Fastrax Summer Series 2011
CML's Iain McCallum reports back from round 3 of the Stoke Nitro Racing Club.
A very warm sunny day greeted my inquisitive head poking out from the curtains on Sunday morning. Filled with great expectations for a cracking days racing I set off for the excellent Stoke Nitro Club, home of the series from its inception some three years ago, and as usual I wasn?t disappointed.
A lot of people had thought the same as me over the weekend because the venue was packed out. Eighty drivers had pre-booked in, showing how popular the event has become.
Truggy
Ten Truggys were competing today with the ever present and ever reliable Sean Bailey taking top spot in round 1 but only by one second from a much improved Stuart McKellar. Lee Grocott came in third just a further one second behind Stuart. In fact all the top four split by seven seconds with Kev Mac taking the last top four spot.
Round 2 saw Sean increase his lead at the top but with Kev coming through to second nipping in front of Stuart by two seconds. The top four were again the same but split by fifteen seconds overall and in a different order.
Round 3 and the final qualifying leg saw no improvement from anyone in the truggy class at all. Sean took Top Qualifier, Kev second with Stuart third and Lee fourth.
The final promised to be a close affair after run away leader Sean Bailey crashed out on lap twenty-one after a collision with a concrete tyre! It was unfortunate for Sean as he had a good start and was never in trouble until the crash.
Still one man?s muck is another?s gold and a feast of racing followed for both drivers and spectators alike. Kev Stuart and previously unmentioned Andy Tobbutt doing battle in spectacular form with all three swapping places no less than NINE times from lap twenty-one to the end. The top three finished only thirty seconds apart after twenty-two minutes, the top two just eight seconds apart. Stunning stuff!
Kev was to triumph in the end with a very good second for Stuart and third for Andy who came from seventh on the grid. There was some controversy at the end because Kev tumbled off the pit lane on his second stop due to pit crew blocking his line of vision, he then drove to his crew man missing out the lane altogether. It was decided that as Kev had to be marshalled through no fault of his own and the time gained was equal to the time lost no action was to be taken. I have to say that Stuart was very gracious from the outset on this point and I think on balance the decision was right by the referee. Well done Kev Stuart and Andy for a great advert for truggy racing and sportsman ship in general.
On to the Buggys were competition was fierce.
Round 1 and Team Hobao with the Hyper Star were the dominant force. John Howells showed early intent with a proper quick eight lapper but only half a second from another Hyper driver Ashley Owen; a young star that John has seen potential in and it looks to me like he is right. Third place man Richard ?Kong? McKenzie, a further two down on Ash. The top five were split by eleven seconds with three of those being Hyper Stars.
Round 2 and John exerted more pressure on the chasing pack going four seconds quicker with no other driver in the top five in round one improving. Dennis Holding nipped in to take fourth spot and relieve Stuart Mahon of his top five place the last of which was taken by Darren Wood with (yes you?ve guessed it) another Hyper.
Round 3 and again no top five improvements or change but sixth place was stolen on his last run by another Hobao starlet Mitchell Booth with an average lap just half a second of his quickest. Top Five of John, Ashlee, ?Kong?, Darren and Dennis with no fewer than six HoBao Hypers in the top ten before bump ups.
E Final
After lap four Matt Slaney was never troubled and took the win by two laps. In similar fashion Paul Varley came in second by two laps having taken the position on lap eleven. If he had not had a ?flame out? on the first lap he might have challenged for the win but two go up to then next final so it really didn?t matter.
D Final
Following the pattern Mark Belcher led from lap four and won by one lap from Elite RC man Jeff Walton who recovered from an appalling start and flame out to take second again by a lap. Again his average lap was better than Marks so he could also have taken the win if not for the engine cut.
C Final
Sand Bagger Mark Belcher was proving that bump ups are a very good idea as he nicked first place to move to the B final from Neal Francis but this time by only sixteen seconds, pretty impressive racing after two twenty minute finals on the bounce. This final was very closely contested with the top six all in with a shout until the last lap.
B Final
The best in terms of close racing with the top three split at the end by just eight seconds, the top two by just three. Unlucky man was Glen Howard with a Hobao coming in third. Happy people were James Bullivant rocking in first and James Fowler second. Special mention to Mick Butler who lead for most of the final and broke his ride four laps from the end, an A final spot awaiting, still that?s racing.
A Final
From start to finish team Hobao main man John Howells dominated, wining by a lap and never dropping either the pace or the lead. Unlucky man was Mark Redmond who had second nailed from Dennis Holding for nine minutes but much like Kev in the truggys missed the entrance to the pit lane because his view was blocked by pitmen refuelling other cars. Dennis took up the chase and remained second for the remainder of the A main. Mark gave up third spot after a flame out (maybe he got cursed on the way to the track) this was taken up by ?Kong? McKenzie who held it till the end. This was no mean feat as he had another Hobao driver, Lloyd Pitt, and Mark breathing down his neck for the whole of the second half of the final with them all finishing on the same lap and just thirty seconds apart.
Seven Team Hobao Hyper Stars cars were in the main final of fourteen with bump ups and it really is THE car this summer!
