Report by Paul Toward
7 Keith Greenwood – Omega Estate (DNR)
09 Andy Holmes – Mk1 Granada*
11 Darren Race – Mondeo Estate*
11 Paddy Clerkin – Volvo 240 Estate
28 Marty McKiernan – Volvo 740
48 Marc Cassidy – Toyota Crown
51 Simon Heilds – Volvo 240 Estate
99 Scott Gough – Volvo 240 Estate
146 Davey O’Connor – Volvo 240 Estate*
160 Davey Patton – Volvo 740
166 Lee Lawson – Volvo 240 Estate
190 Marcus Watt – Volvo 740
221 Justin Riley – Volvo 240 Estate*
294 Nigel Ashley – Volvo 740 Estate*
321 Brett Fry – Mk2 Granada*
331 Shane Fry – Mk2 Granada*
377 Ashley Tompkins – Volvo 240
379 Danny Evans – Mk2 Granada*
407 Jason Whithead – Mk2 Granada
409 Carlos Pears – Volvo 740*
421 Nigel Riley – Volvo 240 Estate
450 Glynn Platts – Volvo 240 Estate
451 Willy Blackwell – Volvo 240 Estate*
455 Ricki Finney – Volvo 240 Estate*
521 Ashley Riley – Volvo 240 Estate
606 Liam Weedon – Volvo 240 Estate
949 Michael Smith – Mk2 Granada*
* denotes used car
27 cars for Brampton’s first try at an Unlimited Open meeting, which was slightly down on pre-meeting hype but still a very good entry for the track. Quantity was made up by quality with the Bears, Stinkbridge, Team Asbo and a handful of Irish drivers making the main base of drivers, the only driver braving it on his own being 7 Keith Greenwood, although sadly his Omega wouldn’t run. A very Volvo based entry but 48 Marco brought a Crown with him from Ireland and 09 Psycho returned a Mk1 Granada.
At the time people viewed 11 Racey as brave for using the Mondeo against unlimiteds as they hadn‘t been tried too much, how many would chose them over the Volvo’s nowadays!?All out for heat one which was a cracking start to the day. 331 Shane was spun on the home straight from the green and helped create an early pile up going into turn one. Meanwhile 451 Blackwell had thundered 221 Motormouth in to the tyres on the bend and snapped him off. Back to the pile and an unfortunate 949 Hippy was wasted by the field against the infield tyres as they all piled in to get through. 166 Dogga was then blown up with a wicked hit from 521 Ace Ash who then had 321 Wingnut buried into him by 455 Ricki. This left some Stinkbridge members with nowhere to go other than come to rest in Ricki’s boot and this provided a lovely target for Blackwell to bury 146 Davey into, the impact snapping the Irishman and jacked 450 Platts. Some drivers went for the infield rather than push through the pile up but 51 Heildsy tried driving through Davey as 294 Ashley blew up 160 Patton just before the pile. 421 Nige escaped the infield and had a go at getting through, blasting Platts as 407 Wack lined up 190 Lube for a monster shot which took him into an infield tyre where he was nailed by 09 Psycho. A some how still mobile Motormouth twice nailed 377 Hammer on opposite at the other end of the pile up as Blackwell gave Ace Ash a head on in the middle of the pile. The reds then came out with the track blocked, however Motormouth continued on to nail 409 Carlos with marshals on track albeit a tame shot with no one around him. On the restart 11 Racey picked up 28 Marty and followed him in to much the same place as Blackwell had buried Motormouth with Ace Ash latching on giving the follow in some air time. Ash was blasted in turn by Psycho but Nige was on hand to cage the TSB legend with a rated shot, Heildsy getting in on the act with a shot to the stuck Bear. Just a handful remained now with Heilds not wanting to know a reversing Nige and instead had a pop on the following lap, Nige only just managing to get onto the infield in time. A few laps later and Heilds took Nige wide on the bend which slowed both down and allowed Wingnut to spin them both aside, in trying to rejoin Heilds was struck again by Nige although this couldn’t stop him as Wingnut took the win from Heilds and Nige being the only other car running.
