Standlake F2 - 21/07/19

Despite holidays, car damage and a clashing Grimley meeting there were still 15 cars present for the 7^th meeting of the season, including a return for 57 Kev Cooper who was debuting a new car.

All 15 made the track for heat 1 and saw 38 Gavin Busby get the lead into turn 1, although he was passed firstly by 109 Stuart Biddle as the cars exited turn 2 and then by 776 James Trigg on the back straight.  Further back 563 Keith Walding got by 82 Keith Richens, but 261 Roger Mountney had made the best start from blue and reeled in both 185 Jess Webb and 138 Kev Goldup.  A lap later Walding went underneath Mountney into turn 1 to take 6^th place as 623 Rob Dobie claimed 4^th from 521 Phil Trigg.

Having made a rapid start from red grade, 155 Carl Lewis was already up to 7^th and passed Walding up the inside as the pair exited turn 4 – the pair then quickly catching and passing Phil Trigg later that same lap, with the latter then losing out to 856 Paul Webb and 352 Andy Webb shortly after.  Lewis continued his early pace as he caught Dobie for 4^th, the lone yellow top finding himself squeezed out wide as both Walding and Andy Webb also came through, with Paul Webb gaining a couple of places as he got by Dobie and then Walding to sit 6^th.

The early white top charge was under threat as Lewis passed Busby for 3^rd with 6 laps to go, while Paul Webb got the better of brother Andy on the back straight.  With 5 laps to go, Lewis claimed 2^nd from James Trigg as Paul Webb caught and passed Busby on the back straight.  Biddle’s lead was to hold until the last 3 laps as Lewis eventually caught him to take the lead, as the battle for 5^th intensified behind, with Busby being pushed into turn 1 by both Andy Webb and Walding but managing to hold on.  Another push on turn 3 saw Busby desperately clinging to 5^th and as the 3 cars passed the start line another hit from Walding pushed Webb into the 38 car, spinning the latter out of the running and allowing Walding to take 5^th.  Paul Webb snuck 3^rd from James Trigg in the closing stages, but no one could catch Lewis, who took his 9^th win of the season.

Result: 155, 109, 856, 776, 563, 352, 105, 623, 82, 261

With 38 Busby sidelined with engine issues, the remaining 14 made it out for heat 2.  With Phil Trigg slow away, it was fellow pole-sitter Jess Webb who lead into turn 1, although she was soon passed by Biddle on the exit of turn 2.  Dobie had made a good start from yellow and moved up into 2^nd on the opening lap, passing both front row starters on the opening lap.  The following lap saw Walding make a good run down the back straight as he went past the afore-mentioned pair as well as Richens to sit 3^rd.

Up front Biddle opening a 10-car gap at the front, Walding took Dobie for 2^nd on turn 3, the latter then being caught by 105 Louis Williams and Richens a lap later.  Having won the last heat, Lewis was looking strong again and caught and passed the latter pairing, after having first passed Dobie – now finding himself in 3^rd.

With 5 laps left Paul Webb moved up behind Lewis and got by for 3^rd as Walding caught and passed Biddle to take the lead.  Webb got through for 2^nd and put the bumper in on Walding, moving him wide and allowing Lewis, Paul and Andy Webb through to occupy the top 3 spots.  As the leading quintet entered turn 1, Walding cut across Biddle and was spun round, dropping back down the order.  Lewis held on at the front to take his 2^nd win of the day from Paul and Andy Webb.

Result: 155, 856, 352, 109, 105, 57, 82, 563, 623, 521 

13 cars gridded for the Final and saw James Trigg get a quick start and race off into the early lead.  Biddle failed to get as good a start this time and was swallowed up by the pack, as Dobie came through for 2^nd.  Richens had made the best start from blue grade and caught and passed Biddle on the back straight – followed through by Walding as the pair then reeled in Dobie.

With Trigg having built a good early lead up front, Walding was now giving chase in 2^nd with Paul Webb looking the quickest of the reds, finding himself in 4^th having got by Dobie on the exit of turn 2.  Double heat winner Lewis was not far behind however and he slotted in behind Webb, dropping Dobie back to 6^th.  Richens was to become the next victim for the rapidly charging pairing as Webb got by on the back straight and then Lewis made a move on the brakes into turn 1. 

A lap later and Walding was under pressure from Webb, who gave him a shove into turn 1 and moved through.  There was then a spectacular crash where Richens clipped a marker tyre on turn 2 and flipped skywards, managing to land back on his wheels and continuing with the race – only to be halted shortly after by a fuel pump issue.

With 5 laps to go Lewis took Walding for 3^rd and Trigg’s lead was finally snatched away as Webb came through a lap later.  The latter was then caught by Lewis and Walding and as the last lap started Lewis was getting closer to the back of the 856 car.  Lewis did get close enough to make contact on the last bend, but Webb was able to hold on for his first final win of the season.

Result: 856, 155, 563, 776, 352, 261, 105, 109, 57, 185

Only 10 cars made it out for the Grand National and saw Biddle race off into an early lead as James Trigg moved into 2^nd ahead of Jess Webb.  Dobie passed Goldup for 3^rd, with the latter also caught by Mountney.  The pair then got the better of Webb, as Goldup dropped further back and was soon a target for Walding and Lewis from the lap handicap.  

Mountney took 3^rd from Dobie as Jess Webb was reeled in by first Walding and then Lewis, with the two now running 7^th and 8^th.  Dobie was moved wide by Williams and Andy Webb on turn 3 before Lewis got underneath Walding into turn 1.  With 5 laps remaining Trigg was spun by Mountney on turn 4 allowing the chasing pack through and giving Lewis the chance to snatch 3^rd from Williams.  

It looked as though Biddle was about to take his first win at Standlake, but with just over a lap to go, Webb made his move on the exit of turn 4 – despite the best efforts from the white top to hold on.  He did lunge for a last bend attempt a lap later but couldn’t make contact and had to settle for 2^nd with Andy Webb coming through for his 2^nd Grand National win on the bounce.

Result: 352, 109, 155, 105, 563, 623, 185, 261, 776, 138