Many thanks once again to Jarred and the crew of Stoke Nitro Club, They run an excellent meting with minimal fuss and agro, the reputation of the track and the series is growing by the day. Near national turnouts with a team of helpful people to cater for your every racing need. With an on-site shop, food, drink and toilet facilities all available, why race in another summer event. The next meet is 17th July...see you there.
Truggy
Ten Truggys were competing today with the ever present and ever reliable Sean Bailey taking top spot in round 1 but only by one second from a much improved Stuart McKellar. Lee Grocott came in third just a further one second behind Stuart. In fact all the top four split by seven seconds with Kev Mac taking the last top four spot.
Round 2 saw Sean increase his lead at the top but with Kev coming through to second nipping in front of Stuart by two seconds. The top four were again the same but split by fifteen seconds overall and in a different order.
Round 3 and the final qualifying leg saw no improvement from anyone in the truggy class at all. Sean took Top Qualifier, Kev second with Stuart third and Lee fourth.
The final promised to be a close affair after run away leader Sean Bailey crashed out on lap twenty-one after a collision with a concrete tyre! It was unfortunate for Sean as he had a good start and was never in trouble until the crash.
Still one man?s muck is another?s gold and a feast of racing followed for both drivers and spectators alike. Kev Stuart and previously unmentioned Andy Tobbutt doing battle in spectacular form with all three swapping places no less than NINE times from lap twenty-one to the end. The top three finished only thirty seconds apart after twenty-two minutes, the top two just eight seconds apart. Stunning stuff!
Kev was to triumph in the end with a very good second for Stuart and third for Andy who came from seventh on the grid. There was some controversy at the end because Kev tumbled off the pit lane on his second stop due to pit crew blocking his line of vision, he then drove to his crew man missing out the lane altogether. It was decided that as Kev had to be marshalled through no fault of his own and the time gained was equal to the time lost no action was to be taken. I have to say that Stuart was very gracious from the outset on this point and I think on balance the decision was right by the referee. Well done Kev Stuart and Andy for a great advert for truggy racing and sportsman ship in general.
On to the Buggys were competition was fierce.
Round 1 and Team Hobao with the Hyper Star were the dominant force. John Howells showed early intent with a proper quick eight lapper but only half a second from another Hyper driver Ashley Owen; a young star that John has seen potential in and it looks to me like he is right. Third place man Richard ?Kong? McKenzie, a further two down on Ash. The top five were split by eleven seconds with three of those being Hyper Stars.
Round 2 and John exerted more pressure on the chasing pack going four seconds quicker with no other driver in the top five in round one improving. Dennis Holding nipped in to take fourth spot and relieve Stuart Mahon of his top five place the last of which was taken by Darren Wood with (yes you?ve guessed it) another Hyper.
Round 3 and again no top five improvements or change but sixth place was stolen on his last run by another Hobao starlet Mitchell Booth with an average lap just half a second of his quickest. Top Five of John, Ashlee, ?Kong?, Darren and Dennis with no fewer than six HoBao Hypers in the top ten before bump ups.
E Final
After lap four Matt Slaney was never troubled and took the win by two laps. In similar fashion Paul Varley came in second by two laps having taken the position on lap eleven. If he had not had a ?flame out? on the first lap he might have challenged for the win but two go up to then next final so it really didn?t matter.
D Final
Following the pattern Mark Belcher led from lap four and won by one lap from Elite RC man Jeff Walton who recovered from an appalling start and flame out to take second again by a lap. Again his average lap was better than Marks so he could also have taken the win if not for the engine cut.
C Final
Sand Bagger Mark Belcher was proving that bump ups are a very good idea as he nicked first place to move to the B final from Neal Francis but this time by only sixteen seconds, pretty impressive racing after two twenty minute finals on the bounce. This final was very closely contested with the top six all in with a shout until the last lap.
B Final
The best in terms of close racing with the top three split at the end by just eight seconds, the top two by just three. Unlucky man was Glen Howard with a Hobao coming in third. Happy people were James Bullivant rocking in first and James Fowler second. Special mention to Mick Butler who lead for most of the final and broke his ride four laps from the end, an A final spot awaiting, still that?s racing.
A Final
From start to finish team Hobao main man John Howells dominated, wining by a lap and never dropping either the pace or the lead. Unlucky man was Mark Redmond who had second nailed from Dennis Holding for nine minutes but much like Kev in the truggys missed the entrance to the pit lane because his view was blocked by pitmen refuelling other cars. Dennis took up the chase and remained second for the remainder of the A main. Mark gave up third spot after a flame out (maybe he got cursed on the way to the track) this was taken up by ?Kong? McKenzie who held it till the end. This was no mean feat as he had another Hobao driver, Lloyd Pitt, and Mark breathing down his neck for the whole of the second half of the final with them all finishing on the same lap and just thirty seconds apart.
Seven Team Hobao Hyper Stars cars were in the main final of fourteen with bump ups and it really is THE car this summer!
Many thanks once again to Jarred and the crew of Stoke Nitro Club, They run an excellent meting with minimal fuss and agro, the reputation of the track and the series is growing by the day. Near national turnouts with a team of helpful people to cater for your every racing need. With an on-site shop, food, drink and toilet facilities all available, why race in another summer event. The next meet is 17th July...see you there.