A much depleted field for race 2 which was still a quality affair. A few spin outs on turn 1 started it off and gave 379 Diddley a free hit to the rear of Heilds as well as leaving Nige open to a head on shot from Blackwell. Wack picked up Lube and planted him into Heilds before leaving him to be blasted by a recovered Heilds down the back straight, the attack taking them all the way into the tyres on turn 3 and left Heilds open to a misjudged shot from Patton in which he hit the TSB man with his passenger doors, although this still did the damage. On the other bend a well repaired Platts went in with a killer shot on Nige as Wack had Patton out on the home straight and Willy joined in with a rear wheel shot. Willy wrecked his steering but continued on and combined with Wack to take out Marco’s Crown which allowed Wingnut to spin aside Blackwell. Willy never bothered to turn it back and (seemingly within the rules as he was never loaded) gave Marco a head on which snapped the well tender Crown. Diddley and Patton clashed on turn 2 after a few quiet laps and this left Diddley stuck facing the tyres, a natural target for Ricki who got some rated airtime with the hit only to be done in turn by Wingnut who also gave the Asbo Mk2 some airtime. As the only man left running a limping Patton could do nothing but plant himself in the rear of the Bear and again this gave the train of cars some tasty airtime and left Diddley’s car quite a mess. With no one left running the reds were thrown and the win given to Ricki from Wingnut and Patton the only other registered place man.
A few more for race 3 as more of those from race 1 were now repaired whilst some were onto their third race of the day. A small pile formed on turn 4 and Ace Ash picked up 606 Boomer down the other end, although Ash could only put him in backwards and they both bounced off the tyres. Heilds gave it to Hammer on turn 4 against the tyres and this took out a few cars who had no where to go. On turn 2 Dogga had given a spun Wingnut a snapping head on but Ace Ash was on hand to blow up the returning TSB man which totalled the Volvo in an unusual way. 409 Carlos nailed Ash but he was then given one over the front wing by Nige as Glynn copied Carlos but he was blasted by 11 Paddy’s Last. Ash was nailed again, this time by Wack and then once more by 99 Goffy whilst against the tyres. Carlos met Hammer head on, on turn 4 but Nige was on hand to blow him up followed by Ricki for swift Stinkbridge revenge. Racey cleared a path through, blasting Hammer over the rear which allowed his team mates a race all to themselves. Wack made a fool of himself coming on opposite down the home straight to blast the long dead and long vacated car of Boomer, this earning him a load up, which was a shame as up until then he had been lively. TSB rodded the remaining laps away, Goffy taking the flag from Ricki and Paddy in third being the only non TSB still running followed by one or two other pinks.
A few less for the final although some sat on the centre waiting for the DD to start. Goffy attacked Lube from the start of the race spinning him on turn 1 as Ricki did the same to 28 Marty. Davey was struggling in his snapped off Vole and snapped it further with a small shot on Carlos. Marty gave Carlos an all 740 shot on the back straight after Carlos had done the same to Patton. The remaining laps were roddy as the teams were divided and spaced out. The Demo action was mainly on the infield which despite being within Brampton’s rules is against what I believe and coupled with the fact its hard to see exactly what went on, there was little point reporting on it. On track however, Wingnut spun Paddy going into the 3rd turn leaving him open to a huge package from Blackwell. Boomer boned Paddy as Patton was given shots all over the shop. Boomer was turned aside by Heilds on turn 2 and given a huge head on from Ricki which snapped the Asbo Volvo, this didn’t stop Ashley from weighing in with one to the rear. A lame Lube was attacked twice on the home straight by Heilds before getting a huge bone from Ashley followed by a second fierce bone from Blackwell despite the car being against the tyres and marshals having just advised Heilds not to go in with a shot. The assaults had continued on the centre all the while and those still running spilled off and onto the track where Heilds could finally get a shot in on Paddy. Paddy was continuously nailed by TSB until they turned on each other with minor head ons. Heilds then realised Paddy was still mobile and dealt him a cracking hit which served only to free him from the dirt he was stuck on. Heilds then nailed twice more before the reds were shown and Heilds was awarded the win on his birthday, Ace Ash having won the final.
A cracking day ruined slightly by the DD. I have no idea why Brampton allow the DD to be run on the centre and even go as far as moving marker tyres and watering the centre. In my opinion the centre should be out of bounds for several reasons, not least safety of drivers whilst in their car, after exiting and also of marshals who can’t have 360 vision! On top of this the action is usually pretty poor on the centre and is hard to see so isn’t much fun for the spectators and I usually find the DD a poor end to the day at Brampton. Another let down was the on opposite down the straight attacks of Blackwell and Wack, whilst Blackwell’s could have been condoned as it is not strictly against Brampton rules, Wack’s attack was completely out of order and seemingly for no reason. Other than that a really good first attempt at an unlimited open meeting from Brampton, the 20 odd who raced really did give it everything and the action especially in the opening 2 races was brilliant.
