Boardley runs into trouble at Foxhall

EASTER Monday's motor sport meeting at Foxhall Stadium, was the traditional bank holiday mix of speed and action and was played out in front of a large crowd.

The high speed National Hot Rods topped the bill for a vital World Championship qualifying round

With 31 cars racing, it was evident that no one has yet given up hope of making the top 20 in the series, to qualify for the World Championship.

The championship will be staged here in July at the Annual Spede Weekend.

Local favourite and reigning World Champion Carl Boardley got the day off to a good start by taking heat one, ahead of two East Anglian rivals, Andy Steward and Chris Haird.

But that was the best any of them could muster on a day when they all needed the points to improve their standings in the top 20.

Matt Simpson, who started the day fifth in the points, put pressure on those above him, including Boardley, by winning heat two.

Peterborough's Neil Stimson, who is just outside the top 20, boosted his chances of a world final place by winning heat three. Top of the points driver and 2005 World Champion Malcolm Blackman was second.

So, this left things nicely poised for the final, which saw the legendary Colin White take up the running after 10 laps, before Andy Steward took over five laps later.

However, mechanical problems set in and he retired, followed shortly after by Boardley who was involved in a three-car pile up.

White soldiered on at the front, but his car was never a real match for the others and he gradually fell back as Stuart Carter and others went by.

Carter eventually took the flag from Simpson and Londoner Phil Spinks, who is currently working in Dubai but flew back especially to race at the weekend's two meetings.

Thirty-five Super Stox was another excellent entry, and as ever, the racing from the single seat specials was fast and furious, with plentiful use of the front bumper to remove uncooperative opponents.

John Smith from Dereham had his first win in over a year when he took heat one, a race in which World Champion Steven Jackson from Harleston was involved in a very heavy crash with three other cars.

Amazingly, he got out again for heat two where he finished 10th, this race ending a few laps short with cars strewn over the track after a series of crashes.

Andy Collins had his first ever win since joining the formula from the GP Midgets just over a year ago.

Ben Marjoram won an equally frantic final, Smith getting another good result with second, ahead of Colin Aylward and Jackson.

The Van Bangers completed the entertainment, and as usual this was spectacular stuff. Richard Flockton's ambulance was the star turn in amongst the regulation transits, Bedfords and LDVs, and it soon became an obvious target for the rest of them.

However, it proved to be very strong and actually managed to complete all three races, albeit without getting anywhere near to winning any of them.

Luke Parfitt, Barry Wade and Nutty Whayman survived the mayhem to win the three races, while Whayman rounded off the day in style by being the only van still running to win the Destruction Derby.

Foxhall results

National Hot Rods

Heat One: 1 Carl Boardley (Ipswich), 2 Andy Steward (Great Bromley), 3 Chris Haird (Newmarket).

Heat Two: 1 Matt Simpson (Langley), 2 Dave Brooks (Stanwell), 3 Andy Holtby (Lincoln).

Heat Three: 1 Neil Stimson (Peterborough), 2 Malcolm Blackman (Langley), 3 Simon Bentley (Telford).

Final: 1 Stuart Carter (Lincoln), 2 Simpson, 3 Phil Spinks (Pinner).

Super Stox

Heat One: 1 John smith (Dereham), 2 Henry King (Wisbech), 3 Colin Aylward (Crowland).

Heat Two: 1 Andy Collins (Bedford), 2 Ben Marjoram (Market Deeping), 3 Gary Sparkes (Felsham).

Final: 1Marjoram, 2 Smith, 3 Aylward.

Van Bangers

Heat One: 1 Luke Parfitt (Norwich), 2 Michael Allard (Yarmouth), 3 Nutty Whayman (Stowmarket).

Heat Two: 1 Barry Wade (Stowmarket), 2 Keath Taylor (Ipswich), 3 Dean Mayes (Scole).

Final: 1 Whayman, 2 Allard, 3 Julian Buck (Fressingfield).

Destruction Derby: 1 Whayman, 2 Allard.