World Of Shale
Another big turnout at the Vue, with the World of Shale providing John Lund another title for his collection, taking the race on the last lap in a manoeuvre that had echoes of the 1999 World Final. For the second Belle Vue in a row, the Elite car of Ray Witts took the main event, although this time it was Ray himself who was driving. Also very much on form were Simon Gill and Kev Smith.
Andy Swann was the first away in the 14 car opening heat. Rob Scriven and Mark Poole tangled and took each other to the infield in the early stages, and Simon Gill was spun by Mal Brown. Tim Warwick took over at the front when Swann went wide. Peter Lee drove over the front wheel of the Steve Burgess car and both went heavily into the fence. As the lapboards came out, Warwick was about 3 car lengths ahead of Nigel Whalley, with Mark Webster a similar distance behind Whalley. With two to go, Whalley gave Warwick a firm smack going into turn one. The 307 car's engine died on impact, Whalley was through and Webster was baulked by the stalled Warwick car, letting Kev Smith through. Warwick did manage to fire the car up again to finish fourth.
Michael Scriven briefly led Heat Two although he was quickly deposed by Nigel Bowler. Dave Russo got caught up with Paul Branson as Colin Patton put himself backwards into the fence. Steve Booth and John Wright, both driving black FWJ cars, had been having their own private battle for much of the race, with Wright gaining the upper hand when he T-boned Booth in turn 4. Tom Hamer, now looking to be slowly coming to terms with F1 racing, span out and was hit broadside by Patton. A fast-moving Booth had quickly recovered from his altercation with Wright and was scything his way back through the field, dumping Russo into the fence on the way. Russo was in the fence again at the halfway, though this time it was of his own making. Mark Tittcomb and Neil McCoard (NZ7) got tangled coming off turn 4 and both went heavily into the fence under the starter. John Walker took the lead with a few laps to run, and on the last lap, Phil Smith challenged Wright for third place. Wright held on, then bumped Bowler wide on the last bend to take second.
Next up was the World of Shale Final. Non-starters were Paul Harrison, Mark Gilbank, Rob Speak, and Derek Fairhurst, with Tony Smith, Mick Harris, and Ray Witts being brought in as reserves. For some reason, Frankie Wainman Junior lined up alone on the front row, with Andy Smith and John Lund on row two, Gary Castell and Mark Taylor on row three. Smith was supposed to be on the outside of row one, so the actual grid is something of a mystery. Answers on a post card, please!
Wainman naturally went straight into the lead, while a determined John Lund made a quick start and slotted into second. Murray Harrison and James Neachell ended up in the wires on the opening lap, as did Will Yarrow and Tony Smith a few laps later. Smith made contact with Lund and squeezed past. At the halfway, it was Wainman, Smith, then Lund, with not much gap between them. Neil Shenton crashed into the turn one fence at about this time, but apart from that the rest of the race passed without incident. The leading trio were nose to tail throughout, and it looked like both Lund and Smith were simply biding their time. The cars were bumper to bumper going into turn one for the last time, and there was no way Wainman could resist the combined efforts of Smith and Lund. Lund leaned on Smith as Smith leaned on Wainman, the result being the 515 car going straight on into the fence.. It bounced off the wires and went hard into the parked 35 car. While this had been going on, Lund had turned left and emerged from turn two in the lead, with Smith too far behind to launch one of his famous last benders.
Dave Johnson span at the start of the 20 car Consolation and took Jason Cronshaw and James Neachell out. Marky Tittcomb led them away, but the man making a lot of progress was Simon Gill. The 290 car was visibly the quickest on track, moving Russo and Poole aside with one big hit. Branson tangled with Harris in turn one and novice driver Steve Thomas (135), in the ex-Phil Bicknell car, piled straight into them. Gill had taken the lead by now, with Russo second. The yellows came out to move the Colin Nairn car, which had come to a stop on the racing line on turn 4. On the restart, Ray Williams and Murray Harrison exchanged a few blows, culminating in the 26 car clattering the fence. Russo lost out to Harrison and Yarrow in the closing stages, but Gill ran out as clear winner.
The Booth/Wright feud from Heat Two continued into the Final, both cars were in the fence almost the instance the green was dropped. Michael Scriven led briefly until Tim Warwick took over. The yellows came out when Scriven and Russo went heavily into the home straight fence. The order was now Warwick, from Swann, Bowler, and Poole, the latter being fired wide by Kev Smith. Swann got tangled with Warwick and they veered onto the infield, Kev Smith then got caught up. Bowler led momentarily before Ray Witts went past.
Smith (64) got back on track and gave Rob Cowley a good hit. At the halfway it was Witts, Smith, and Webster. Witts had a few problems getting past McCoard, but it never looked like Smith would get within striking distance. All Smith had to do to finish second was to keep going, but with three to go he launched a massive hit on backmarker Poole. Both cars went hard into the fence where they stayed for the rest of the race.
Peter Lee was the early leader of the 25 car Grand National, before Branson took over. Wainman (515) lasted only a couple of laps before he crashed out with Neachell. Gill was again flying around the track, passing the other high-speed blue top Kev Smith. These two were second and third respectively. Branson led past the halfway, but a mistake saw the 125 car backwards into the turn 4 fence. This put Gill in the lead, and he led as far as the last bend. Smith was about 6 car lengths adrift as Gill was entering the turn, but Kev launched the 64 car at Gill at full speed. The 290 car was sent very wide, and Smith came through on the inside to take the win.
