This weekend we headed to Bearley Raceway for Round 2 of the UK Autograss Championships hosted by the Southern League. Scorching weather provided the opposite conditions to round one back in May.
Here are the reports on Saturday’s A races which saw the top finishers from the first heats competing together.
Class 1
It was a level break off the line but it was Caine Parnell (SP129) who edged his nose in front going into turn one. Coming out of the first turn the two Mini’s of Justin Hardy (SS1) and Jake Law (SR3) were running side by side but going into the pit bend it was Law who picked up second position whilst Parnell breaks away from the field. Once settled into second place Law also pulls away from the battle for third and closing the gap on the leader. Despite reeling in Parnell, Law ran out of laps to make a challenge having to second for second place as Parnell takes the win. The battle for third was between Hardy, William Drayton (SN124) and Kev Hughes (NS7). Hardy dropped back to fifth with Hughes claiming third place ahead of Drayton. The final positions were hot on the tale of the battle in front with Christopher Woodward (S225D) picking up sixth place ahead of Russ Victory (R14) and James Parnell (SP921) in seventh and eighth. Drayton picked up a green flag dropping him down to sixth.
Race result: 1st SP129 2nd SR3 3rd NS7 4th SS1 5th S225D 6th SN124 7th R14 8th SP921
Class 3
Unbeaten at Hereford Adrian Joyce (WS22), now on home soil looked to continue that record by making the break off of the start and heading into turn one well in front of the rest of the grid, who were all running side by side through the first turn, with Shaun Brown (WS8) just dropping back coming out of the bend. Martin Roberts (PAC157) pulled away into second, hunting down Joyce to no avail as Joyce took his fifth win of the championship. Mick Sumners (R169) and Anthony Teather (C7E) had a race long battle which ended with a drag to the line after exiting the pit bend with Teather claiming third ahead of Sumners and Brown rounded out the order in fifth.
Race result: 1st WS22 2nd PAC157 3rd C7E 4th R169 5th WS8
Class 5
First out of the gate was Mike Sullivan (C11E) and Ben Harper (M11) with Sullivan leading going into turn one, however it was Lewis Richards (TA451) who took the lead coming out of the turn and Harper dropping back after taking a wide line. Coming up the inside of Sullivan in turn two was the battling Alex Puddiphatt (SN23) and Paul Creed (G7D) as they go to pass Sullivan Creed spins causing Sullivan to take avoiding action and drop down the order, whilst Puddiphatt moves into second place. Contact between Puddiphatt and Neil Jones (PAC74) on the top turn drops them both down the order whilst Harper moves up into second place ahead of Mark Ashmead (38F) and Aaron Mason (R19) who were in their own fight with Sullivan who again had to take avoiding action. Richards went on to take a comfortable win ahead of Harper. Ashmead maintained third position from Mason and Sullivan finishing fifth. After damage from the earlier incidents Creed and Puddiphatt made it round to collect valuable points in sixth and seventh.
Race result: 1st TA451 2nd M11 3rd 38F 4th R19 5th C11E 6th G7D 7th SN23
Class 7
Incidents in the first run of the race saw the red flags brought out with all competitors back in for the rerun. Repeating the start of the first run it was Paul Waldron (139F) who was the first to show coming out of turn one in the lead, running with Hugh Lafferty (R57) who drops off the back of Waldron after getting out of shape exiting the turn, but holding onto second position. A spin in turn one sees Lee Forster (CA98) drop to the back of the order and playing catch up the remainder of the race. The battle was on for first with Waldron and Lafferty once again running side-by-side with Waldron having the edge. Behind were two more battles, Darren Jones (CM46) and Alan Henschker (G19D) were fighting for third and fourth and behind them was a battle for fifth between Sam Fenton (R5) and Trevor Martin (C18E). Waldron went onto take the win ahead of Lafferty, whilst Henschker was able to hold off Jones for third and a drag to the line saw Fenton take fifth place ahead of Martin with Forster closing out the order in seventh.
Race result: 1st 139F 2nd R57 3rd G19D 4th CM46 5th R5 6th C18E 7th CA98
Class 9
Jack Joyce (WS2) and Mike Liddiatt (309F) were the first to show at the start and into turn one, however they got tangled leaving Liddiatt facing the wrong way as the others all pass, once going down he had dropped a fair distance back. Gavin Pitman (SS81) made the most of home-advantage and took the lead out of the first turn, pulling away from those behind. The battle was for second place, Richard Morrant (M25) took the position coming out of turn one, but Joyce tried every move to get past whilst Jamie Hollingsbee (IK111) caught the pair up and was looking for his own way past. At the chequered flag Pitman took the win, Morrant held onto second, whilst Hollingsbee made the move past Joyce to take third place and Joyce fourth. Further down the order was Derrick Brown (G6D), Steven Freeman (PAC34) and Matthew Rigby (N270) in fifth, sixth and seventh with Liddiatt bringing the car home in eighth place.
