Sykes Euro Glory
Northampton 27th August - European Championship
Heat 1 commenced on the track with 20 cars on track with some people still not turned up yet, green flagged dropped to some slight rain and 497 Marc holmes takes an early lead with big hits going in from the reds and blues. The race soon settled into a steady rhythm with 112 Jamie Marson leading the opening half and 131 Kevin Stutchbury making the only move as superstar. The 2 Boswells 184 and 328 having a good fight together while 179 Richard Arrowsmith slows up and makes a move onto the middle and Tom Conwell 240 sends 575 Darren Cottrill into the fence. The last lap provided eventful with 147 Colin Taylor pushing Simon Sykes 64, 184 Carl and 328 Michael out of the racing line on turn 1 leaving a scrappy finish to the line for the minor places at the flag while Jamie takes his first win of the day. Top 3 finishers: 112,175,131
Heat 2 onto the track now with 4 extra cars on track for this heat: 352 Rory Foster, 187 Craig Smith, 477 Max Hertzog after working hard to repair his mechanical issues and 378 also cured the gremlins which prevented racing in heat 1. With the 24 cars on track the green flag drops and the first early spinner is Hertzog while 497 again takes the lead but soon followed by heat 1 winner Marson. Conwell has been took out by the 314 machine of Steve Bowman while 378 lost control and went air bound onto the middle as Stutchbury put 328 Boswell into the parked 314 car. Complete restart 21 cars left, Holmes and Sykes battling for the lead while 269 Mike Lomax spins and Marson looking for a 2nd win of the day. 147 Taylor spins and at the halfway mark Sykes is still leading and 187 Smith is gaining rapidly on the leading yellow top. 228 Paul Wainwright the Father of 227 Sam Wainwright who has took the back seat for this meeting spins and holmes clips the front of the spinning car while Sykes takes the flag and Marson settling for 2nd place. Top 3: 64,112,131
European Championship time and there is 22 cars on track including the defending champion 187 Craig Smith. The grid works as graded order but at the front of the pack is the drivers who have scored points in the heats and at the bottom end of the pack is the drivers who haven't scored in the heats. So 497 takes leads them off and 117 Rob Scriven is the first to hit the fence and the field bunches together and 187 Smith fired a group and had the rest pile in. Race settled down after the mad rush for the first corners and 184 Carl, 112 Jamie and 179 richard knocked seven bells out of each other. 64 Sykes had the early lead as 187 Smith went into 2nd and 1 Chris Bracher and Stutchbury settled into 3rd and 4th. The drivers who have to retire from the race at halfway is: 240, 328, 269 and 477. Stutchbury started to make his move as he got passed Smith for 2nd who then retaliated the next bend and these 2 traded places for a couple of laps before Stutchbury got the better of Smith and pulls away from him. Stutchbury was rapidly closing the gap on Sykes with 2 laps to go. Stutchbury did try the last bend on Sykes who rode the hit superbly and takes the European Championship with the defending Champ finishing in 3rd place so a good result he couldn't be unhappy about. Top 3: 64, 131, 187
Grand National last race of the day with 14 cars on track and with rain starting to wet the track, 497 leads the way with the new European Champion taking half lap handicap. 187 Craig is soon up to 3rd place with Scriven close behind him. With 497 still leading Craig finally makes the move for the lead and takes it but Marc soon takes it back on the next bend but Craig isn't too happy with that and yet again takes the lead on the next bend. 1 car is up to 3rd with 184 up to 2nd. Marc Holmes plants Marson into the fence at turn 3 but takes himself out in the process. Positions at restart: 187, 1, 184, 131 and 117. Green flag back out and Bracher makes a move for the lead and Stutchbury joins in. Theres a good battle going on between 1, 131 and 187 with 2 laps to go. Last bend Stuthbury take the lead and takes the flag with the number 1 car taking second and Smith taking 3rd and a big well done to 64 for getting 8th from half lap handicap.
A BIG congratulations goes to 64 Simon Sykes on winning the European Championship from yellow top, can't wait to see the new roof next time out!!
Massive thanks to Melissa Hughes and Keith Organ for the meeting report.