Epic Raid keeps it in the family…

A minute’s applause proudly rang out even before a wheel had turned at Foxhall Stadium as drivers, officials and fans alike paid tribute to founding Spedeworth Promoter Les ‘Mr Stock Car’ Eaton. From the very early days Les would always encourage race fans to… “Sit back, relax and enjoy the Spectacle & Panorama of Stock Car Racing” …and he must have been looking down from his seat in the ‘grandstand in the sky’ with great pride as both formulas put on a terrific season-opening show with the under 1800cc National Bangers in breath-takingly epic form writes Kevin Wegg.
Although an individual event, team colours were well to the fore amongst the eighty-plus field with The Gladiators, Midnight Runners and Cream Team well represented with a host of ground-shaking hits in the two heats.
A track-filling sixty-seven cars served up a ‘Raid’ to remember in more ways than one. Turns one and two became a sea of ‘4-D carnage’ with mangled wrecks; airborne-facing cars and a fire for good measure before Dale Hughes restored some semblance of order to claim victory but only after a last-gasp twist following a mix-up with the lap boards.
Dale took the ‘Allcomers’ for good measure after slipping past Karl Douglas with three to go in a race which also saw Bill King roll. A thrilling twenty eight car DD saw Boxer Jack put up spirited resistance against the Creams eventually having to give second-best to Billy Cunningham.

All three Stock Rod races served up some riveting wheel-to-wheel action which culminated in a host of work for some. Trevor Ashworth was leading the final until he spun and snared the field including returnee Graham Booty, although Nick Aldridge by far copped the worst of it after being smashed amidships and ultimately written-off by the luckless Incarace visitor Stephen Gooch.
In an exciting duel for the lead Michael Madden eventually nosed ahead to claim the spoils. Unfortunately for Madden he fell foul of the scales after the event and failed the post-race check, handing the victory to Ashley Reed in the 560 machine!

For a full meeting report and pictures see the all-new Wheelspin Magazine out on March 31st !