Fort victorious at Brandon

6.6.09

31 cars turned up to do battle on a track that had had 16 hours of continual rain. The first heat was too boggy for Points leader Chris Fort who elected to sit it out which if anything, guaranteed a different race winner.

Heat 1 saw 222 Guy Jolly lead the first 3 laps in heavy going conditions. Cars were slipping and sliding all over the track as they fought for position and traction. Amazingly, 81 Matt Smith stormed through from the red grade to take the lead from Jolly. 42 Rob Barber and 575 Darren Cottrill claimed 2nd and 3rd with Smith taking his first win in the Mint Kid built supercar.

Heat 2 took place on a somewhat drier track after the F1's had moved a lot of the wet boggy shale. Once again Jolly led them away and he went well leading for 5 laps before being over hauled by ex F1 driver 361 Steve Reedman who was driving the Dougie Bracher owned ex Marc Radforth car. 81 Matt Smith was spun coming out of turn 4 and was left high and dry as the car would not fire and had to sit tight for the rest of the race. Meanwhile 3 Chris Fort was hitting every car he came upon on his way to the front of the field, the 3 car taking the lead with 4 laps to run with Reedman taking a good 2nd and 159 Carl Radforth coming home in 3rd.

The Final saw a rather ragged start with the reds and Superstars going way too early. The starter let them go anyway and Reedman relieved Jolly of the lead after the first lap and set a good pace to build up a good lead. 159 Radforth was going well from the red grade until his clutch went and he pulled up along the back straight. 286 Dan Bradley showed well in 2nd but was coming under pressure from 147 Colin Taylor who duly passed Bradley. Chris Fort hit the front on lap 12 and Reedman hung on to Fort's coat tails and even managed to repass Fort after the 3 car took a trip to the fence on turns 3 and 4 but Fort rejoined quickly to take the lead back. with 2 laps to run, novice 145 Bob Soakell clattered into the back of the parked up Radforth car with Fort also clipping the 145 car which sent the leader into the turn 3 fence. The race was stopped as both Radforth and Soakell required attention. Both were deemed ok although Soakell did visit Coventry Hospital where it was discovered he'd dislocated his toe. Fort was deemed the winner as the lap charts were taken from the last completed lap. Reedman came home a very deserved 2nd and 161 Mark Allen crossed the line 3rd although he was docked 2 places for jumping the start which gave 575 Darren Cottrill the final podium place.

A terriific night's racing. The Hotstox are back at Coventry on Aug 1st.