National & Classic Hot Rods Hednesford 29th May 2023
MAGNIFICENT MCDONALD CAPS WELL-TRAVELLED WEEKEND
The historic Hednesford Hills Raceway played host to the fourteenth and final 2022/23 English National Hot Rod World Qualifying Series round on the 29th of May. Constructed in the base of a disused reservoir, the venue celebrated its 60th year of competitive action in 2023. Reigning World and European Champion Rob McDonald finished a busy bank holiday weekend of racing at Hednesford after competing on home turf in Scotland at Lochgelly on Saturday, where he took a pair of sixths in the heats before coming home fifth in the final, and was fresh off the boat from Northern Ireland having raced at Tullyroan the day before, finishing eighth and ninth during the heats but scored a DNF in the final with a blown head gasket. After securing the points championship last time out at Ipswich, Billy Wood was eager to end the campaign on a high as he attempted to regain the world crown that he won in 2018. Carl Waller-Barrett - the Best in Britain victor at the venue last December, Perry Cooke - the final winner when the Nationals were last at the Midlands oval in March, and three-time World Champion Chris Haird would also be keen to end the season strongly. Other entries of note in the 26-strong field included the Ginetta of Aaron Dew, twice Pick Up Truck Racing champion George Turiccki aboard his characteristic #28 yellow Tigra and 1994 world champion Ricky Hunn’s lovely Peugeot 205, which may look retro on the outside but houses a modern-spec chassis under the French hatchback’s bodywork.
Heat One: Peter Elliott got the jump on Barry Limer to the first corner and was never headed throughout the 25 laps in his Peugeot 206 CC. George Turiccki came through to second from the middle of the yellow graders. The Ginetta of Dan Smith took third in a gaggle of blue-graded drivers from Nick Roots, Carl Waller-Barrett and the yellow-graded Ricky Hunn’s Peugeot 205 in sixth, which had starred early on by climbing up to fourth before being shuffled back by Roots and Waller-Barrett. Contact at the first corner left the Fiestas of Terry Hunn and Ivan Grayson damaged and Jack Blood's second-generation Vauxhall Tigra limping into retirement too, Blood being disqualified for his part in the incident. Of the superstar red graders, Billy Wood incurred damage after he rear-ended another car in the first corner melee, finishing behind McDonald and Cooke in thirteenth.
The historic Hednesford Hills Raceway played host to the fourteenth and final 2022/23 English National Hot Rod World Qualifying Series round on the 29th of May. Constructed in the base of a disused reservoir, the venue celebrated its 60th year of competitive action in 2023. Reigning World and European Champion Rob McDonald finished a busy bank holiday weekend of racing at Hednesford after competing on home turf in Scotland at Lochgelly on Saturday, where he took a pair of sixths in the heats before coming home fifth in the final, and was fresh off the boat from Northern Ireland having raced at Tullyroan the day before, finishing eighth and ninth during the heats but scored a DNF in the final with a blown head gasket. After securing the points championship last time out at Ipswich, Billy Wood was eager to end the campaign on a high as he attempted to regain the world crown that he won in 2018. Carl Waller-Barrett - the Best in Britain victor at the venue last December, Perry Cooke - the final winner when the Nationals were last at the Midlands oval in March, and three-time World Champion Chris Haird would also be keen to end the season strongly. Other entries of note in the 26-strong field included the Ginetta of Aaron Dew, twice Pick Up Truck Racing champion George Turiccki aboard his characteristic #28 yellow Tigra and 1994 world champion Ricky Hunn’s lovely Peugeot 205, which may look retro on the outside but houses a modern-spec chassis under the French hatchback’s bodywork.
Heat One: Peter Elliott got the jump on Barry Limer to the first corner and was never headed throughout the 25 laps in his Peugeot 206 CC. George Turiccki came through to second from the middle of the yellow graders. The Ginetta of Dan Smith took third in a gaggle of blue-graded drivers from Nick Roots, Carl Waller-Barrett and the yellow-graded Ricky Hunn’s Peugeot 205 in sixth, which had starred early on by climbing up to fourth before being shuffled back by Roots and Waller-Barrett. Contact at the first corner left the Fiestas of Terry Hunn and Ivan Grayson damaged and Jack Blood's second-generation Vauxhall Tigra limping into retirement too, Blood being disqualified for his part in the incident. Of the superstar red graders, Billy Wood incurred damage after he rear-ended another car in the first corner melee, finishing behind McDonald and Cooke in thirteenth.
