Belle Vue, 26th August, 2 Litre Bangers Stan Woods Testimonial
A cracking entry of 57 cars for this Stan Woods Testimonial bash at Manchesters Belle Vue stadium. Visitors came from Barford, Barrow, GMP, Buxton, Incarace and Warton. A trio of top cars were on show, these being the Laurel for 162 Brett Fiddler, the Morris Marina in the hands of 501 Ste Kaye and a superb Austin A35 for 319 Shovy.
31 cars were on track for the first race, this being the Stan Woods testimonial race. They were all clearly after 513 Stan at the start of the race as 162 Fiddler took him out with 262 Chris Parr also steaming into the Invader. Fiddler continued to send 818 Craig Phillips(who had also done Buxton earlier in the same day)spinning who took more punishment from 292 by way of a t-bone. Fiddlers luck was out this time as he piled into a post unaided as 243 Dougie Thompson piled into 513 Woods. 651 Dave Walker fired Parr in as 514 Paul Woods handed out the first follow in of the evening, 99 Scott Hill being his unlucky victim. The latter was soon to bounce back though as he put 10 in before doing the same to 519 John Woods. Stan Woods finally got it together by taking Thompson out before 514 Woods took team mate 518 Jay Woods in(!). 514 though took it himself from 585 Dave Ramsey while 99 Hill had motored to the victory from 140 and 651 Huggy.
23 cars came out for heat 2 with 303 starting proceedings off by spinning Buster 169 Stevie Horsefield before 83 Dave Thornley followed in 620 Joe Burke only to cop a blasting from 318 Wilf Speak for his troubles. 555 Steven Potter also powered into Thornley hard only to cop one himself from 9 Terry Smith. 303 removed 426 Phil Dykes as 145 Mick Driver did the same to 535 Mally Oldham Jnr and Speak thewn took 501 Basher in. 165 Mark Henstock hit 192 Andy Crostons tidy Capri only to feel the force of 169 Little Hoss as the war continued. Basher took a package from Smith who then recovered only to be given a portion of the bone from 168 Ian Horsefield. 42 Steve Owen then gave 504 Carl Jones a heafty hit on turn 2 as Horsefield took out 169 Little Hoss with the latter also taking a head on from Driver as 168 Big Hoss took the victory from 352 Nick Hird and 303.
The 25 car last heat started with 132 Chris Cullum jacking down 500 Bluey's Tina Estate as Driver hit 503 Ste Dowling head on with 619 Paul Taylor then getting blitzed by the traffic as he was reversing out on turns 1-2 which him in difficulty. Unfortunatly the meaty wagon had to come on track and take Taylor away, who is hopefully all OK now. 507 James Joyce spun 171 Scholes when the greens came back out as 535 Oldham Jnr hit 42 Donkey over the front wheel. Thompson powered his Capri into Driver before a batch of the yellows appeared again with 8 back once the lights had changed to green with 140 taking 258 Harty out well on the back straight and then Thompson attacking 316. The Scotsman continued to take Phillips out of the running on the entrance to the home straight as 319 Shovy t-boned Donkey. The latter also took punishment from 515 Ste Woods with Phillips then spinning 140 as 860 Stu Simpson took the victory but had no time to celebrate as he was taken in on the back straight by Shovy.
Upto 39 cars for the final with Oldham Snr getting us underway by firing into 99 Hill before 97 Baz Kitchen followed in 426 Dykes. 507 Joyce, Ste Woods and Little Hoss all went in on the top bend as Harty followed in 55 Smiggy. Harty took the win from 55 Smiggy and Huggy.
We then went straight into the DD with 262 Chris Parr putting Phillips into the wires as Harty followed in 515 Woods and Huggy in one go. The former also took a steam from Huggy on the back straight with Harty then doing Smith and Huggy then having another go at 515. The lively Huggy met Harty head on only to take a shot from 507 Joyce. The Dahm Buster soon avenged that hit though by steaming the Invader well on the home straight to take the win and end a lively night in Manchester.