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HEDNESFORD HILLS RACEWAY’S 50th consecutive season roared into life on Sunday as the rain stayed away for the Spring Classic meeting, writes Dave Goddard,
With Mondeos outlawed the Honda Civic was the car of choice for the 1800cc National Bangers and Civic specialist 290 Ryan Davies was in his usual flying form scoring a heat and Final double and only missing the win in heat two by the width of a bumper to 117 Jake Crowley. 252 John Wibberley and 138 Ant Timmins did their best to entertain with a few hits while the latter was awarded the win in a pretty cagey DD.
The star crashing event of the day was the first Ramp Rollover competition held at Hednesford using a specially constructed steep ramp. Eight cars were launched down the home straight in corkscrew fashion with birthday boy 17 Nick Sweet and 31 Shaun Starr’s Metro getting the most rolls with three each but it was 331 Bryn Starr who took the £100 first prize as he rolled twice, landed on his wheels and straight away drove round for another go! 470 Wayne Perry achieved the greatest distance in his Honda and promptly resurrected it to take part in the Banger DD!
The UK Oval Track Legends kicked off their season with a welcome comeback victory for 24 Craig Phillips in heat one after a couple of years out of the sport, while 6 Ian Hales looked set to catch 48 Dan Hughes in heat two only to trip over a backmarker with a couple of laps left leaving Hughes to win. Hales spun again in the Final as 33 Pete Amas clung on in front ahead of Hughes to take his first Hednesford win for some time. No fewer than six drivers also made their Legend debuts and all raced superbly.
The Incarods ran with Fords included for the first time in over ten years and this helped attract a grid of over 30 cars, the best Incarod turnout for many years. The star of the show was returnee 76 Kev Hughes who took his new Escort to a brilliant hat trick of wins while things were quite fraught behind him, heat two seeing 333 Mark Horne spun down the home straight and 311 Craig Dunning had nowhere to go and crashed heavily into him but thankfully all were unhurt, while 73 Keri Clarke crashed her Metro in the Final. Circuit racing star 54 Ant Whorton-Eales also put in an appearance ahead of his season in the BTCC-supporting AirAsia Clio Cup but struggled with engine problems in his Fiesta.
The Classic Hot Rods completed the lineup with several new cars on display plus the returning 999 Kevin Addy in his first meeting for 18 years! 16 Pat Smith Jnr took his rapid Anglia to the win in heat one while heat two was stopped when 79 Gary Winterton crashed his Castrol Escort. The leading 244 Fil Gambone suffered a broken gearchange and dropped out during the stoppage allowing 29 Stu Donald to hold off 924 Stuart Wright’s new Anglia to the line, a result repeated in the Final.
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