Report by Paul Toward
Just 30 cars for the 2006 running of the Dover Masters, well down on previous years and in fact the lowest turnout seen for the meeting in the 00s period. The FWD dominated line up included a used A60 for 346 Scott Saunders.
Due to the small entry, a field of just 9 non-qualifiers lined up for the last chance race and with the top two to qualify it was looking like being a roddy opener. It started though with 328 Mark Hughes a burying 206 Bling who took an unknown #60 in with him. 328 Thrush picked himself up and continued onto the next lap where he spun aside Muttley’s A60 and picked up the Sierra Sapphire of 237 Dave Chill and crunched him into the same spot as he had just dumped Bling. Muttley started what would become an epic showing from him with a head on to Thrush on the next lap round, Thrush more than happy to connect. After a couple of laps Bling went in with a shot to Thrush as he was trying to get unhooked from Muttley, this helped Thrush’s cause and allowed him to sit and wait on the bend for Bling. Again both men were happy to meet on the nose but this time Bling managed to bank Thrush and so had the chance to turn it back around and nail the Bluebird over the front wheel. 38 Paul Beavis was the winner followed by an unknown 305 Ford Orion(!) and so both progressed
The other 21 cars plus the two last chance drivers made up a 23 car grid which was dominated by the Bluebird. A first corner push saw one or two turfed out into the fence although all cars rejoined. A few laps of much the same followed before 131 Barry Wade took a lung at 101 Ian Norris and put him into the Armco followed by 380 Trevor Wright giving Wadey a shot , all 3 continued however. Again a few quiet laps went by before 364 Sean Winchester gave Incarace visitor 229 Kenny Welsby a shot on his limping Sierra on the back straight. The next to show was 807 Chris Murfin who put 53 Dave Palmer away on the pit bend. As the last lap board came out 349 lee Saunders picked up 38 Beaver and put him backwards into the pit gate which left the door open for Winchester to deliver a rear wheel shot to the latter. 158 Shane Davies took the win despite much pressure in the closing laps, only just holding off 188 John Reeves who was catching every lap. 380 Shaky completed the podium.
A similar field for the first of 2 all comers including the A60 which was starting to look as if it would be snapping any time soon. 312 Greg Cheisman launched himself up the banking on turn 1 from the green and almost went into a roll only for 349 Finbarr to catch him and prevent him going over. 239 Swifty then gave Finbarr a shot but this was avenged in turn by 484 Baloo. Baloo continued his assault on the following lap with a head on a lurking #11 Bluebird, both cars continued as Bling helped his team mate out by burying the 11 car backwards into the next corner. Bling and 11 continued with a pair of head ons which appeared to kill the 11 car off as 431 Shaun Abra put himself in on the other bend. The Management got the crowd going once more as Baloo nailed the 305 Orion against the fence and Muttley turned the vulnerable A60 round in the same spot he had earlier. 211 Barry Franklin was the unlucky one as he ha no option but to meet Muttley on the nose meanwhile Baloo had also positioned himself against the flow and gave 188 Victor a shot over the rear which caused many cars to run into those who were stuck and formed a temporary pile up. The A60 still hadn’t given up and met Bazza again in a head on which snapped the Farina nicely. 78 Lee Macey pilled in on Bazza followed by another shot from Baloo although he was done in turn by Beaver. Again a pile formed which left Victor open to a shot from Winchester as the field battle their way through. The chequered flag dropped on 380 Shaky and he celebrated his win with a follow in on Welsby albeit slightly from the side. The Management then went on a mission, Baloo and Macey enjoying some head ons on the turn leaving Macey open to a wicked shot from Finbarr, Shaky then joining in to blast Macey once more. With the reds still not showing Bling picked up Beaver and followed him hard in to the pit gate. Baloo getting one more shot in with one over the rear wheel of Wadey before all hell broke loose just as the reds were called. Macey blasted Baloo, Bling gave Beaver another shot and he was assisted by Shaky, Baloo and Macey enjoying one more head on before the reds were obeyed.
A much depleted field for the 2nd all comers, just 10 cars in fact but it did include Macey, Bazza, Thrush and two Management including the A60, he however snapped himself off a post on the rolling lap as on turn 1 Macey spun aside Bling. Thrush went on to nail the limping A60 but Bling fired back with a revenge shot for the Management, the impact sending the A60 backing into Shane Davies and almost took him out. As Bling rejoined the race, Macey’s luck was in as he closed the gap going into the pit bend and caught him over the front wheel on the turn. Muttley’s A60 somehow still ran despite the steam and smoke and managed to get a t-bone in on a sideways Bazza but this only prompted Bazza to turn it round and give Muttley an even bigger bone as Bling was on oppo at the other end and caught Macey over the front wheel, pretty close to his door area. Macey continued though and gave Muttley a drivers side shot only to take one from 101 Bam Bam followed by a t-bone from Bling. Both Muttley and Bling extracted themselves from the 4 car pile up and while the A60 expired, the Bluebird instead stopped Bam Bam head on. 364 Winchester took the win.
Just 4 for the Accumulator with a number of others opting to save it for the DD instead. Apart from a spin it was action less although RDC had reduced the laps to something like 3 so it wasn’t a long wait as the rest of the field joined from the centre. 364 Winchester took the win. The DD started with Bam Bam meeting the 305 Orion in a head on, the Orion then jacked by Finbarr. Next to show was 239 Swifty as he turned it round and met Bazza in a head on which was followed by Bam Bam giving Bazza the bone. Winchester picked up Thrush and wiped him round the pits bend which prompted the latter to sit and wait for Winchester on opposite. He didn’t get the chance however as Bam Bam instead nailed Thrush head on, this was followed by Welsby and Finbarr also going head to head and Finbarr taking one from Beaver. The head ons continued as Winchester and Thrush met on the centre. Beaver again nailed Finbarr on turn 1which set him up for a bigger shot from Bam Bam. Winchester then cleverly got them both in one shot but still all ran. Welsby got back in the action with a home straight shot on Finbarr but he was soon chased at pace by Winchester who finally got his target when Beaver stopped the Incarace man head on. Winchester hadn’t quite finished as he nailed Beaver head on against the armco before going onto the centre to nail an almost dead Bam Bam with a head on followed by a shot over the rear. This left Bam Bam a sitting duck to take a huge package from Winchester which put the roof straight up on the Bluebird. Winchester then finished the snail paced Welsby with a head on which was the last action of the afternoon. Winchester took the DD.
A cracking days action for 30 cars, 75% of them wanting to get involved. The Management team being especially entertaining. The late action in the final was all taken in good spirits and only really lasted a second or two after the reds had been shown.