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Heat Two: First heat winner Elliott led the early stages but he was caught and passed by the leading yellow-grader Blood on lap twelve, both having made an early break from Mark Shelper's Peugeot which was trying to keep the squabbling pack at bay. Blood pulled away to win by a healthy amount and atone his earlier disqualification. Turiccki quickly moved up to third, passing the stubborn Shelper on lap two, before removing Elliott from second place with three laps to go but the Tigra was caught late on by Smith's Ginetta, who failed to make a pass. Elliott's Peugeot came home in fourth. Among the red grades, McDonald dived ahead of Wood in the west bend with five laps remaining to top the group in eleventh from the points champion Wood.
Final: Held over 35 laps, the grid for the final would be set in championship points order. Points champion Billy Wood shared the front row with Chris Haird, Perry Cooke and Rob McDonald formed row two ahead of Aaron Dew, Ivan Grayson, Hayden Ballard and Carl Waller-Barrett. Unfortunately, the Ricky Hunn Peugeot 205 wouldn't take the start and Waller-Barrett also pulled off during the formation laps. The first and second rows raced side by side throughout the first lap before the order settled on Wood from Haird, Cooke, McDonald and Dew. Both McDonald and Dew were soon on the move, with the pair getting in front of Cooke on lap three. The World Champion then worked his way up to second at the expense of Haird on lap seven and was sat right behind Wood until they caught up with Dick Hillard to lap him on the 24th tour, when McDonald squeezed inside Wood to make the race-winning move. The gold-roofed Tigra of McDonald edged away to win, the Scotsman coming into form at the right time as he looked for his fourth World crown on the bounce. Silver roof holder Wood took second and Dew came home third, just fending off a determined Paul Wright on the line. Wright had endured a torrid meeting before the final, with a non-finish and a non-start in the two heats. Haird slipped back in the last ten laps to finish fifth, ahead of Cooke in sixth. Turiccki made up ten places for ninth on-the-road but was docked four places for contact with Hillard and Joey Palmer.
Final: Held over 35 laps, the grid for the final would be set in championship points order. Points champion Billy Wood shared the front row with Chris Haird, Perry Cooke and Rob McDonald formed row two ahead of Aaron Dew, Ivan Grayson, Hayden Ballard and Carl Waller-Barrett. Unfortunately, the Ricky Hunn Peugeot 205 wouldn't take the start and Waller-Barrett also pulled off during the formation laps. The first and second rows raced side by side throughout the first lap before the order settled on Wood from Haird, Cooke, McDonald and Dew. Both McDonald and Dew were soon on the move, with the pair getting in front of Cooke on lap three. The World Champion then worked his way up to second at the expense of Haird on lap seven and was sat right behind Wood until they caught up with Dick Hillard to lap him on the 24th tour, when McDonald squeezed inside Wood to make the race-winning move. The gold-roofed Tigra of McDonald edged away to win, the Scotsman coming into form at the right time as he looked for his fourth World crown on the bounce. Silver roof holder Wood took second and Dew came home third, just fending off a determined Paul Wright on the line. Wright had endured a torrid meeting before the final, with a non-finish and a non-start in the two heats. Haird slipped back in the last ten laps to finish fifth, ahead of Cooke in sixth. Turiccki made up ten places for ninth on-the-road but was docked four places for contact with Hillard and Joey Palmer.
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Classic Hot Rod National Championship
The Classic Hot Rods were also out at Hednesford on Bank Holiday Monday, competing for the crown of National champion. A field of 22 1960s and 1970s saloons were attracted to the Midlands venue, the majority of the field racing in Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts but other models such as the Austin A40, Ford Anglia 100E and 105E, Hillman Avenger and the smart Vauxhall Viva of defending champion Lee Wood were out to stop the Escort steamroller. Anthony Morgan came across from County Meath, Ireland to race his immaculate Pete Winstone replica X-Pack Mk2 Escort, some other stunning X-Pack Escorts belonged to Dan Buckley and category debutant Tony Moss.
Heat One: Inside starter Buckley was slow away when the green flag dropped, with David Hitchen and Morgan, from second the row, going either side of the black Mk2 and pinching Buckley into the first corner. Morgan emerged with a lead he wouldn’t lose, whilst Hitchen's Mk1 Escort spun. Lee Wood fought up to second on the fourth lap in his Viva and was on Morgan’s tail for the remainder of the 20 laps but couldn’t find a way past. Buckley's Escort took the flag in third, whilst Craig Boyd's Austin A40 overcame Gary Goodswen's Escort Mk2 late in the race for fourth.
