With the Scottish drivers dominating on their last visit to Foxhall Stadium it would have been no surprise to see the Stock Rod World title disappear back over Hadrian’s Wall but this time the English were ready and waiting with even the Scrutineers unable to spoil the party writes KEVIN WEGG.

Two heats, with grid positions drawn out of the hat for the first and reversed for the second determined the world final line-up and it was first blood to the English with an inspired drive from Andy Sturt. Driving from row six he mastered the damp conditions well unlike some, with the start marshal kept very busy issuing cautions for contact and the Stewards amused for an hour sorting out just who had hit who!

Heat two was the best race of the night with Stuart Smyth posting his intentions right from the start when Davy Philp left a half-open door on the inside which Smyth positively kicked open riding up the inside kerb in the process. With local hero Shaun Taylor – complete with highly vocal
support on the terraces – in third these three quickly pulled away only for a race stoppage to cut short their advantage when a couple of springs appeared on track. Yes I did say springs!......The first three repeated the feat in the restart only for another stoppage when Scotsman Jonathan Lattka hit the turn four fence and bounced back in front of Michael Madden who hit him square on. Smyth again got away but Philp was now hounding him constantly and he just held it with Taylor receiving a large roar from the crowd for a fine third place.

Sturt led them away from pole in the thirty-five lap title race with the rain now pouring down, yet the pace and handling maintained throughout was impressive. Smyth was all over the back-end of Sturt and together with Philp these three shot off in to the distance. Despite his persistence there was no way past for Smyth and Sturt seemed to find another gear as he started to pull away. Philp managed to mirror the manoeuvre which Smyth himself had used so well in the earlier race and was up to second. Taylor meanwhile almost wrecked his chances with too much throttle during a pass and controlled his bucking bronco impressively however they were dashed completely when four cars later ended up in a pile on turn three. No such luck either for Northern Ireland’s Micky McFall and Jason Pickett who completed a high-speed synchronised spin-out down the back straight. When a somewhat soggy chequered flag fell on Sturt he was gleefully oblivious to it all and was clear by almost half a lap.

Banger Team Event
Norwich had never beaten Ipswich in the Banger team event and after comfortably winning in Norfolk earlier in the year another blue & white victory seemed a foregone conclusion. When the yellow & green cars took the first four places in race one though the writing was on the wall and when even drivers of the calibre of Michael Lane are despatched with gusto by the rampant visitors it was clear a lesson in team tactics was being mercilessly given out. Zak Sharman for Norwich needed attention from the paramedics but thankfully walked to the ambulance and this was to be the only down-side as far as the Norfolkmen and indeed women were concerned. Only two Ipswich cars were left running at the end of race two and it was even more decisive in the final which featured a massive turn three pile-up. Michael Mills went down with all guns blazing for Ipswich with a big hit then Matt Brown for Norwich summed up their tactical advantage by letting Daniel Bullock pass only to then wipe him out. With just one Ipswich car running at the end a victory by over one hundred points was no more than they deserved. And just for good measure, in the separate, individual DD event it was yet another win for a Norfolkman! Just for the record, the final score was Ipswich 76pts Norwich 182pts…still, we’ll beat ‘em at Football and besides Team Manager Graham Utting deserves to win something….just this once mind!