Race result: 1st SS81 2nd M25 3rd IK111 4th WS2 5th G6D 6th PAC34 7th N270 8th 309F
Junior Saloons
A level break saw them going side-by-side into turn one but it was Tom Herbert (S31D) who came out of the bend in front, ahead of Ruben Hage (N35). In the closing laps of the race the battle was for second after Rachel Alderson (YD63) and Zach Spencer (E435) close in on Hage. This allows Herbert to pull away and take the win. Spencer passes Alderson for third position. A drag to the line sees Hage hold onto the position from Spencer with Alderson finishing fourth ahead of Jamie Barlow (WS34) and Robert Evans (TA91).
Race result: 1st S31D 2nd N35 3rd E435 4th YD63 5th WS? 6th TA?
Class 2
It was a level break off of the line and the first two to show were Kyle Everett (WS222) and Barry Lewis (PAC10), Everett having his nose in front in turn one, but taking the wide line and carrying the speed out of turn one was Lewis to edge himself clear. There was then a four car battle for second place with Everett holding the position to start, but fellow club member Rhys Wyeth (WS19) passes on the inside on the second lap to take the position and went on to chase down the leader. This left Everett in a battle with Jay Albrighton (N156) and Jamie Lillington (SS45) for the next position. Albrighton passed Everertt to take the position but a mistake a lap later saw Everett reclaim it. Lewis crossed the line to take an unchallenged win ahead of Wyeth. Everett held onto third ahead of Albrighton and Lillington. Chris Manners (96F) took sixth ahead of Brad Bradstreet (IK184) and Michael Firby (A47).
Race result: 1st PAC10 2nd WS19 3rd WS22 4th N156 5th SS43 6th 96F 7th IK184 8th A47
Class 4
Going into turn one it was the two Invicta Kent drivers that were the first to show, with Colin Attrill (IK272) taking the initial lead going into turn one, but on the exit he was running side-by-side with Pete Berry (IK221) who takes the lead. Behind there was a battle for third with Gary Pemberton (CA242) and Ray Tudgay (WS23) running alongside each other. A lap later Atrrill makes the pass on Berry to reclaim the lead with the two maintaining these position all the way to the flag. A mistake from Pemberton dropped him back to fifth with Tudgay in third, and Mike Mayne (YS77) took fourth.
Race result: 1st IK272 2nd IK221 3rd WS23 4th YS77 5th CA242
Class 6
First to show was Stephen Ford (WS57) and Leigh Scotford (G16D) heading into turn one in front, going up the inside of them both and coming out of turn one in front was Jamie Ivermee (G17D) ahead of Ivermee and Scotford, whilst hot on their heels was Tony Reynolds (SN333). Heading into the last lap Ford makes the move past Scotford into second to split the two Gloucester cars, with Ivermee taking his second win of the day and Scotford third. Fourth place went to Reynolds ahead of Tony Teather (C27E) and Chris Collier (IK960) whilst with problems on board Adrian Brown (PAC37) rounds out the order.
Race result: 1st G17D 2nd WS57 3rd G16D 4th SN333 5th C27E 6th IK960 7th PAC37
Stock Hatch
Just edging his nose in front going into turn one was Roly Pinches (R503), however going through the first turn Glen Embling (C608E) and Ian Fay (WS500) came up the inside to run side-by-side along the back straight whilst Pinches drops to the back of the order. Coming out of the pit bend in first place was Fay with Embling running in second. The rest of the field close behind and Thomas Ireland (SS59) looks to make the move past Embling into second place and succeeds on the top bend. On the last lap Ireland tries to make the move past Fay on the final bend with Fay just beating Ireland to take the win with Embling in third. Luke Ransome (SN191) had closed the gap on the leading trio and was hot on their tales taking fourth place ahead of Toby Rootes (IK420) and Pinches. Jem Tidball (SS666) took seventh place ahead of heat one winner John Sullivan (C3E).