Heat Two: The Sunbeam of Nick Ross leapt away out front in the early stages but the A40 of Craig Boyd and Wood's Viva were soon on the move, with Boyd moving up to second on lap six. Unfortunately, the A40 broke whilst well-placed in second on lap nine and gifted the spot to Wood. The rapid Vauxhall reeled in and passed the leading Talbot on lap twelve to take away the race win, Irishman Morgan did the same for second late in the race. Ross eventually finished third, ahead of a titanic eight-car scrap for fourth headed by a stubborn Richard Beere. The Mk2 Escort hogged the inside of the oval to just pip Gary Goodswen, Kevin Gooding, Chris Partridge, Charlie Sayer, Dan Buckley, heat one non-starter Tony Moss and Kevin Roberts over the line.
Final: Wood and Morgan came into the final having scored the same number of points, the pair contested a coin toss for pole position which Wood won and the Viva driver took the inside starting position. Behind the front two, the rest of the top eight would be completed by Goodswen, Buckley, Gooding, Ross, Beere and Sayers for the rolling start. The Viva of Wood took full advantage of the inside start position to take the early lead, whilst Buckley threatened Morgan’s second place in a battle of the X-Pack Escorts but a steadfast Morgan kept him at bay. Wood and Morgan pulled away from the field during the first half of the 25-lapper until Morgan nudged Wood a little wide in the west bend as they came up to lap Graham Stallwood’s Sunbeam and took a lead he wouldn’t lose, so sealed the National title. Wood followed the silver Escort home in second and the rapid A40 of Craig Boyd charged up to third at the expense of Buckley in fourth. There was controversy afterwards, however, as both Wood and Boyd failed post-race scrutineering, so were scrubbed from the results. Dan Buckley was thus awarded second place, whilst third and fourth places stayed empty as no car below fourth was checked. The Kevin Gooding and Gary Goodswen Escort Mk2s were classified fifth and sixth.
Heat One: Inside starter Buckley was slow away when the green flag dropped, with David Hitchen and Morgan, from second the row, going either side of the black Mk2 and pinching Buckley into the first corner. Morgan emerged with a lead he wouldn’t lose, whilst Hitchen's Mk1 Escort spun. Lee Wood fought up to second on the fourth lap in his Viva and was on Morgan’s tail for the remainder of the 20 laps but couldn’t find a way past. Buckley's Escort took the flag in third, whilst Craig Boyd's Austin A40 overcame Gary Goodswen's Escort Mk2 late in the race for fourth.
Heat Two: The Sunbeam of Nick Ross leapt away out front in the early stages but the A40 of Craig Boyd and Wood's Viva were soon on the move, with Boyd moving up to second on lap six. Unfortunately, the A40 broke whilst well-placed in second on lap nine and gifted the spot to Wood. The rapid Vauxhall reeled in and passed the leading Talbot on lap twelve to take away the race win, Irishman Morgan did the same for second late in the race. Ross eventually finished third, ahead of a titanic eight-car scrap for fourth headed by a stubborn Richard Beere. The Mk2 Escort hogged the inside of the oval to just pip Gary Goodswen, Kevin Gooding, Chris Partridge, Charlie Sayer, Dan Buckley, heat one non-starter Tony Moss and Kevin Roberts over the line.
Final: Wood and Morgan came into the final having scored the same number of points, the pair contested a coin toss for pole position which Wood won and the Viva driver took the inside starting position. Behind the front two, the rest of the top eight would be completed by Goodswen, Buckley, Gooding, Ross, Beere and Sayers for the rolling start. The Viva of Wood took full advantage of the inside start position to take the early lead, whilst Buckley threatened Morgan’s second place in a battle of the X-Pack Escorts but a steadfast Morgan kept him at bay. Wood and Morgan pulled away from the field during the first half of the 25-lapper until Morgan nudged Wood a little wide in the west bend as they came up to lap Graham Stallwood’s Sunbeam and took a lead he wouldn’t lose, so sealed the National title. Wood followed the silver Escort home in second and the rapid A40 of Craig Boyd charged up to third at the expense of Buckley in fourth. There was controversy afterwards, however, as both Wood and Boyd failed post-race scrutineering, so were scrubbed from the results. Dan Buckley was thus awarded second place, whilst third and fourth places stayed empty as no car below fourth was checked. The Kevin Gooding and Gary Goodswen Escort Mk2s were classified fifth and sixth.
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