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Posted by ap The BriSCA Formula 2 Stock Cars made their first appearance of the season at Smeatharpe Stadium, supported by Hot Rods, racing for the |Devon Championship, Ministox, and the back to basics Bangerstox. Prior to the start of the meeting Paul Soper was presented with the prestigious Trevor Redmond trophy by Pat Redmond and her daughter Hayley. This trophy is a bronze sculpture of a hat that was the trademark of Trevor Redmond, and it is the wish of Pat Redmond that it is presented each year to a driver from within the Autospeed family that has excelled in the sport. Paul Soper, for the feat of winning the National points Championship in Saloon Stock cars was voted unanimously the clear winner by a pole taken of senior Autospeed officials, and he becomes the second Saloon driver, after Eddie Darby, to win this award. F2 Heat one saw early season sensation Simon Edwards (430) go into the lead, to be tracked throughout by Tom Louth (525). Bill Batten (167) made a less than auspicious start to the 2004 Taunton season by cruising to a halt on the infield, whilst racing pensioner Roy Goodman (800) suffered a two pronged attack from Justin Fisher (315) and Lewis Geach (111) to bring out the yellow flags. Even this didnt faze Edwards as he confidently took the win, offering a clenched fist by way of celebration, whilst Louth took a brilliant second from Chris Cuming (393). The consolation was led for quite some time by Chris Love (268), whilst looking good in second place was Mark Mills (88) However, it was another casualty of the chaotic heat two, Tim Farrell (667) who finally came through to take up the running, with Batten moving through into second by the flag. Mills claimed third spot, whilst Love brilliantly held onto fourth from Geach. The final was run on a track that was slippery in places from the fine rain that was spasmodically falling on Smeatharpe, but this did not seem to deter the drivers one iota.
on March 28, 2004, 8:44 pm
81.77.22.88
Smeatharpe 28 March 2004
It was heartening to see 37 cars in the pits for the opening meeting of the Taunton F2 season, which bodes well for the coming months.
Heat two was an absolutely sensational race, with the drivers seemingly hell bent on wreaking havoc on every turn, culminating in a quite magnificent roll by returnee Adrian Jasper (621), as he clipped the stranded car of Mike Priddle (14). Prior to that Bernie Serpell (612) and Gary Smith (851) locked together on the pit bend to bring the yellow flags out. Another returnee, Peter Gilbert (542), had made an excellent start, and he eventually overhauled Chris Mikulla (522) and Matt Linfield (464), to take up the running. The race was to rise to an exciting climax however, as onto Gilberts rear bumper came Mike James (717), initially tracking him, before finally, going into the Honiton bend for the last time, putting the bumper in. Gilbert slipped off line towards the fence, and in his efforts to hold onto the lead tripped up and over a backmarking Dave Ruby (731), resulting in the brand new Gilbert car riding up the fence before spectacularly crashing down onto his roof just as James took the chequered flag from Dave Luscombe (642). Linfield was pleased to have achieved third at the flag, but his joy turned to disappointment as he was docked two places for passing on a yellow flag. Gilberts damage was such that he had to trailer the car for the rest of the day.
Edwards continued his good form over the opening weeks of the season by opening out a bit of a lead, although this lead was to be nullified as a yellow flag came out to allow the Neil Hooper car (676) to be moved from against the fence on the back straight. Edwards once more opened out a lead from Mills, but with Luscombe looming ominously closer by each passing lap, the last thing he needed was for another yellow flag, but this is what happened as Love tangled on the racing line with another car giving the steward no option but to bring it under race control. Edwards once again led the re start, but he now had Luscombe breathing down his neck, and with the lap boards out Edwards had to concede first spot to the ex World Champion. He then had Bill Batten for company, and despite his best efforts he could not resist the challenge from the Newton Abbot veteran as he moved into second with just a couple of laps to go. Luscombe duly took the flag, and the victory, and this at a track he professes to hate, whilst Batten required perhaps just a couple more laps to have made the result in doubt. Edwards had to settle for third, and in such exalted company he was far from being disappointed.
A frantic Grand National saw Love and James clash early to bring the race under caution.
Edwards once again was at the head of the field, but this time he had Farrell for company, and with the lap boards out he suffered a blow that spun him around and reminded him that F2 Stock Car racing can be so cruel at times. Linfield was always a danger in second place, whilst Batten had to settle for third to round off an excellent days racing under changeable, and tricky circumstances.
RESULTS
F2
H1 430, 525, 393, 254, 676, 226, 550, 737, 88, 954
H2 717, 642, 522, 438, 464, 628, 189, 685, 268, 14
C 667, 167, 88, 268, 111, 890, 509, 612, 113, 315
FL 642, 167, 430, 88, 717, 667, 111, 464, 315, 189
GN 667, 464, 167, 393, 438, 315, 111, 628, 642, 254
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