Race result: 1st WS500 2nd SS59 3rd C608E 4th SN191 5th IK420 6th R503 7th SS666 8th C3E
Class 8
First to show after an even break was Josh Reid (CS22) going into turn one but running down the back straight they were three-a-breast with the rest of the grid all wheel-to-wheel through the pit bend, with Mark Smith (S46D) and Mike Mumford (160F) coming through in the top two positions, still running side-by-side. Mumford edges himself in front, whilst behind this duo was a three car battle for third with Lee Cox (B2H) having the edge. Mumford pulled himself a gap to take the win ahead of Smith. Cox held off Reid and Ben Williams (TA47) for third. Sixth place went to Richard Parks (SS61) ahead of Malcolm Lane (CA23) whilst Mark Hall (IK35) rounded out the field with a puncture on board.
Race result: 1st 160F 2nd S46D 3rd B2H 4th CS22 5th TA47 6th SS61 7th CA23 8th IK35
F600
Heat one winner, Jason Garnett (N692) lead the four car grid into a slippery turn one on the inside line, whilst Andrew Watson (SB20) gets caught out allowing Andy Reeve (N28) to find a way through into second, but it wasn’t long before Watson found his way past to take up the position. A spin on the second lap for Reeve saw him drop behind Matthew Hickingbotham (ST62). After allowing Garnett to get away at the start Watson closes down the gap, however a spin on the last bend allowed Garnett to take an unthreatened win, whilst Watson held onto second, Hickingbotham third and Reeve fourth.
Race result: 1st N692 2nd SB20 3rd ST62 4th N28
Class 10
A coming together between Tony Jones (SR117) and James Poltimore (SS79) saw the red flags raised on the first attempt of this race, with Jones excluded from the rerun. Taking the lead into turn one was Gareth Paines (PHD15), leader of the first attempt, whilst Ben Shell (IK59) looked to take the outside line on the wet turn one, slotting into third place behind Adam Waldron (44F) and holding off Kevin Hurdman (R200). Poltimore was looking to work his way through the order, first making his way past Hurdman, then Shell and then on the last bend taking second position from Waldron. Paines took his second win of the day, ahead of Poltimore, Waldron and Shell. Ian Stott (A10) claimed fifth place from Hurdman who completed the order in sixth.
Race result: 1st PHD15 2nd SS79 3rd 44F 4th IK59 5th A10 6th R200
Junior Specials
It was all level going into turn one, but Charlie Thompson (Y15) took the lead coming out of the first bend followed by Reece Weatherick (IK99) and Rupert Griffiths (R75). Problems for Weatherick meant an early retirement from him, with Griffiths moving up into second. Thompson pulled away to take a comfortable win, whilst Emily Richardson (N592) closed the gap on Griffiths but ran out of time leaving Griffiths taking second and Richardson third. A spin on turn one saw Sam Pinches (R35) drop to the back but worked he worked his way back to fourth ahead of Luke Stiles (IK30) in fifth, the last of the finishers.
Race result: 1st Y15 2nd R75 3rd N592 4th R35 5th IK30
Ladies 1
An even break saw the grid running side-by-side through turn one, with Natasha Lawlor (NW142) coming out of the first turn in the lead. Bethany Embling moves round the outside down the back straight to pass Sophie Eggerton (LUD47) and Lacey Law (SR24) for second place. Jessica Singer (SS26) closed down the gap and joined in the battle for third and then took advantage of contact between Lawlor and Embling to take the lead, but goes wide and allows Embling to come through to take the lead and Law into second. Embling holds on to take the win, whilst Law just claims second place from Singer in third. Early leader Lawlor took fourth place ahead of Eggerton and Megan Williams (CM77) closed out the field in sixth.
Race result: 1st C535E 2nd SR24 3rd SS26 4th NW142 5th LUD47 6th CM77
Ladies 2
Rachel Nokes (WS60) got the best start and lead into turn one but gets it sideways and drops to the back. Hannah Hinton (NASA25) takes over the lead going down the back straight into the pit bend, however Helen Bishop (IK252) comes through from third place to take over the running. The battle was behind for third between Katie Jones (SV51), Fiona Mauchland-Duff (CS44) and Lisa Perry (G18D) with the places being swapped. Once at the front Bishop held onto the lead, pulling away from Hinton to take the win, with Hinton also in a comfortable second. Mauchland-Duff held off the challenge from Jones to take third, whilst Perry finished fifth.
