Grimley F2 - 3/04/22

Grimley’s season opener saw the highest turnout for many years, with 17 cars in attendance (after 681 Ollie Holford made an overnight engine change from Ringwood and arrived in time for heat 2).  An impressive entry of 10 local racers were joined by 969 Bart Smeets from the northern Outlaw formula - who made his track debut - as did 488 Owen Stringer.  70 Brian Shadbolt made another return to Grimley having spent the previous seasons back at BriSCA.  Standlake-based 210 Patrick Somerton made only his 2^nd visit to the track and the entry was completed by rare visits for 280 Pete and 421 Gary Webb.

A FIRST GRIMLEY VISIT FOR LANCASHIRE-BASED
DUTCHMAN 969 BART SMEETS

A GRIMLEY RETURN FOR 70 BRIAN SHADBOLT

16 cars lined up for heat 1, although Stringer and 502 Ryan Weston (in the ex-Jordan Butcher car) pulled off before the start with running issues.  505 Jason Masters got the lead into turn 1 ahead of Somerton as 716 Jim Muckian made a quick start from the blue grade and passed 173 Paul Smith into turn 3.  Shadbolt was an early spinner on turn 4 before Muckian reeled in 101 Zac Moores into turn 1, with the latter also finding himself losing a place to Smith in the process.

Somerton snatched the lead from Masters into turn 3 a couple of laps in as 42 Ash Greening passed Gary Webb and then 252 Izzy Jackson to move up into 7^th.  245 Kyle Broadway pulled up and retired from the race as 299 Will Jackson gained on Smith on turn 3 and then picked up a couple of places within the next half a lap to move behind Greening, before the pair gained on Pete Webb on the home straight.

Muckian picked off Masters for 2^nd and then took the lead from Somerton on the back straight, as Greening and Will Jackson gained on Moores for 4^th and 5^th respectively.  25 Ant Masters passed Izzy Jackson on the exit of turn 2, before gaining 6^th from Moores into turn 1.  The 101 car then coming under attack from Jackson and Gary Webb later in the lap to drop 2 places down the order to 9^th.  Jason Masters then lost out to Greening and Will Jackson, slipping down to 7^th shortly afterwards.

Pete Webb moved up into 9^th as he passed Moores on turn 4 while Greening claimed 2^nd from Somerton, the latter then losing 3^rd to Will Jackson on the home straight as the lap boards were out.  Late on Pete Webb passed Jason Masters for 8^th as Smeets moved into the top 10 as he passed Moores.  Masters lost ground on the last lap and this allowed Smeets up into 9^th and Moores back into 10^th as the 505 car slipped down to 11^th.  Greening was unable to close the gap down to Muckian up front and the 716 car came through for his 5^th win of the season, with Will Jackson completing the top 3.

Result: 716, 42, 299, 210, 252, 25, 421, 280, 969, 101

A 5TH WIN IN 3 MEETINGS FOR 716 JIM MUCKIAN

Heat 2 again fielded 16 cars, with Holford joining the grid, as Ant Masters loaded for the day with damage.  Jason Masters again got the lead from pole position ahead of Somerton and Stringer.  Muckian passed Holford on the exit of turn 2 as Moores gained on Weston on the home straight and Shadbolt then made moves on Smith and Weston to climb up into 6^th.

Somerton took over at the front from Masters as Greening snatched 7^th from Holford, having picked off Pete Webb and Izzy Jackson earlier in the lap.  Muckian moved Moores wide on turn 1 to sit 4^th, with Shadbolt following the 716 car through.  Greening was next to make a move on the 101 car, also reeling in Shadbolt down the back straight as he slotted into 5^th.  Weston retired with further running issues as Stringer was bested by Muckian and then Greening on turns 1 and 2, dropping him down to 5^th.

A lap later and Shadbolt and Izzy Jackson also gained on Stringer as Will Jackson moved ahead of Pete Webb and Moores for 8^th.  Masters lost 2^nd to Muckian on turn 1 as Greening followed the 716 car through into 3^rd, while Will Jackson reeled in Stringer for 7^th.  Pete Webb moved inside Moores for 9^th on turn 3, leaving the 101 car open to a move from Holford who claimed 10^th down the home straight.  With 4 laps remaining Will Jackson moved up into 4^th as he passed Izzy Jackson and then Shadbolt, as Masters slipped down the order to 7^th, while Gary Webb moved up into 9^th as he knocked Pete Webb wide.

