Heat 1. 85 H.Lowe, 16 A.Bilby, 18 D.Smith,
15 D.Ryecroft, 43 E.Walker, 77 N.Clark, 2 A.Collins, 10 R.Sayell,
35 A.Smith, 5 M.Hodges.
Heat 2. 16 Bilby, 10 Sayell, 2 Collins, 18
D.Smith, 15 Ryecroft, 43 Walker, 77 Clark, 85 Lowe, 35 A.Smith,
5 Hodges.
Final. 10 Sayell, 2 Collins, 15 Ryecroft,
16 Bilby, 77 Clark, 43 Walker, 35 D.Smith, 78 Goldsby
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