Race result: 1st IK252 2nd NASA25 3rd CS44 4th SV51 5th G18D
Ladies 3
The first attempt of this race quickly saw the red flags when a class five also made an appearance, but not before Donna Brown (CM4) collided with the start line/track exit post. On the restart it is an even break with Brown, Lianne Teather (C7E) and Shell Sumners (R169) running alongside each other, with Brown just edging in front going down the back straight, with Teather and Sumners running side-by-side. The race was on for second place, with Teather all over the back of Sumners, whilst both kept Brown in sight. At the chequered flag it was Brown who took the win, ahead of Sumners and Teather. Sheri Sumners (R168) held onto the back of this battle for fourth place.
Race result: 1st CM4 2nd R169 3rd C7E 4th R168
Ladies 4 & 5
We saw both classes four and five running together this weekend, and it was the class five’s that were the first to show with Janet Murray (38F) taking the lead going into the turn one with Diane Heath (E10) hot on her tail. Behind was a three way battle between the remaining class fives of Natalie Green (R420), Barbara Harper (M11) and Amanda Mason (B11H) whilst the two class four’s where in a battle of their own behind. Murray went onto to take the win despite constant pressure from Heath who took second. Harper moved up into third ahead of Green and Mason. Kelly Wetherick (IK272) had the upper hand throughout the race between the class four’s with Mandy Kennedy (SB6) unable to find a way past.
Race result class 4: 1st IK272 2nd SB6
Race result class 5: 1st 38F 2nd E10 3rd M11 4th R420 5th B11H
Ladies 7
An equal start from Terri Mumford (62F), Emily Barrett (R10) and Cathy Harrison (SN262) going into turn one, and it was Barrett who made the best of the conditions to take the lead and pulls away from the battling Mumford and Harrison. Mumford uses the momentum of running the wider line to make the move past Harrison and then looks to chase down Barrett. Mumford catches Barrett on the last lap and a drag to the line sees Mumford take the win ahead of Barrett. Harrison takes third place from Lisa Perry (G32D).
Race result: 1st 62F 2nd R10 3rd SN262 4th G32D
Ladies Stock Hatch
Bethany Embling (C608E) makes the best start going into turn one, going round the outside of the three other competitors to take the lead. Lisa Hills (WS500) and Lisa McKenzie (WS100) battle for second in the early stages of the race, with Hills getting the upper hand and looks to close on the leader. Embling remained unchallenged to take the win ahead of Fay, McKenzie in third and Jax Clamp (WS53) in fourth.
Race result: 1st C608E 2nd WS500 3rd WS100 4th WS53
Ladies 6
It was a level break between Josie Cox (C27E) and Katie Reynolds (SN333) with Cox taking the lead. Reynolds remained close on Cox’s tail throughout the race and in the closing stages looked to make her move by trying the outside line, unable to make the move stick Cox took the win ahead of Reynolds whilst Kristina Hall (SR888) finished in third.
Race result: 1st C27E 2nd SN333 3rd SR888
Ladies 8
Contact at the start saw Vikki Lamb (NW83) and Kim Jenkins (B106H) drop to the back, whilst it was Abi Shields (N24) who made the best start taking the lead in turn one, followed by Emilie Seer (S41D) Linda Lawlor (NW140) and Emma Shell (IK95). Lamb made ground into fifth alongside Emma Ford (A42). Lawlor drops down the order with Shell moving up to third, chasing down Seer who was closing the gap on Shields. Shields takes the win whilst Seer just holds onto second from race one winner Shell in third. Lamb moves up to fourth ahead of Ford and Lawlor, whilst Jenkins finished seventh ahead of Barbara Harper (M111).
Race result: 1st N24 2nd S41D 3rd IK95 4th NW83 5th A42 6th NW140 7th B106H 8th M111
Ladies 9 & 10
The class nine’s and tens were running together and both were mixing it with each other. Lisa Paines (PHD15) made the best start leading the order going into turn one whilst the others were all close behind, with Terri Mumford (60F) out into second ahead of Diane Heath (E111), with Dru Hollingsbee (IK111) leading the class nine’s. Paines spins on the top bend allowing Mumford, Heath and Hollingsbee through. Mumford goes on to take the win unchallenged by second place of Heath. Hollingsbee finished third on track but first in class whilst Paines splits the two nine’s with Helen Rummery (IK214) behind, and the class ten of Chloe Bishop (IK59) rounds out the order, sixth on track and fourth in class.
Race result class 9: 1st IK111 2nd IK214
Race result class 10: 1st 60F 2nd E111 3rd PHD15 4th IK59
Motor-Mouth 