With the top 3 grouped together, Greening went in hard with the bumper into turn 1, which moved both cars in a single move and allowed him through up into the lead, with Muckian cutting back inside Somerton for 2^nd.  With the latter struggling to regain momentum, Will Jackson also snuck ahead for 3^rd.  Shadbolt spun from 6^th on the home straight as Smeets moved into the top 10 as Holford dropped out.  Gary Webb picked off Stringer for 7^th as Greening held off Muckian to claim his first win of the season, with Will Jackson in 3^rd.

Result: 42, 716, 299, 210, 252, 505, 421, 488, 969, 280

15 cars made it back out for the final, although Stringer was again forced off before the start with running problems.  Masters led the field away as Greening passed Gary Webb on turn 4.  Somerton then took over at the front as he passed Masters on turn 3 while Holford moved ahead of Moores on the same corner and Muckian reeled in Pete Webb.

Smith moved ahead of Weston on the exit of turn 2, although they both then had Holford and Muckian for company as the latter duo moved up into 3^rd and 4^th respectively as they took the positions on turn 4.  Moores slipped back behind Greening into 8^th as Muckian continued his progress and passed Masters for 2^nd on turn 3, the 505 car also losing out to Holford around turn 4.

Will Jackson gained on Gary Webb into turn 1 as Muckian moved to the front, passing Somerton up the inside of turn 3.  Greening reeled in Masters for 4^th on the home straight, having passed Smith earlier in the lap.  Izzy Jackson was next to come through the field as he too passed Smith and then Masters on turn 1 to slot into 5^th.  Greening snatched 3^rd from Holford on turn 3, managing to also gain on Somerton at the same time, with the 210 cars progress briefly halted allowing Holford through into 3^rd.

Smith lost out to Will Jackson on turn 3 for 6^th, before Izzy Jackson passed Somerton on turn 2 as the lap boards came out for the leaders.  Gary hit Pete Webb wide on turn 1 and dived through on turn 2, receiving a hit back into turn 3 but holding the position.  Will Jackson bested Somerton on the back straight for 5^th.  With 2 laps remaining Masters slipped to 10^th as he was caught by both Webbs. 

On the final lap Greening went in hard with the bumper into turn 1 as Muckian was slowed by back-marking traffic, allowing the 42 car to squeeze up the inside on turn 2 and then hold the inside line into turn 3 and take the lead to cross the line and take his first final win of the season just ahead of Muckian, with Holford in 3^rd, while further back Masters lost 10^th to Smeets on the final lap.

Result: 42, 716, 681, 299, 252, 210, 173, 421, 280, 969

A HEAT AND FINAL DOUBLE FOR 42 ASH GREENING

An 11 car field completed the days action in the grand national, with a couple of visitors loading up to make a start on the long journey home.  Masters led the field away ahead of Somerton and Weston, although the latter lost out to Smith on turn 4 of the opening lap.  Somerton made a move for the lead into turn 3, while Moores passed Weston down the back straight.

The 502 car was then reeled in by Holford and Muckian on the home straight as Smith passed Masters to move into 2^nd on turn 1.  Holford and Moores then tangled on the exit of turn 4, spinning the latter into the chasing Izzy Jackson who ended up crashing out onto the infield.  A couple of laps later Smith took the lead from Somerton on the home straight as Muckian passed Masters for 3^rd on turn 3.  Masters then hooked up with Will Jackson on the exit of turn 2 leaving both cars stranded on the racing line. 

With only 8 cars now left running Holford snatched 2^nd from Somerton into turn 1 and was followed through on turn 2 by Muckian.  As the laps ticked down, Muckian moved by Holford for 2^nd on turn 2 and with the field now spread out there were no further changes before the end; Muckian closed the gap down to Smith on the final lap but was not close enough to make a move for the lead, which gave Smith his first ever win ahead of Muckian and Holford.

Result: 173, 716, 681, 210, 969, 245, 101, 502, NOF