Ringwood F2 - 12/02/22

Ringwood was the venue for the 2022 season opener, with a cold February evening seeing 14 cars in attendance.  Amongst those 915 Dave McNally made his F2 debut in an ex-Gary Tweddle car; there was a track debut for Swaffham racer 346 Antony Warne and rare appearances for 212 Neil Soule, 280 Pete Webb, 508 Terry Butcher and 797 Dan Moss.

 

DEBUT OUTING FOR 915 DAVE MCNALLY

346 ANTONY WARNE MADE HIS TRACK DEBUT

A FIRST OUTING SINCE 2020 FOR 280 PETE WEBB

All cars were out for heat 1, with 756 Ryan Mulley and 593 Matt Boddington on pole and it was the latter who led the field into turn 1 but lost out almost immediately to Mulley on the exit of turn 2.  595 Jack Boddington also gained on the 593 car down the back straight, before getting the better of Mulley into turn 3 and taking the lead.

594 Dan Boddington spun on turn 4 as Warne moved ahead of Matt Boddington into 3^rd and then bested Mulley for 2^nd a short while later.  Further down the field, Moss was making the strongest showing from red grade as he reeled in Webb and then Butcher for 6^th, with 150 John Enright also gaining on the 280 car.

McNally snatched 3^rd from Mulley a lap later as 252 Izzy Jackson was caught by Moss and Enright and slipped down the order.  Warne moved Jack Boddington wide for the lead as Moss carved his way through the traffic and slotted into 3^rd before he too passed Boddington on turn 2 and then Warne into turn 3 to take up the lead.

Enright kept up the chase as he followed Moss through into 2^nd just a few car lengths behind.  Webb reeled in McNally for 4^th as Butcher lost out to 151 Andy Enright for 7^th.  The latter then bested 299 Will Jackson and McNally on the back straight to move into 5^th, as Webb snatched 3^rd from Warne on turn 4 and Butcher passed McNally for 6^th.

As the lapboards came out, Andy Enright moved Webb wide for 3^rd into turn 1, which gave Butcher the chance to also gain on the 280 car half a lap later.  McNally retired as Izzy Jackson and Jack Boddington gained on Will Jackson – the trio reeling in Warne before Boddington was a spinner on turn 2.  Dan Boddington pulled up on turn 3 with engine problems as John Enright remained within a couple of car lengths of Moss but was not close enough to challenge, leaving the 797 car as the first winner of the season, ahead of John and Andy Enright.

Result: 797, 150, 151, 508, 280, 252, 299, 346, 756, 593

Down to 13 cars for heat 2 as Dan Boddington had loaded for the night with engine trouble, although Warne also pulled off before the start.  Matt Boddington led the field into turn 1 ahead of Jack Boddington and McNally, however the former lost the lead by the exit of turn 2 as he slipped to 3^rd behind the 915 car. 

A lap later and Matt Boddington dropped back to 7^th behind Moss as Izzy Jackson reeled in McNally to take the lead down the back straight, the pair having already gained on Jack Boddington earlier in the lap.  Moss then passed Butcher for 5^th into turn 1 as Webb took 3^rd from Jack Boddington.  The latter then dropped back slightly as Moss and the Enright brothers came through on the 595 car, before reeling in Butcher and Webb to sit 3^rd to 5^th respectively.

Webb briefly tangled with John Enright on turn 3 which slowed the 280 car enough to allow Butcher back through into 6^th as Moss claimed 2^nd from McNally, with Andy and John Enright also gaining on the white grader.  Up front Izzy Jackson had built up her lead to the length of the straight as the trio of red graders gave chase behind.

With 3 laps remaining, Butcher moved McNally wide for 5^th into turn 1, briefly slowing the latter enough to allow several others through including Webb as the 915 car dropped to 9^th.  Andy Enright moved by Moss for 2^nd in the closing stages but couldn’t reel in Jackson, who held on for the win ahead of Andy Enright and Moss.

Result: 252, 151, 797, 150, 508, 280, 299, 595, 915, 593

The final took place on a tricky wet surface, with the rain having started after the previous heat.  Warne took the lead into turn 1 as Soule was the first to be caught out by the conditions as he slid on into the armco at turn 1.  Izzy Jackson passed Matt Boddington on turn 2 as Jack Boddington gained on Mulley and McNally for 2^nd behind Warne.

Moss made a rapid start from the red grade and passed Butcher on the opening lap, while pole sitter McNally found himself struggling in the conditions and dropped down to 8^th behind Webb, who also found himself passed by Moss early on.  The rapid progress from the 797 car continued as he picked off Mulley on turn 4 and then Izzy Jackson and Jack Boddington on the following lap to sit 2^nd.

Matt Boddington spun on turn 2 as Moss snatched the lead from Warne into turn 3.  Andy and John Enright gained on Mulley for 7^th and 8^th respectively, with Will Jackson then also moving ahead of the 756 car on turn 3.  Webb passed Izzy Jackson down the back straight for 4^th as Butcher lost out to both Enright brothers around turns 3 and 4.

The following lap saw Jack Boddington spin on turn 4, allowing Webb to inherit 3^rd.  As the field now started to spread out, Moss extended his lead further and began working his way through the lapped traffic.  Webb and Andy Enright closed the gap down to Warne as the laps ticked away but found themselves unable to get close enough as Moss lapped the entire field up to 5^th place John Enright and came through for a comfortable win ahead of Warne and Webb.

Result: 797, 346, 280, 151, 150, 508, 252, 299, 756, 915, 595

HEAT & FINAL DOUBLE FOR 797 DAN MOSS

The planned helter skelter race was unfortunately cancelled due to time constraints.