Speedway ace Howe is too hot for rivals

ELITE League speedway star David Howe, from Loughborough, was in sparkling form in the Bristol Grass Racing Combine’s meeting at Stanton St Quinton, near Malmesbury.

He won all his qualifying heats for the main final without being headed and his main rivals, Tim Nobes and Cheshire’s Daniel Winterton, failed to contain him in the final for the Ken Melksham Memorial Trophy.

Slick starting was the key to his success and, in many of the races, he was into the first bend yards ahead of his rivals. The crowd hoped Howe would appear for the final race of the day, but their hopes were dashed and the event was won by Nobes, who was handicapped by half-a-lap.

Neil Taylor won all his races in the 250cc class to take the overall win, and Martin Williams chalked up three wins in the 350cc class, but he ended up in fourth place in his last race with a badly misfiring engine.

Zach Wajtnecht, from Saltford, was also unbeaten and he took the junior final from London’s Luke Harris.

Also in the youth class, James Shanes and Henry Atkins were unbeaten. Philip Steele, from Yate, recorded the fastest terminal speed of 151mph in the National Sprint Association’s British Championship Quarter Mile Twin Lane Sprint at Wroughton, near Melksham.

But he had a slower time than Racing Class Unlimited Class winner Tony Davenidge, who clocked 149.

Chris Curtis, from the Yeovil area, scored a marginal win over Jason Hamblin in the North Somerset Club’s hour-long Timed and Observation Trial, for the Keedwell Transport Group Trophy, at Stanton Drew. Curtis dropped five marks on time and five in a stream crossing in the fifth section.

Bristol Grass Racing Combine meeting at Stanton St Quinton, Wilts – solo main final: 1, D Howe (Jawa); 2, T Nobes (GM); 3, D Winterton (GM); 4, C Saunders (Jawa); 5, D Evans (LCS); 6, R Gregory (Jawa).

B final: 1, S Phillips (GM); 2, J Weeks (Jawa); 3, M Collins (Antig); 4, M Charrett (Jawa); 5, M Randall (Jawa); 6, R Snow (Jawa).

Upright engine final: 1, C Malone (TFC); 2, D Hammond (Jawa); 3, C Palmer (Jawa); 4, D Harris (LCS); 5, T Curnock (Jawa); 6, K Snelling (Antig).

Allcomers handicap: 1, Nobes; 2, N Taylor (RTS); 3, R Taylor (BSA); 4, Weeks; 5, J Hodgson (GM); 6, C Harris (LCS).

Youth final: 1, Z Wajtnecht (KTM); 2, C Walker (RTS); 3, L Harris (CRF); 4, E Best (KTM); 5, R Williams (Honda); 6, A Webb (Honda).

The following classes were decided over four point-scoring races – Pre 1975: 1, C Palmer (Jawa); 2, K Snelling (Jawa); 3, D Drew (Jawa); 4, C Harris (LCS); 5, D Hammond (Jawa); 6, J Wheatley (Godden).

250cc: 1, N Taylor (RTS); 2, B Powell (RTS); 3, S Darvill (Honda); 4, C Bird (RTS); 5, P Randall (Yamaha); 6, A Hawker (Honda).

350cc: 1, M Williams (Jawa); 2, J Dingle (Antig); 3, M Taylor (RTS).

Juniors: 1, Wajtnecht; 2, Harris; 3, Best; 4, R Williams (Honda); 5, M Brown (Kawasaki); 6, C Walker (Viper).

Youths auto cadets: 1, L Dummett (Lem); 2, A Rowe (Lem); 3, C Wirtzfield (KTM).

Cadets: 1, H Atkins (Polini); 2, A Blackmore (Antig).

Intermediates: 1, J Shanes (Jawa); 2, J Nelson (Jawa).

NSA Sprint at Wroughton, Wilts: Racing class – 125cc: T Davenidge (JNR Aprilia) 14.29secs - terminal speed 89mph; 250cc: P Hodgson (Suzuki) 12.49-103; 500cc: P Hodgson (Suzuki) 9.73-149; 750cc: P Ford (Suzuki) 11.57-122; 1000cc: D Glover (Ducati) 12.37-114; Unlimited: T Davenidge (Suzuki) 9.20-149.

Vintage Pre-1947 – 350cc: J Young (Triumph) 14.72-88; 500cc: B White (Douglas) 13.11-98; Unlimited: H Body (Douglas) 12.90-101.

Post Vintage – 350cc: M Evans (Triumph) 13.79-100; 500cc: D Benga (JAP) 14.83 - 92.

Road Legal class – 400cc: A Tinnion (Yamaha) 11.95-111; 750cc A Tinnion (Yamaha) 10.28-132; 1000cc: P Richardson (Suzuki) 10.82-124.

Unlimited: D Cropley (Suzuki) 10.34-140.

Super Street: B Varndell (Kawasaki) 9.79-146.

500cc Sidecars: H Body (Douglas) 14.47-89.

Unlimited sidecars: D Woodward (Suzuki) 12.01-118.

Non Japanese: T Pettitt (Triton) 12.75-104.

Scooter: B West (Lambretta) 15.08-83.

North Somerset MSC Timed and Observation Trial at Stanton Drew – winner: C Curtis (Honda) lost 5 marks on time and 5 on observation = 10 marks lost.

Runner-up: J Hamblin (Sherco) 8+3=11.

First class awards: J Walters (Yamaha) 19+3=22; T Smith (Gas Gas) 20+3= 23; C Smith (Sherco) 18+6=24; P Mason (Gas Gas) 16+15=31; J Adams (Sherco) 10+23=33.

Non-expert award: S Legg (Beta) 20+15=35.

Novice award: N Parker (Yamaha) 18+51=69.

Enduro class awards: A Frost (Honda) 0+16=16; J Rigby (KTM) 19+75=94.